VIVA LA VIDA..... NO REGRETS.. PART 5

VIVA LA VIDA or Death and All his Friends is an album by English alternative rock band Coldplay...The album was named after a Spanish phrase that transaltes into English as " long live life" The cover art is a 1830 painting titled LIBERTY LEADING THE PEOPLE.
a vision of a revolution against a monarch who is deposed from power.

The lyrics" who would want to be king?" and all my castles rest on pillars of sand " are descriptive of the fate and reward of those who would try to exert power and influence of empire over a period of time...a fools errand .
Watch the you tube video (TOP) with the series of paintings" coles :The course to empire"
From conquerer "long live the king" to conquest "the old king is dead"

"I sweep the streets I used to own...I now sleep alone"

Or as Jackson Browns' latest album titled "Time the Conquerer" says it all.

So why do so many try?
My office has books about that, Companies "Built To Last "... .....modern Industrialist/builders "Skyscrapers"... "Kings "Castles of the World"...."Wonders of The World " Egyptian Pyramids etc..

It is an effort to leave something beyond this life to future generations to say " My life mattered"
or " I was significant or just successful"


Another take on this is Legacy .
This was a sermon topic today with a visual aid of a pyramid
At its base was CONVICTION....what drives you. Thoughts and motives at your core .


The next layer was CHARACTER...who you are and how your values influence your decisions ,conduct and habits and ultimately your destiny.

At the top was legacy..how history will define you by your defining moments.

In his book "A RESILIENT LIFE" Gordon MacDonald states "Every decision you make is a monument to your life"
Like the pyramids this monument is built a block at a time .

The metaphor was not lost an me when I read todays Harvey McKay article titled
"BUILD A PYRAMID OF SUCCESS " about John Wooden A legendary UCLA basketball coach who won 10 NCAA championships, the Medal of freedom, and this summer was named the "GREATEST COACH EVER" by Sporting News. Most of you know I am not a sports fan and these stats are still very impressive but what I liked best was his crediting his father for grounding him in his formative years with this creed given to him on a little card at graduation.

At the top of the card was written "SEVEN THINGS TO DO " (I love the simplicity)

1.) Be true to yourself (conviction)

2.) Help others (character)

3.) Make each day you masterpiece. (legacy..no regrets)

4.Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible.

5.) Make friendship a fine art. (Think about that one)

6.) Build a shelter against a rainy day.

7.) PRAY FOR GUIDANCE AND COUNT AND GIVE THANKS FOR YOUR BLESSINGS EVERY DAY. ....(NO REGRETS)

Then Harvey McKay Shows how you can construct a visual picture of Woodens pyramid.

On the bottom layer draw 5 blocks and label them; industriousness, friendship, loyalty, cooperation, and enthusiasm.

On the next layer fill in four blocks with these labels ; SELF CONTROL, ALERTNESS, INITIATIVE AND INTENTNESS.

Next on the third layerer draw 3 blocks and label them : condition,skill and team spirit.

On the fourth:poise and confidence

On the fifth and next to last layer one block ; COMPETITIVE GREATNESS

Finallly the triangular crown is divided into 2 halves with the labels: FAITH and PATIENCE

Harvey reminds us

" Wooden did not teach basketball .

He taught life!"

Harvey concludes with his Mckays Moral "(coutesy of Wooden) :
"
TALENT IS GOD -GIVEN BE HUMBLE !

FAME IS MAN -GIVEN -BE THANKFUL.

CONCIET IS SELF -GIVEN-BE CAREFUL."

7.) Pray for guidance and count and give thanks for your blessings every day. (no regrets)


All that is to say viva la vida "long live life"

Even after your gone....with no regrets!

NO REGRETS PART-4- FOOLS AND SAGES

The lyrics to the 1973 Areosmith hit Dream on ask the question ...where did it all go ? (my life)
I also like the acoustical sound as performed with passion by artist Kelly Sweet ..listen to video bar

"everytime I look in the mirror...(reflecting on past)
lines on my face getting clearer (body getting older and also a better view of self ..making sense of this life)
the past is gone ..(too late to change history)
it went by like dusk to dawn...(life is short ..the days are evil..time gets away)

everybody's got their dues in life to pay ...(consequencences of how we live our lives)

I know, its everybodys sin ,you got to lose to know how to win...(all have sinned and are made aware of their need for redemption by their failings ..that is if given the gift of sorrowful repentance by the holy Spirit
dream on ! NO REGRETS

All my life's on books written pages lived and learned from fools and from sages...(nothing new under the sun.... someone else has been there ,done that....Solomon /Ecclesiastes
"no temptation has seized you except what is common to man" 1 cor 10:13

We are influenced by what we read and by who we spend our time with

as put in my favorite psalm 1:1-3

1. Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the
wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.

2. But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

3. He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

( How to be successful in Gods ' economy)

Good and evil cannot dwell together
in the same heart, so a good man ought
not to go into evil company.

Indian proverb
( Delaware tribe )


proverbs tells us as iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another 27;17

or he who walks with the wise grows wise but a companion of fools suuffers harm.

Or to put it as it has been said of young people "show me your freinds and I will show you your future"

We all have different roles as we go through life , from student to teacher... usually both at once.
or as author Elridge puts the stages in his book Way Of The Wild Heart
1.cowboy
2.lover
3.warrior
4. king
5.mentor
6. sage
I will explain in more detail later but you can figuire it out well enough to see how we all develop and influence as well as are being influenced at any given life stage

Thats why we should heed the warning in proverbs 4:23 .." above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the well spring of life"
So that we can reflect and dream on with
no regrets
as we sing for the laughter, sing for the day ( enjoy life..live now ..not someday... dreams ?move it up)
maybe tommorrow the good Lord take you away (life is a vapor ...be ready when God calls your name)

NO REGERETS PART 3- KNOWLEDGE AND TRUTH

Wisdom,
Understanding ,
Knowledge
These are not concepts found only in the Bible but are at the root of all questions about our existence. The body of work on these subjects could not be contained any where except in the mind of God The Creator. All the books , songs , poems and computors combined can only make an attempt on this!
John 21:25 "Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. "

Because of our finite understanding of an infinite God we must Live, teach and study(and blog) with great care , so that our explanations are not limited by our perspectives.

Jesus gives this warning.... John 7:16 Jesus answered "My teaching is not my own.
It comes from him who sent me.
17. If anyone chooses to do Gods will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.
18. He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him."
...(there's that image managment /confession thing again)
or as Warren Wiersbe quotes A. W. TOZER

"Everywhere among Conservatives we find persons who are
Bible-taught but not Spirit-taught. They conceive
truth to be something which they can grasp with the mind.
If a man holds to the fundementals of the Christian faith he is thought to posses divine truth. But it does not follow. There is no truth apart from the Spirit"
(think pharisee and experts on the Law)

Wiersbe goes on to say "Learn all You can from every good source , but let God , not man be your teacher"
John14:26 But the counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

John 16:13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. he will not speak on his own ; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
verses 14-15 reinforce and explain further.

So we can say It is impossible to know Gods will and obey it without the truth that comes from the Father through the Spirit.
we know that all scipture is God breathed or inspired by the Holy Spirit..2 timothy 3.16
I will go on to say that to reject authority of scripture is to reject truth and Gods Spirit
...never a good idea!

We also know that we all possess knowledge, Knowledge puffs up but love builds up (1 Cor.1-3)
The man who thinks he knows something does not know as he ought to know. But the man who loves God is known by God.

John 4:24 God is spirit,and his worshipers must
worship in spirit and in truth.

So how do we do this?
to Quote Chuck Swindoll "Knowledge apart fom application falls short of Gods will for our lives"

We study Gods word to make us wiser, gain insight,understanding (psalm 119:99-104) as we obey its instruction for our lives...
JUST DO IT!
NO REGRETS !
I KNOW WHAT YOU MAY BE THINKING TOO PREACHYY

Me too but not for the apostle Paul who writes;

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing (1 cor1:18-2:16)
God chose foolish things of the world to shame the wise...
so that no one may boast before him..
so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on Gods power...
.for who has known the mind of the Lord
that he may instruct him?" Isiah 40:13

"let no flesh Glory in his prescence"
All glory belongs to, God not to man

proverbs 2;6
For the lord gives wisdom
and from his mouth come knowledge and
understanding.

NO REGRETS PART 2 -JOHNNY CASH AND THE DASH

You can learn a lot from peoples tombstones.
Besides the dates of birth and death an epataph can be telling about what defined the deceased.

The bible verse psalm 19.14 is on the tombstone of the late Johnny Cash...."May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
O Lord my Rock and my Redeemer."

The obvious implies a person of faith but more revealing is the motive of this faith...to please God and to do his will. The life of Johnny Cash was not without pain and moral tribulation but his understanding and sharing of his personal struggles offers a hope for the hopless and downtrodden and often forgoten and despised. Who does this sound like?
Because we all try and fail we must forgive ourselves and forgive others and accept the Grace from the ULTIMATE JUDGE .

The concept of justice can evoke an image of scales and a blindfolded judge. We see this throughout the bible as Gods weighing machine verses mans voting machine (approval) an Idea introduced in the previous blog post. We see this in the book of Job often and in chapter 31 verse6 Job swears his innocence in the oath "let God weigh me in honest scales
and he will know that I am blameless ."

Could you and I say that ?
What about Johnny Cash ?
Of course the answer is a loud no!


So we confess and renounce sin ...not always so easy!
Let's look at Job 31:33
"If I have concealed my sin as men do,(or as Adam did)
by hiding my guilt in my heart
34. because I so feared the crowd
and so dreaded the contempt of the clans
that I kept silent and would not go outside.....(approval of man the voting machine)
"
Since Adam the shame of sin has lead to concealment efforts as also seen in the life of David ,"A MAN AFTER GODS OWN HEART " A national hero and popular king whose psalm (51)of confession showed his devotion to God and has served as a guide for others' confessions.
Talk about no regrets !!!!

Oh that we (I) were that strong.
Hang the the Image management and make me more transperant (dangerous prayer)

NO REGRETS PART 1

I know it has been a while since I last posted and it is not so much that I have been busy I have just been waiting for the right time as I process and review my thoughts and try to filter content for the most value. (Value to who...me or readers? Both I hope)

To make the impact and experience better for readers and myself I will do this in several parts with other related topics and post but mostly on living well and leaving this world with no regrets.

"Life is not seperate from death.
It only looks that way"
Indian proverb
(Lakota)

Or to quote Charles Spurgeon about a man who said to a dying believer " Farewell, friend ! I shall never see you again in the land of the living !" The dying Christian replied, "I shall see you again in the land of the living where I am going. This is the land of the dying !"

Your perspective on this subject must begin with your beliefs. There is much to debate and discuss with others who do not share the Christian faith but for the scope of this subject I am going to assume agreement with authority of scripture and form basis of my views from the philosophy that this life though important is not all there is but it is inseperatable from the after life and is actually linked in the present as eternity has no begining or end even though are lives are measured by the dates on the tombstone . Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 3: 11 "He (God) has set eternity in the hearts of men"
and in vs:17 "God will bring to judgment both the righteous and the wicked,
for there will be a time for every activity ,
a time for every deed."

So do you still think life and death are not linked to the afterlife?

or as Jack Nicholsons character in the movie" The Bucket List "(more on this film in another post) scoffed "The wheels on the bus go round and round" Rather to say" this is all there is"

Warren Buffet on the stock market and proper valuations of equities ...."the market is a voting machine(OF VALUE) but time is a weighing machine"
On this subject I have heard quote "price changes quicker than value" think about that and the tulmult of recent markets.

Proverbs 14:12 "There is a way that seems right to a man,
but in the end it leads to death."

So how should we then live ? (not my original rhetorical question....Francis Schafer at least)

Or how should we die with no regrets ?

The one who does Gods will has no regrets......Think of the apostle Paul's farwell "I have fought the good fight I have Finished the race" note the distinction of actually doing versus Just knowing Gods will.
"all the knowledge in the world is of no use to fools"( Eagles lyrics)
James 1:22 "do not merely listen to the word, and so decieve yourselves, do what it says."

This is the mantra of William Paul Young, author of the fiction best seller titled "THE SHACK"
Speaking about his life at the Mabee Center recently in Tulsa He said these challenging words...."When I get to the end I do not want to ask what if only I had completely surrendered my life to Gods will ?"......no regrets.

The best example is Jesus in John 17:4 "I have brought you glory by completing the work you gave me to do"
What was this work? To seek and save the lost by restoring a broken relationship with the Father and remove the curse of death John 17:3 "Now this is eternal life: that they may KNOW YOU,the only true God"
Even when this work was toughest Jesus prayed "not my will but yours"

So if you or I do have a" BUCKET LIST" of sorts it best be in the will and workof God (Doing not just knowing) , Not in the pursuits of this world trying to experience all our wants and desires.

"The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever" 2 JOHN 2:17

House Of Pain

Solomon writes this simple advice in Ecclesiastes 12.1 "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say,
"I find no pleasure in them"-
2. Before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark,
and the clouds return after the rain;
3. when the keepers of the house tremble,
and the strong men stoop,
when the grinders cease because they are few,
and those looking through the windows
grow dim
4. when the doors to the street are closed
and the sound of grinding fades;
when men rise up at the sound of birds,
but all their songs grow faint;
5. when men are afraid of heights and dangers in the streets;
when the almond tree blooms
and the grasshopper drags himself along
and desire no longer is stirred
Then man goes to his eternal home
and mourners go about in the streets.


Solomon possessed wisdom and powers of observation but had to conclude some things are beyond understanding.
Failing in his attempt to figure out life he fell back on simple advise to conclude his book " FEAR GOD AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS" (from my Bible commentary)
advocating a life of faith he describes (above) the decay that was already at work in his body. (HOUSE)

The video of "Bittersweet Symphony That's Life" by THE VERVE
describes the irony of life" your a slave to money then you die" in its lyrics and the refrain in the chorus "I am here in my moan..... I'll take you down the only road Iv'e been down...... no change I can't change"
describes the hopeless trap of this body (house)
and the human condition without God and without purpose and meaning as summed up by Solomon.

Talkin bout all generations

Talkin Bout My Generation

Not a 1969 song by "The Who" but originally from a time after Moses succesor Joshua died at the age of one hundred ten.
Judges 2 vs.10 "after that generation had been gathered to their fathers , another generation grew up, who neither knew the Lord nor what he had done for Isreal."

It has been said that "Christianity is only one generation from extinction"

It has been called "The greatest generation" when refering to our world war 2 parents and grandparents who plowed the hard ground for the bountiful harvest of the over consuming "Kids of the baby boom"
In an effort to give a better life and protect our children from stark realities we often fail them by coddling them and asking so little of them. any psychologist would tell you this is bad for their self esteem and purpose and value.
We fail when we do not teach as we go : duet 6:7 " (These comandments)....Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
An article in the TULSA WORLD Religion section Saturday March 28-2009 Titled "ASK MORE OF US" discusses what teens want-more intellectual challenges.
The Article speaks to the myth that adolescence is a time to goof off and authors Alex and Brett Harris state "The teen years are meant to be a launching pad" They have a book titled "DO HARD THINGS : A TEENAGE REBELLION AGAINST LOW EXPECTATIONS"

They place an emphasis on doctrine and apologetics to address the issue of the post-modern worlds rejection of truth and the emptiness of a shallow theology.

Apologetics is a branch of theology that offers an intelectual , rational defence of the Christian faith"

They quote" The no.1 reason young people leave their faith in college is intellectual skepticism, a beleif that there is is no scientific or historical proof for their faith"

Of course the warning of knowing the facts without know the diety (relationship with Christ).
As the Eagles sing "all the knowledge in the world is of no use to fools" (LONG ROAD OUT OF EDEN TITLE TRACK)

Corinthians 8:2 "The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. 3. But the man who loves God is known by God." or in vs.1 " KNOWLEDGE PUFFS UP, BUT LOVE BUILDS UP"

Also in Corinthians .27 "BUT GOD CHOSE THE FOOLISH THINGS OF THE WORLD TO SHAME THE WISE;" vs;26 "THINK OF WHAT YOU WERE..."


1 cor 2 :4-5 "My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of THE SPIRITS POWER, so that your faith might not rest on mens wisdom , but on GODS POWER"
All this" imformation age" life without a True God experience is growing a void in the hearts of men searching for meaning and purpose, HEALING AND UNDERSTANDING
which helps explain the runaway success of the book by William Paul Young Titled "THE SHACK"
Much more on this next post.

I was gonna go to work but then I.....

Why I didn't go to class , or work ,or clean my room .....
"Because I got High"
A direct quote from the" scene" section of the Tulsa world 3/26/09
This is the title to a Grammy award nominated song (rap genre).
No doubt popular because of the truth of the refrain in so many young( and not so young) lives.
Why would I include this in this blogg? Because it is so telling of a generation who is unfit to lead because it is unwilling to follow.
This anti-estabishment, trust no-one, but serve self because of entitlment due does not recognize nor appreciate the sacrifice it takes to enjoy life, liberty and pursuit of happiness purchased by patriots willing to risk it all.
Make that patriarchs....Abraham ...Moses...the prophets.
It was the prophet Isaiah who recognized and warned of this deficet in charachter and leadership around 600 b.c. as Judgement from God results in total anarchy and makes these grave predictions in chapter 3
vs.5
" People will opress each other....
The young will rise up against the old,
The base against the honorable.
vs. 6
"A man will seize one of his brothers at his fathers home and say,
"you have a cloak , you be our leader;
take charge of this heap of ruins"
(Sound like our current state of confusion and lack of direction and leadership ?)
vs.7
But in that day he will cry out,
"I have no remedy.
I have no food or clothing in my house;
do not make me the leader of the people."
"Shepherds who feed only themselves " Jude calls them in vs 12 of his small book on "Truth Drifters" (sounds like corporate and political leaders)
or in Isaiah 56 vs 11 " They are shepherds who lack understanding"
No wonder it seems there is no end to this world gone crazy and an increasing apathy and corrupt culture.
But wait, Isaiah has a new song
Chapter 40 vs 28-31:
28Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even the youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength,
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

DON'T TRUST ANYONE OVER 30

DON'T TRUST ANYONE OVER 30.....Maybe that should read "Don't trust anyone" or "any one with money" or "anyone with power" or anyone who holds a different viewpoint or agenda.

Once the mantra of the 1960's anti-establishment generation of hippies ,beatnicks and war protesters has again gained popularity with a new group of disenchanted , disengaged and disenfranchised students and not so young adults.

An article in the March 26 Tulsa World about a speech given at Rogers State University's centennial celebration by Jeff Greenfield CBS Political Correspondent used words of the late Will Rogers in his remarks on POPULISM.......Not a new Idea for these times "economic populism is a suspicion of moneyed interest" (Think bailouts..... think bonuses) "cultural populism ...a suspicion of real and perceived cultural elites. (Think new powerbase of Those who think government will protect us and lend the resources to get out of this mess. Those who are willing to yield liberties and privacy and" let tax and spend "be the great equalizer and new economic engine)

History is full of revolutionaries (Think French ...Think American ) who fought to get government out of their lives. History is also full of populist movements of the oppressed worker under seige of the wealthy Guilded age 19th century industrialist spawning labor unions and new political parties.

Jeff Greenfield says US is at a"hinge point" in national politics. It does not take a mental leap to agree with him but still the question is "WHO CAN I TRUST?"

As mentioned in an earlier blogg Liquidity is nothing more than confidence or trust in a bank note or currency or rather the monetary policy and ideaoligy behind it. Funny how obvious it should be, after all it is printed on our money "IN GOD WE TRUST" The Bible tells us not to put our hope on wealth which is so uncertain. (economic populism) or to trust in kings and armies (cultural populism)
Even Jesus did not trust in men when he was becoming popular ...scripture tells us" he knew the hearts of men and did not entrust himself to them"
We are warned "the heart is decietful and beyond cure" so we certainly should not trust in ourselves.
By the way wasn't Jesus over 30 (33) When he was crucified ????????

JUST FIX IT !!!!!

JUST FIX IT!!!!!!!
Who can't remember the Saturday Night live skit depicting a wild eyed worried black man posing as A FINANCIAL EXPERT being interviewed about the finacial calamaty of late 2008 (or at least that is when the collapse occured from decisions made much earlier)? The interviewer was asking what should be done about this crisis and the only answer the expert could give "was just fix it!".

Many a truth is said in jest as his answer was a hyperbole (exaggeration for effect) of the easy answer we all want for complex problems without regard for details or facts as to how we got in this mess or what a real solution would entail. (Sacrifice ,taking resposibility for actions or in some cases inaction, timeline in how long this took to happen and how long the cure will take to make an impact.
This has me reading no shortage of articles ,books ,blogs ,web pages etc. I have also been actively asking friends ,businesspersons, customers and others how they interpret what they see from different perspectives and how they forecast the future.
Again there is no shortage of prognosticaters and endless viewpoints on outcome and duration of current economic issues.
Sorry to disapoint you but no conclusive answers are found here. My objective is to try to find the common ground or cocentric circles in the many views and develop clarity as to scope and impact on many industries , world economies and ultimately personal lives.
On the personal lives point we all know people who have been devastated in the short term and who are still proccessing what all this really means. For sure this is "A GAME CHANGER" and "EVERYTHING IS DIFFERENT NOW"
I could (and will later) quote the Bible and it's many teachings on money mainly from the richest man that ever lived, Solomon who wrote ecclesiastes and many proverbs or Jesus emphasis on what we treasure most or warnings from James on uncertainty of wealth but these are readily available for your reading.
One of the things that has come from an article in "World Magazine" is the first question that has to asked . What is your world view?????
I will use an exerpt and direct quotes to get to the crux here from 1-13-2009 article under personal finance titled "SANE READING" Here goes........
"The famous British economist, John Maynard Keynes, wrote that "the ideas of economists and political philosophers, both when they are right and when they are wrong, are more powerful than is commonly understood. Indeed the world is ruled by little else. Practical men, who believe themselves to be quite exempt from any intellectual influences, are usually the slaves of some defunct economist."
Lord Keynes was right about this much-economic theory has far more of a practical impact on our lives than most of us realize. When setting fiscal policy, guiding monetary policy, and modifying financial regulations, policymakers and politicians are fundamentally guided by an IDEOLOGY. In the current enviroment there is a lot of debate over what economic theories and financial philosophies are best suited to guide policymakers."
The article goes on to list books for policymakers and readers to help navigate present economic storm. I wont list all but for most of us not swimming in the deep end he list "CAPITALISM AND FREEDOM" by Milton Freidmon. I paraphase his assesment of dangers of collectivism ( think globilization , think socialism) and the problems it poses and the THREAT TO LIBERTY IT REPRESENTS.

There is a book by Larry Bates titled " The New Economic Disorder" which is a more extreme (in my view ) but not unrealistic explanation of the new world order being formed through monetary policy . Not a mental leap if you look at all the efforts to find a GLOBAL SOLUTION which would marginalize US influence and soveriegnty. In the past we would and have resisted losing this control but when the well dramatized attitude is "JUST FIX IT" We may make deal now we will reget later. This FIX would include a one world currency and tax sytem that would make us all equal (sound familier comrad?) equally poor that is . No class war here just a few elite and the rest of us worker bees.

There are other books also Here are two from the Christian Stanards January 2009 special issue" From My Book Shelf Section" ......" The World Is Curved" by David M. Smick on the stands Sempteber 2008 (well timed release) before the headlines of doom. A responce in part to Thomas Friedman (The World Is Flat) how Globalization has flattened (or equalized) our world we forget at our own peril we can not see around the bend or over the curve of the earth (the future) The one observation of this Chaos is that when all is said and done what we really have is a crisis of confidence or trust which is all LIQUIDITY ever was or will be. what ever happened to in "GOD WE TRUST" ? So what is a new president to do ? What are we to do?
The other Book mentioned is by Bob Roberts Jr. titled Glocalization :How folowers of Jesus engage a flat world, also borrows from Freidman, not explain , but to Call for a new mission stategy when you put together local and global. Deals more with the social issues of justice ,mercy, and compassion the antithesis of the GREED that got us into this mess. This Book sees the opportunity to infect world with love of Christ and guide people to clarity in chaos.


"NEVER WASTE A GOOD CRISIS!"

I wish I could take credit for that one but a writer for the Tulsa World opened his editorial with that statement from history. We can be sure of this...." this will be a time of sweeping changes that will give policy makers more power and oppourtunity than they have had in a long time if ever and we must be vigilant not to give up our birthright for a cup of soup now. "JUST FIX IT"

Out of time for now much more to come .

Your views? Please enrich us with your perspectives and comments and readings. (Thats how this whole blog thing works best you know!)

CHIP OFF THE BLOCK .... ISAIAH 51.1

"Look to the Rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn ;
look to Abraham your father and Sara , who gave you birth" Isaiah 51.1

The name of our class comes from an architectural metaphore constructed by Peter to describe Christians, as well as Christ the " cornerstone or capstone" being built into a spiritual house or as Paul descibes the body of Christ. Read 1 Peter 2:4-11 Note our purpose vs: 9

I got the class name from a song on an album titled HOUSE OF AMAZING GRACE by Larry and Kathy Stewart, Christian recording artist from Alderson, Okla. . They are self described "Janice Joplin" Female vocalist with Larry laying down some strong electric guitar from his past pre-conversion days as club band singer player. Their title track really is a story of them (and us all ) we are products of grace from our past and present sins and failings .
The second track really defines our purpose though (living stones in the Masters hands )being moulded and shaped for his plans , our true destiny!!

That brings us back to the chip off the block thing. we are the progeny or offspring of promise God made to Abraham through our adoption as heirs in Christ as God made Israel a light to the gentiles. As Paul was an apostle to the gentiles and dedicated his life work to missionary journeys including A large jewish audience . We are commanded to let our light shine before men so they glorify our Father in heaven. Our spirirtual legacy depends on those actions that confirm or deny that kinship. Or More is "caught than taught" when sharing our faith.

The following insights from my Bible commentary.

Peter (nicknamed " The Rock" by Jesus), was a good example of how God uses us warts and all , but chisels away at us to make us more useful. As Peter aged and mellowed hhe came to accept this changing with submission and humility. "Humble yourselves, therfore under Gods mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time." 2 peter 5 " THE APOSTLE OF HOPE"

"Over time the shifting sand of Peters personality solidified into granite "

"My hope is built on Christ the solid rock all aother ground is sinking sand"

This" life question" from my student bible commentary : If Jesus were to give you a nickname, what would it be ? Has your personality undergone major changes? What still needs work?

THE ICEMAN COMETH

It took an ice storm to slow the pace enough to finally create this space.

I have used a blog before to communicate about a short sabbatical summer 2008 in which I chronicled a 6000 mile trip in six weeks with my family . (So much for slowing down)
This trip "out west" retraced the Oregon trail and the Lewis and Clark expedition as well as other points of interest and can be viewed @ ahundredhighways.blogspot.com (Titled after the last Johnny Cash album) details there.

The title for this blog {LIVING STONES } comes from the name of the sunday school class I teach @ First Christian Church Owasso Oklahoma. Visit us at our current location in the Bailey Hospital educational wing west in a temporay room graciously provided by the Bailey Foundation.
The main purpose of this blog is to create a dialouge and forum for further content processing and life application from the Sunday lesson since the time is limited then and I have not acheived the interaction desired to guage the of the impact of the lesson.
Additionally I will be sharing thoughts on my other studies of the Bible , commentaries, Book reviews and exerpts, current events, contempary challenges (although" there is nothing new under the sun" Solomon) and observations of social changes and worldviews , past current and looking ahead. Although as Peter Drucker once asked on how he viewed emerging trends he answered " I can't see the future, I just look outside my window right now"A very remarkable man with the ability to distill complex subjects into simple statements.
Occasionally I will include other secular insights as they may relate or Just may be helpful or interesting.
Most importantly I want to encourage YOU THE READERS to post your thoughts, readings , discoveries and challenges as you" GROW IN THE GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF YOUR CREATOR". Because "I have no greater joy than to know that my children are walking in the truth" 3 John .4
Also please feel free to post imformation of interest to the class here as an COMMUNICATIONS CONDUIT SHARE WHAT IS HAPPENING IN YOUR LIFE (as appropriate ) with others here.