Thomas Carlyle, Scottish writer, historian, and teacher (1795-1881)
Friday, December 3, 2010
Thomas Carlyle
"Let each become all that he was created capable of being."
Thomas Carlyle, Scottish writer, historian, and teacher (1795-1881)
Thomas Carlyle, Scottish writer, historian, and teacher (1795-1881)
19 to 16 field goal
Last weekend, Buffalo Bills receiver Steve Johnson dropped an easy
game-winning pass in overtime against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Having
separated himself from his defender, Johnson was wide open for a 40-yard
pass, but he dropped it in the end zone.
game-winning pass in overtime against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Having
separated himself from his defender, Johnson was wide open for a 40-yard
pass, but he dropped it in the end zone.
In the next possession, the Steelers kicked a field goal to win 19-16.
Johnson was inconsolable after the game. "How would you feel?" Johnson
asked. "All of a sudden, when the biggest play needs to be made, you don't
make it. You feel bad. I'm devastated right now. . I had the game in my
hands and then dropped it. I'll never get over it."
Johnson was so despondent after the game, he sent out a "tweet" on Twitter
where he blamed God for making him drop the would-be touchdown pass:
"I PRAISE YOU 24/7!!!!!! AND THIS HOW YOU DO ME!!!!! YOU EXPECT ME TO
LEARN FROM THIS??? HOW???!!! I'LL NEVER FORGET THIS!! EVER!!! THX THO."
Steve Johnson later admitted that he spoke rashly and foolishly in blaming
God for his mistake. He retracted his statements. *
Observe some parallels from Johnson's experiences to our own.
We've ALL dropped the ball! "For ALL have sinned and fall short of the
glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Therefore we have essentially "lost the game"
of life, for "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).
We can't blame God! "Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am tempted by
God'; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and
enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin,
when it is full-grown, brings forth death" (James 1:13-15).
But, we can still "win" the victory through Christ. God sent Jesus His Son
to die on the cross to pay the price for our sins. When we submit our lives
in trusting obedience to His will, His sacrifice is sufficient to cover our
sins (John 3:16; 1 John 2:2)
Those who are victorious are those who: place their faith and trust in Jesus
(Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess
Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) in the name
of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).
Yes, each of us has "dropped the ball," but because of Jesus, we can STILL
triumph over sin. We can share in HIS victory -IF- we will trust and obey
Him today!
Won't YOU?
David A. Sargent
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Trophimus in the Bible
What do Marilyn Monroe, Eddie Murphy, author Dave Pelzer, Olympic athlete Reese Hoffa, Cher, and Dr. Ruth Westheimer have in common? All of them spent time growing up in foster care. There have been a great many famous foster parents, too. My parents were involved in foster care for several years during my childhood. Several good brethren today continue to provide a home, if temporarily, to those whose own homes are strained or broken.
There is a man in Acts, an Ephesian, whose time upon the inspired stage is brief. His name, Trophimus, literally means "foster child." Though there is no particular significance attached to his name, it is one of the more interesting names in the New Testament. It seems that adoption was very common in the Greco-Roman life. Ryrie says, "Childless couples could often adopt a son who then became their heir. Even if the adopted son had living biological parents, they had no more claim over him after the adoption had taken place. Often parents were willing to let their sons be adopted by another family if it meant a better lot in life" (Basic Theology, 306; see rules of adoption in Women's Life in Greece and Rome, Lefkowtitz and Fant, 99-100). A foster child would have been essentially the same as an adoptee in that society,
It is not far-fetched to think that Trophimus was converted through Paul's efforts (cf. Acts 20:4; Easton considers him to have literally been a foster child). Paul once called Timothy his "true child in the faith" (1 Tim. 1:2) and his influence over many others, among them Titus, Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, Jesus Justus, Clement, may have had a paternal flair. Once, he told the Thessalonians that he was as gentle as a "nursing mother" caring for her own children (1 Th. 2:7; the word for "nurse" there is in the same word family as Trophimus).
Trophimus was certainly nurtured and tutored in discipleship under Paul's capable guidance. The Ephesian was with Paul when he was arrested in Jerusalem, mistakenly assumed to have entered the temple with Paul (Acts 21:29). Trophimus had come to Jerusalem on Paul's last recorded visit to that city (Acts 20:4). At the end of Paul's life, Trophimus was unable to accompany the apostle due to illness (2 Tim. 4:20). Some have supposed that he was one of the brothers who accompanied Titus in delivering the second epistle to Corinth in 2 Corinthians 8:16-24 (cf. Elwell and Comfort, 1275). "Legend suggests that Trophimus was ultimately beheaded by the order of Nero" (ibid.).
That is all we know of Trophimus, but we know he was in the sphere of Paul's influence. Paul adopted him, as he no doubt did others. What an example Paul provides for us of the power of mentoring and influence. Leadership training, church growth, and elder, preacher, deacon, or other working enlisting is a valuable, but too seldom practiced, work. We need to foster our own Timothys, Tituses, and Trophimuses. Who are you helping grow in the service of the Lord?
There is a man in Acts, an Ephesian, whose time upon the inspired stage is brief. His name, Trophimus, literally means "foster child." Though there is no particular significance attached to his name, it is one of the more interesting names in the New Testament. It seems that adoption was very common in the Greco-Roman life. Ryrie says, "Childless couples could often adopt a son who then became their heir. Even if the adopted son had living biological parents, they had no more claim over him after the adoption had taken place. Often parents were willing to let their sons be adopted by another family if it meant a better lot in life" (Basic Theology, 306; see rules of adoption in Women's Life in Greece and Rome, Lefkowtitz and Fant, 99-100). A foster child would have been essentially the same as an adoptee in that society,
It is not far-fetched to think that Trophimus was converted through Paul's efforts (cf. Acts 20:4; Easton considers him to have literally been a foster child). Paul once called Timothy his "true child in the faith" (1 Tim. 1:2) and his influence over many others, among them Titus, Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, Jesus Justus, Clement, may have had a paternal flair. Once, he told the Thessalonians that he was as gentle as a "nursing mother" caring for her own children (1 Th. 2:7; the word for "nurse" there is in the same word family as Trophimus).
Trophimus was certainly nurtured and tutored in discipleship under Paul's capable guidance. The Ephesian was with Paul when he was arrested in Jerusalem, mistakenly assumed to have entered the temple with Paul (Acts 21:29). Trophimus had come to Jerusalem on Paul's last recorded visit to that city (Acts 20:4). At the end of Paul's life, Trophimus was unable to accompany the apostle due to illness (2 Tim. 4:20). Some have supposed that he was one of the brothers who accompanied Titus in delivering the second epistle to Corinth in 2 Corinthians 8:16-24 (cf. Elwell and Comfort, 1275). "Legend suggests that Trophimus was ultimately beheaded by the order of Nero" (ibid.).
That is all we know of Trophimus, but we know he was in the sphere of Paul's influence. Paul adopted him, as he no doubt did others. What an example Paul provides for us of the power of mentoring and influence. Leadership training, church growth, and elder, preacher, deacon, or other working enlisting is a valuable, but too seldom practiced, work. We need to foster our own Timothys, Tituses, and Trophimuses. Who are you helping grow in the service of the Lord?
-Neal Pollard
Amos Bronson Alcott
"To be ignorant of one's ignorance is the malady of the ignorant."
Amos Bronson Alcott, American teacher, writer, philosopher, and reformer (1799-1888)
Amos Bronson Alcott, American teacher, writer, philosopher, and reformer (1799-1888)
Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus"
What does a performance of Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" have in common
with a kitten playing a piano or a child biting the finger of his
brother? If you've watched at least a few YouTube videos, you
probably know the answer: Each of the above are examples of videos
that have gone viral.
"Viral" comes from the physical phenomenon we all dread. There are
over 2,000 species of viruses that have been discovered, and many
(such as the rhinovirus) commonly infect the human body. Once inside,
they can multiply at an extraordinary rate and cause serious symptoms.
Many who will read this have already received a flu vaccine, hoping to
fight off at least one strain of virus this fall.
Then there are the computer viruses. You can't infect your computer
by sneezing on it; these are man-made mini-programs that will make
your computer "sick". You catch these through seemingly innocent
emails and web sites. Companies that help protect our laptops and
desktops from viruses make billions of dollars each year.
The videos mentioned above, however, are things people enjoy watching.
The performance of Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" at a Philadelphia
Macy's store just over a month ago has already been watched over 5.5
million times. That event was a planned (though seemingly
spontaneous) performance. Many others of the viral videos were more
accidental. Someone happened to take a video of an otherwise ordinary
event, uploaded the video, and the rest is history.
There was another viral event that occurred hundreds of years ago, and
the effects were predominantly beneficial. It all started with Jesus ...
"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature," Jesus
commanded His apostles before leaving the earth (Mark 16:16). The
message was new, but it was good news (the literal meaning of the word
"gospel"). When people heard the message of salvation, many "gladly
received" it (Acts 2:41) and dedicated themselves to following Jesus
Christ, no matter what.
The viral spread of this message was not without resistance. Many
chose not to believe Jesus is the Son of God, and worked militantly to
suppress Christianity. But despite all efforts the word of God
flourished. When Paul wrote about how the gospel had been "...
preached to every creature under heaven" in Colossians 1:23, he may
have affirmed the fulfillment (in his generation) of the charge Jesus
had given His followers.
How can such a phenomenon be explained? Those who live for Jesus
quickly learn the truth of His claim: "I have come that they may have
life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). They
discover that, even in adversity, placing their lives in the hands of
the Almighty God produces a "peace that surpasses all understanding"
(Philippians 4:6).
This is one "virus" you don't need to fear! In fact, wouldn't it be
wonderful if more of us could become carriers of this virus, infecting
others with the remarkable attitudes and actions produced by the
gospel of Jesus Christ? After all, which is more deserving of sending
to our friends: a video showing how dance has evolved over time, or a
message that will rescue their souls from destruction?
Timothy D. Hall.
with a kitten playing a piano or a child biting the finger of his
brother? If you've watched at least a few YouTube videos, you
probably know the answer: Each of the above are examples of videos
that have gone viral.
"Viral" comes from the physical phenomenon we all dread. There are
over 2,000 species of viruses that have been discovered, and many
(such as the rhinovirus) commonly infect the human body. Once inside,
they can multiply at an extraordinary rate and cause serious symptoms.
Many who will read this have already received a flu vaccine, hoping to
fight off at least one strain of virus this fall.
Then there are the computer viruses. You can't infect your computer
by sneezing on it; these are man-made mini-programs that will make
your computer "sick". You catch these through seemingly innocent
emails and web sites. Companies that help protect our laptops and
desktops from viruses make billions of dollars each year.
The videos mentioned above, however, are things people enjoy watching.
The performance of Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" at a Philadelphia
Macy's store just over a month ago has already been watched over 5.5
million times. That event was a planned (though seemingly
spontaneous) performance. Many others of the viral videos were more
accidental. Someone happened to take a video of an otherwise ordinary
event, uploaded the video, and the rest is history.
There was another viral event that occurred hundreds of years ago, and
the effects were predominantly beneficial. It all started with Jesus ...
"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature," Jesus
commanded His apostles before leaving the earth (Mark 16:16). The
message was new, but it was good news (the literal meaning of the word
"gospel"). When people heard the message of salvation, many "gladly
received" it (Acts 2:41) and dedicated themselves to following Jesus
Christ, no matter what.
The viral spread of this message was not without resistance. Many
chose not to believe Jesus is the Son of God, and worked militantly to
suppress Christianity. But despite all efforts the word of God
flourished. When Paul wrote about how the gospel had been "...
preached to every creature under heaven" in Colossians 1:23, he may
have affirmed the fulfillment (in his generation) of the charge Jesus
had given His followers.
How can such a phenomenon be explained? Those who live for Jesus
quickly learn the truth of His claim: "I have come that they may have
life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). They
discover that, even in adversity, placing their lives in the hands of
the Almighty God produces a "peace that surpasses all understanding"
(Philippians 4:6).
This is one "virus" you don't need to fear! In fact, wouldn't it be
wonderful if more of us could become carriers of this virus, infecting
others with the remarkable attitudes and actions produced by the
gospel of Jesus Christ? After all, which is more deserving of sending
to our friends: a video showing how dance has evolved over time, or a
message that will rescue their souls from destruction?
Timothy D. Hall.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Jonathan Swift
"We have just enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love one another."
Jonathan Swift, Irish author and satirist (1667-1745)
Jonathan Swift, Irish author and satirist (1667-1745)
STEVE JOHNSON BLAMES GOD
Wide receiver Steve Johnson of the Buffalo Bills has been incredibly good this year. Even though he is young and inexperienced, he has emerged as one of the top receivers in the league. Last Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers was an incredibly close game. It went into overtime and both teams had multiple chances to win. On the Buffalo Bills' last drive, their quarterback threw a deep pass to Steve Johnson in the end-zone. This pass was the epitome of perfection. Johnson had no one close to him and it was placed perfectly in his hands. All Johnson had to do was catch the ball and the Bills would have made an astonishing comeback win against a very good Steelers team. Instead, he missed it. Johnson dropped the pass and the Steelers ended up winning the game.
Wide receivers drop passes all the time. Not all are as significant as this one, but it happens. This is just a part of the game. Most fans and players could have moved on from this, especially since the Bills are not a good team this year, but the comments Johnson said on his twitter account have struck a nerve with many people. This is what he said, "I praise you 24/7!!!!!! And this is how you do me!!!!! You expect me to learn from this??? How???!!! I'll never forget this!! Ever!!! Thx tho...."
Again, wide receivers drop passes all the time, but I have never heard anyone else actually blame God for it. He even seems to throw a little sarcasm at the end as well. There are many factors Johnson could have blamed the dropped catch on. He could have blamed it on the lights, lack of practice, and even himself. Instead the blame was thrown on God.
It is too bad that Johnson reacted in this way, but thankfully he has since retracted this statement. The problem is, people do this every single day. People throughout the world go through terrible difficulties and many of these same people conclude that it is God's fault.
Often in Scripture we see people suffering. One of the most devastating accounts is of Job. Job lost 1000 oxen, 500 donkeys, 7000 sheep, 3000 camels, 1000 oxen, and all his sons and daughters (10 total) in one day (Job 1:13-19). Not long after this he also lost his health and had sores and boils all over his body (Job 2:7). To top it off, even his own wife turned against him and told him to "Curse God and die!" (Job 2:9). However, no matter what Job went through, not once did he curse or blame God (Job 1:22; 2:10).
Suffering happens to people all over the world. Job was a very faithful man and he still suffered greatly. People seem to be under the mindset that if they are faithful and praise God, then bad will not happen. God has never promised this. We are just people. God is supreme, all-knowing, all-powerful, and almighty. Do we really ever have the right to blame God for anything? Does praising God automatically mean He will give us blessings? Too many people blame God for their misfortune, but God should never be blamed. We must keep in mind God's words in Isaiah 55:9, "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thought than your thoughts." We simply do not know why many types of suffering happen, but one thing is for certain, we should never blame God, nor do we have the right to do so.
-- Brett Petrillo
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