This Here Blog Random, maybe useful, thoughts.

I tried to read The Pleasures of God by John Piper on several different occasions. I had read one of his books before, but this one, I just couldn’t get into.

I have no problem with the topic, and what I read seemed right, all I can figure is that it is not written in a style that I get. Admittedly, I can have trouble with books that are theologically “deep.” I’m guessing that is the reason for my having problems reading this book.

With that said, I can’t disagree with what I understand of the message of this book. I know God takes pleasure in many things: Jesus, in us, in hearing our prayers and worship, and others. I had looked forward to reading this book when I first got it, and learning about what God finds pleasure in.

I do wish that I could have gotten more from it, perhaps I will at another time. Don’t let my problems affect your reading it though. It might be right up your alley.

I received this book from Waterbrook Multnomah in exchange for my review.

I just finished another book (please hold your applause) that held a deeper message than I originally thought. Anytime I read a book by an author that I haven’t heard of, I tend to put a wall up of cynicism so that I don’t get misled. Not that this wall is always effective, but it can work. The good books generally tear down the wall without any trouble at all.

I had never heard of R.T. Kendall before this book, but I don’t know why. Based on what I read, I should have. I’ll be completely upfront, I figured the book would be a radical run down the church aisle, shout, jump up and down every time the name Jesus is mentioned type of book. Without getting into whether that is right or wrong, that is not me. I am pleased to be wrong about my initial thoughts. “Being Unashamed to Bear His Name” deals with a different type of shame, one that will affect the quiet and loud Christians alike.

R.T. Kendall uses the term stigma to describe the shame that Christians will bear.  He breaks it down into different areas, such as being thought of as flat wrong, or even a lunatic. He warns that no Christian is safe from stigmas, they may miss one, but they won’t miss all of them. With each stigma, he explains the reasons behind it, and why it should be held in high esteem.

With all that, I do not share his view of the Toronto Blessing. Admittedly, I have no first hand information on this, but what I have heard does not fit in with what I believe. As R.T. Kendall mentioned, many who read the book will quite possibly find something “offensive.” I would not go so far as to say I’m offended, I just don’t agree.

Overall, the message of being ready for people to not like you because you believe in Christ is something that we all need to be reminded of. I received this book for free from Chosen Books in exchange for my review.

Time for an unscheduled conundrum. With recent events that have been going on, I was thinking a bit about when is the right time to let someone or something go? How long do you chase someone (not like a nerdy kid trying to date a cheerleader  chase) before you back off? How long are you to pursue them?

Jesus answers Peter that we are to forgive as many times as we are asked. Not just 7 times, but 490 times. But, in what could be misconstrued as a conflicting statement, He later says that if people do not listen, to shake  the dust of the town from your (the disciples’ initially) sandals. Before continuing, let me say that there is no conflict here; anything that seems like one is a mistake on out part. God protects His word, and won’t let us mess it up like that. At the very basic level, the first passage is for when someone asks for forgiveness, the people mentioned in the second passage don’t care about hearing the gospel. I don’t know that anyone would try to start something on that, I just am a little paranoid.

I’m sort of seeking an answer here, but mainly, this post is just to let my mind wander over details. It’s obvious that, if someones asks for forgiveness, you need to grant it. I understand that. What about the people who don’t care that they hurt you? They know you’re hurt, but see no problem with what they have done. Really, it boils down to, when do you shake the dust off in that case?

I’ve heard the phrase, “Let them pull the TV onto their head,” and it’s cousin, “Let them hit the wall.” I know what they mean, but I still want to stand there and give warnings, like Burma-Shave signs. I also want to be there when the TV is on their head, or they’re laying on the floor, asking how bad does it hurt. Or maybe telling them to walk it off.

If I had to end with answer, it would have to be to step back, but don’t stop looking. Wait on them the way God waits on us when we do something stupid.

Take pictures of a cute monkey, add an interesting story line, top it off with a moral and Bible verses, and you get a book that I think all ages will enjoy. I got it for my niece, but I must admit that I wanted to read it as well, if for nothing else than the one page debunking of the 6 common theories of evolution.

Tim Ostermeyer has taken some great pictures of a monkey in the Japanese Alps and made them into a kid’s book, one that teaches about planning ahead. However, I think all of us could learn more about that at one time or another. We follow Snuggles as he learns about and travels to the hot springs, where he and his parents will spend the winter. We see what he goes through, and what he learns through the trip. I won’t spoil it for you, though.

The book is well thought out, the story and pictures match, I’d say perfectly. The lesson in the story is an important one. With many of the pages, scripture is included to further reinforce the lesson. Having a one page summary that disproves evolution, in language that children can understand will help them when they encounter those teachings later in life. There are some words that children will need help with, but that gives parents an opportunity to discuss the book with them.

Even though it was written for kids, I thought it was a good book. My niece has seen it, but she hasn’t had an opportunity to read it yet. She did like that pictures, though.

I received this book from BookCrash.com in exchange for this review.

There are two cats in our house. We feed them and take care of them, but they have their own routines, so I’m not sure that I can say we own them. If you have any cat experience, you know what I mean.

One is a plain black cat, the other is a mackerel tabby (black, gray, brownish striped cat). They were from the same litter, and get along pretty well most times. There is one time that they do get into a fight, and it starts innocently every time. The black cat will be laying on the floor, and the tabby will walk up and begin to lick her. I picture it in my head as the tabby saying, “Why you so dirty? Every time I look, you black. Why you no stay clean?” I can’t prove that’s what she says, but it makes for a funny scene for me. The black cat will enjoy the licking for a little bit, then will turn over on her back and grab the tabby. This begins a fight, because the tabby is very protective of herself.

The fight will last for a few minutes at most, and never gets severe. I’m pretty sure the black cat is just playing, but she doesn’t seem to tell the tabby that.

What I notice more (besides that play-by-play in my head) is that the tabby gives the appearance of being friendly, and wanting to help. She’s just being a good sister. There are two ways to look at what is going on. The first, which I already mentioned, is that the black cat wants to play. I guess she thinks the tabby is playing, and wants to roughhouse a little. This doesn’t go over real well. But, I can easily find myself doing the same. Someone is truly trying to be helpful, and I let fly a snarky comment, maybe as a joke. And this causes the other person to retaliate. Their help was countered with ire, and neither one of us is any better off.

The other way to look at it that the black cat does not want the help/attention, and lashes out. Though I don’t tend to think this is the case, I still notice it in my dealings with people. I keep to myself quite a bit. It isn’t that I’m opposed to people, I just need to have time to myself at some point. When someone intrudes on that privacy, it can trigger a negative response.

On top of that, how often do we get upset with because He helps us? He urges us to let go of anger, and we tell Him we want to be angry. Something doesn’t go the way we want, and it’s God’s fault. We do we get uptight when someone is trying to help?

One other note with the cats; the tabby never stops licking. She will try nearly every day. The outcome is the same, but she continues. I’m glad God doesn’t stop when we do something stupid.

What would happen if we once more realized that the Church is not a place, or activity, or a group made up of experts? What changes would that bring about? What is stopping us?

Those question make up the focus point in David Platt’s book, A Radical Idea. What if we saw the Church, and our churches, as made of people? They are not buildings, they are not programs, they use ordinary people.

David Platt tells that we all were given the commission to go make disciples. We are not to wait on someone else to do it, we are not to use the excuse that we’re just some ordinary person. We are not to think that this only takes place on prescribed days when services are held. Making disciples should be done by all people, and whenever the opportunity arises.

He also addresses our sometimes overindulgence on buildings, programs, and professionals (paid church staff). He does not condemn having them, but warns they are not to take our place in the Great Commission. They serve a purpose, but are not the end result.

Though the book can be read initially in less than an hour, there are points that will have to be re-read, and it is well worth taking as long as you need to go through it.

I received this book from Waterbrook Multnomah in exchange for this review. With that in mind, I still recommend it. It does a good job of telling us that the Church is people, and not to forget that.

Many of the fancier gadgets sold on TV come with a lifetime warranty. Many times, they promise coverage even if you do something dumb and mess it up. Though I haven’t looked at all the warranties, nearly all of them that I have looked at have some limitations.

I wonder what it would be like if God gave us a warranty. After thinking about this post, I remember something about a “recall” from God that was posted on a social networking site, but that isn’t where I think this is heading. With that in mind, let’s continue on.

Many of the lifetime warranties I’ve read  include the limitation that abuse and neglect are not covered. That right there is enough to cancel all of our warranty coverage. Who has never overdone something, or neglected to take care of a health related issue? If you can honestly raise your hand and say that you have never done either… I would be surprised, and more than a little doubtful. You maybe ate too much, or not the right food. Maybe skipped the doctor because it was just a sore throat. If God gave us a warranty with the abuse/neglect clause, we’d all be in bad shape.

I’ve heard of warranties that required you to fulfill some weird criteria in order to get coverage. You have to call (which might end up taking quite a while), get permission, send it to a certain place, wait, wait, wait, answer questions, wait, get it back, etc. I cannot recall a time when I have had to mess with a warranty, like this or otherwise, so I have probably stretched the process some. The waiting part can seem longer when it’s you doing the waiting. This is another aspect I’m glad God varies in warranty coverage. The call happens immediately, no menu to go through, no being on hold. You get to the top of the first hill on that roller coaster and realize that you have just committed to something extremely stupid, you can reach God then and there. There is no place you can go on earth that you cannot talk to God.

There is one exception that someone may want to call me on. Sometimes God makes us wait. It may not be the right time, or He may want us to learn something from the situation. When you get to the end of that coaster ride, you realize that you can handle it, or that you need to stay away from the rides like that.

As I think about this, we do have a warranty, but we have to call on Jesus in order to register for it. There may be a waiting period of several decades, but the warranty repair we’ll get then makes it all worth it. Have you registered for your warranty?

When I eat a salad, I often find myself in a quandary.  Which do I put on first, the bacon bits or the dressing? It gets worse when I have both imitation bacon bits and real bacon bits to put on. The simple matter will cause me to stand and think about which choice to make for longer than it should. It is absolutely arbitrary, and makes no difference. However, I can support both ways if you have the patience to listen.

Putting the bacon bits on first seems pretty logical because you can get the entire salad well coated with dressing. But, I have a problem. I like bacon bits, and the dressing can actually roll up into a ball and roll off the lettuce. That’s just awkward.

On the other hand, putting the dressing on first means the bacon bits will stick in place on top of the lettuce. You get the taste and crunch of the bacon bits, but you can lose the flavor of the dressing if you put too many bacon bits on.

Can you understand my problem? If you’ve gotten this far, you probably think I should be wondering about other things and just put one or the other on first. You are absolutely right. Yet, we do this kind of thing in other areas of our lives.

Think about someone that you find annoying. That should be easy. Now, how do you handle them? Do you avoid them so that you can teach them a lesson? “If I don’t go around them, they’ll know that they messed up.” The other option would be to go talk to them and work the issue out. Here’s the thing, both outcomes need to happen. If they actually did something to hurt you, they need to know. And, you have to go to them so that the hurt can be resolved. What I find in looking at what goes on around me, these issues amount to the same value as the bacon bit/dressing problem I have.

Both my bacon bit problem and “teaching others a lesson” when they do something we don’t like is meaningless and futile. Go ahead and settle up with them. Sadly, I’ll probably debate nearly ever time I eat a salad.

Before I get into the actual review, I have a short, spiel might be the best way to put it, that I would like to run through. I have reviewed several books since last year. I have received a letter here and there from a few authors/publishers, I got a comment here on my review of a book from the author. The book I’m reviewing here, Letters From a Martyred Christian, had a bit more.  H.L. Hussmann wrote a short personal note just inside the book. It was addressed using my name, and was the first thing I saw when I opened the book. That impressed me, to say the least. I do not expect to see that out of every author; I know that they have many things to do. But I am appreciative when someone singles me out like that. With that said, the note did not affect this review, I just wanted to share it.

Now for the review…

H.L. Hussmann wrote Letters From a Martyred Christian to be seen as coming from someone who had been killed for his faith, and witnessed how Christians have acted since his death. The character, Aulus, writes about what he has seen as far as the devil’s schemes, how various people have carried their faith into the world, and how he now understands God’s plans much better than he did. Before he gets into that part, he does explain how he got to Heaven, the price that he paid for believing in Jesus.

Each letter, as the chapters are called, addresses a particular point that all Christians will deal with. Being a witness even when it is unpopular, or even dangerous, learning God’s word and keeping it with you, taking time to pray are all covered.

Though this was written as a work of fiction, the message in the book is true. H.L. Hussmann uses the story of Aulus to very clearly illustrate the trials that Christians can face, but also he shows the Way through them, and what can result from staying true to your faith. The book has ups and downs, just as life does.

The book is introduced as not being a definite reference book on what Heaven will be like, just a thought to help you understand what the author is wanting to convey. Since we do not know what Heaven will be like, these illustrations do give the reader something to think about while reading. I would highly recommend not only reading yourself, but sharing it with others.

I received this book for free from BookCrash.com as part of their book review program.

There is a well known saying of,  “Don’t rock the boat.” I think that there is a song using that in the lyrics, but I’m too lazy, and not curious enough, to look it up. Despite that, I think you will be able to follow me… I hope so, anyway.

When you tell someone not to rock the boat, generally you want them to stay quiet about something so that the status quo is unaffected. You know, you see a well liked employee doing something wrong, and your coworkers tell you to ignore it because it will cause a whole lot of trouble for everybody (that is just for illustration, I’ve only experienced it through seeing in movies and shows).

Some take this line of thinking with them to church. As long as they sit quietly on the pews, maybe giving a strong “Amen” when appropriate, they can evade the possibility of getting called on to minister somehow.

Let me preface this thought with some empathy. I know how it feels to want to stay out of sight. Though my posts can be full of calls to action, I am by nature one that seeks to be unseen. If you do not realize that I was there, I did good. That may sound bad, but I have my reasons.

Though I understand the idea behind “blending in,” and put it into practice, there are times that it is absolutely wrong! I guess I need to elaborate a little so that I don’t seem like I’m doing one thing, and saying another.

Part of my job at church is to take care of the media team, which encompasses sound, video, and things of that nature. A standard that I use to see how “well” I did is if any one noticed me. See, mistakes make people aware that I am working, if things appear seamless, and people don’t think about me, I’ve done well. If they are thinking about me, they won’t be thinking about God. If they don’t have a reason to think about me, they have a clearer opportunity to focus on God. I can’t make them think about God, but I can work to reduce obstacles created by my mistakes. As far as that goes, I try not to rock the boat.

To go just a little further, I heard a quote from another media tech that I use to describe how I operate. It goes something like, “If you didn’t know I was here, I did my job well.” When I am working as a media tech, I do not need to be thanked for doing that. Actually, I don’t want to be thanked, but explaining that would be another post.

Even though I work on not being noticed, there have been times that I purposely did something that I’m sure made people think about me. Videos or songs that are not what people would expect (they were Christian, but out of the ordinary) to see at our church, much less out of me (they are starting to realize that my facade hides some craziness). The reason for those videos/songs was to kind of jar people from the usual doldrums. It wasn’t to point myself out, that was a side effect.

Where I hope to end up with this is, you can be out in front, and not drawing attention to yourself. Being a leader does not require standing on a chair, flapping your arms, and yelling for people to look at you.

Enough about that for now. In order to rock the boat, you have to move; standing up is generally the first step. Once you stand up, the teetering is enough to get small boats to rock. Of course, one person standing up won’t be enough to get a large boat, rocking, but I’ll come back to that thought.

Why is it people tell others to not rock the boat? I do know that seasickness is a good enough reason. I’d say it’s because they are afraid of being dumped in the water. If the boat rocks hard enough, people will end of going in the water. There’s a story with a similar plot line. Okay, it’s similar in that there is a boat and it’s on water.

Do you remember when Jesus walked on the water, and Peter climbed out of the boat to join Him? Peter had to be standing in order to get out of the boat. Do you wonder if the other disciples were yelling for Peter to stay in the boat? Maybe calling him crazy for trying to walk on the water. I’m sure the boat was large enough to not tip over when people stood up. It had to be if it was used for fishing. But the others still had to be wondering what Peter was doing. He was not maintaining that status quo. If he had, he would never have taken those steps.

Maybe sometimes we need to rock the boat, even dump the other passengers into the water,  so that they, too, can walk with Jesus.

Note: I am not advocating running up to people and throwing water on them, or throwing them out of actual boats, or anything like that. This is meant metaphorically, that we need to leave our comfort zones here and there.