After I became a Christian and understood my need for a relationship with Jesus Christ, I set out to buy a new Bible that I could understand and study.  Imagine my shock when on my quest at the age of 33, I found out the Bible was originally written in Hebrew and Greek!  I later ended up at Trinity Seminary working on my MDiv, and like a kid in a candy store, I could not get enough learning about church history, ministry and language study.  I fell in love with the Bible and the Biblical text, and to this day, have a high regard for the authority of scripture.

I understand there are different translations used for different purposes, and this is a good thing, but the recent changes to the New International Version (NIV) are alarming to me. From my perspective, the NIV 2011 translation is not concerned about staying true to the text, but instead translated based on a bias regarding gender issues. I believe this new translation exacerbates the cultural chaos of role and gender confusion between the sexes, and even more disturbing is the decision to discontinue publishing the 1984 standard and force the purchase of the new 2011 version.

The Council on Biblical Manhood & Womanhood has published an outstanding article on the gender language concerns [click here], which are significant, but based on my findings, I will no longer recommend the NIV. I’ve been working with the English Standard Version (ESV) these past few weeks and have enjoyed that translation as an alternative for reading, and enjoy the New American Standard Bible (NASB) for my study.

It will be interesting to see how things develop moving forward, and if Zondervan & Biblica will abandon the NIV2011 like they did the TNIV, but in the mean time, guard the truth!

I actually number my days. I have a little program that runs every day, and calculates all the numbers for me. I don’t look at it all the time, but I did update it after my birthday. It catches my attention every time I get to an even hundred number, because I will only get to see that happen maybe 100 more times in my lifetime. Yesterday, I hit 11,300 days left to live if I live to be 80. Not that big of a deal because something could happen today, but this is not the point. So what is the point? Here are a few I came up with:

• I am to live each day in light of who I am in Christ.
• This life is temporary, and I am to live each day in light of eternity.
• I have a fixed number of days to live, and I need to use them wisely.
• My days are not my own, I am only a steward of what God gives me.

The list could go on and on, but those are my big four. Each one of those could be broken down further, but I will save those for a future sermon series!

I found a note I had made earlier, when I had first started this little practice, and at the time, only 46% of my life had passed and I had 15,678 days to live.  Today, 61% of my life has passed and I only have 11,300 days left to live. Wow, where has the time gone!!

I don’t know exactly how much time I have left, only God does. I cannot do anything to affect the length of my life, but I can affect the quality and impact my life will have, and so can you!

Lord, like Moses, I pray that you will teach us to number our days, so that we can present to you a heart of wisdom!

As I’m pondering the scene (I’m feeling particularly reflective and creative this week for some reason), I am reminded, of all things, about Matthew 6:26 and how valuable I am to God. I was remind of how my heavenly Father cares for and feeds the birds, and as I watch this little guy scarfing down worms, I realize, I am much more important than the birds!

So I get in my truck after the kids get off to school and I’m headed in to work on my sermon this weekend. I’m feeling pretty good after my reflection on Matthew 6:26, when all of a sudden, I see a robin cross the road in front of me. Now, there are birds all over the place, and many times, simply crossing the road. Nothing out of the ordinary, they usually just fly off as a car approaches. But this guy is waiting until the last minute.

As my brain starts processing this, I realize he is not flying away! There is a curb to my left… I’m trying to check the right lane… is there a car in my blind spot? Decide what to do, NOW! So I  move toward the curb so that the bird goes under the middle of my car, and at least has a chance! As I look in the rear view mirror, what do I see? Feathers. They are floating all in the air, and I see this little bird-body laying in the middle of my lane.

I don’t know… I’m probably over thinking this. I’m for sure writing about it to soon. It just happened and I haven’t really processed through it. Or should I process through it at all? It’s a goofy bird. It’s like a flying rodent that eats insects!

What does the Bible say: 48 times the phrase “birds of the air” appears, I know that God cares for them, and I had just experienced a devotional thought at the crack of dawn with one. Okay, I can’t ignore it, so this is what I came up with:

Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death. Here is the bad news – the bird died, and oh yea, you and I are going to die too. But death is only temporary, and here is the good news – we have the assurance of heaven and eternal life through faith in Christ!

The bird was cared for, until his life ended. How much more will God care for me until my life ends! We might not always feel good about the timing and method of death, and I think that is okay. But this we know: death is certain, but while we are alive, God loves us, cares for us, and provides for all of our needs in Christ Jesus – thanks be to God (and for the birds of the air)!

Hey, you know what… I never thought about the worm that died when it got eaten by the bird. Hummm…

These past few months I have been praying on and studying Romans 12, but there is a great study by Chip Ingram called Living on the Edge that I have particularly enjoyed these past few weeks that have really challenged me to think through where I need to work on “not conforming to the patterns of this world.”

For example, the pattern of this world is to simply ignore issues relating to something as basic as how we define marriage.  You know what the issues are; we are surrounded by them every day.  What do you do with that?  I’ve always believed it is better to let the light of Christ shine on an issue rather than curse the darkness, but what happens when the light doesn’t seem to bring about my desired outcome.

If I am doing everything I can reasonably think of about something disturbing, and others are doing the same, what are we to make of the fact that we still have disturbing outcomes? Well, here is what I came up with this morning. God is God, and I am not, and things will go down just as He has planned them.

This is probably the conclusion Paul had come to when he penned Romans 1:25-26, “They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator…  because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones!”

Okay, so I am not supposed to be surprised by the things I see going on around me, after all, Satan is over this world.  But that doesn’t mean I have to like it, and there are some simple things I can do to fight it.  For example, I can send an email/letter to my legislators pleading with them to defend marriage between a man and woman as God designed it.  I did that this morning, and so can you.  Check out this link: http://tinyurl.com/4e7ndng

In the end, I will continue to do my part while knowing and trusting that God is in control.  I think that is the way God wants it.  I also trust that He will continue showing me areas of my life that His light needs to shine into, and am so grateful for the hope that we have in Christ!

Now, I know none of the girls got up that early to check the mail.  The door was closed when I went to bed, so I’m thinking, who came in and left the door open?  It wasn’t me.  Was there some unwelcome visitor in the house – I don’t know.  I go back and tell Carolyn the front door is open, and she says, “Well, go down and check it out!”  Okay, just letting you know in case you hear me scream or hear a gunshot or something.

I let the dogs out, not they are good defenders or anything, but I figured maybe they would bark if they ran into an intruder or something.  The good news was that everything was quite, and the house all checked out. Whew, no one was in the house so I was feeling better… temporarily.

As I processed through the events of the morning, it occurred to me, that we have nothing to fear from anyone in this world.  Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but rather against the rulers, authorities and powers of this dark world (Ephesians 6:12).  Even though no one had broken into my house physically, the real threat we face is the evil one who roams around looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8), who comes only to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10).

In the end, I really didn’t care if anyone had taken my stuff; it’s not mine and is temporary anyway.  And I’m glad I did not have any “altercations” with unwanted visitors!  But I can’t help but wonder how many homes are broken into unknowingly every minute of every day, where people are robbed of full life, the eternal life, that only comes through a life transforming relationship with Jesus Christ.

Romans 10:9  says that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  Are you saved?  Is everyone in your house saved or are you being robbed?  What about your neighbor, your friends, or your co-workers? The thought being robbed, or knowing someone that is being robbed is troublesome, and should be a motivation to make the homes around us a safer place.

Have questions about have a relationship with Jesus Christ and how to be saved? Let me know. If you are saved, do you have your neighbors back?

I took the free fitness test that came with my gift last week – good news, my blood is great – bad news, my fitness level is poor. It’s no surprise really; I’ve been trying to decide if I should go up a pant size, but I have decided to work on my health instead. In addition to some exercise, I’ve been monitoring my calorie intake with FatSecret, a must have for anyone watching what they eat! So far, I have lost 12 pounds in 5 days! Amazing I know, but I don’t think I have to worry about wasting away.

I have made a game really, out of watching my calories and have been having fun at the fitness center as well, although I do struggle with making time for the later. I have been surprised at how many people from church I see, in fact, enough that I have started to wonder what God might be doing there. Can you imagine how strong the Body of Christ would be if we all worked together in the same way we did at the fitness center as we did on eternal matters of importance. 2 Corinthians 4:18 challenges us with “…fixing our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

I weighed in yesterday and after four days had lost 11 pounds! This morning I weighed in and I had only lost 1 pound. At first I was disappointed, but then it dawned on me, this is not about weight loss (what is seen), it is about, eating right and being healthy (what is unseen). Plus hey, loosing a pound a day isn’t to shabby, or should I say flabby

I really enjoy hanging out with friends at the fitness center, it helps me and encourages me with things that are seen. But more important, I really want to enjoy my time with God through Bible reading and prayer. I really want to continue to enjoy my time with my small group, and I’m really looking forward to our worship service this weekend.

As much as I am enjoying my weight loss this week, I think I shall purpose in my heart to been encouraged by the unseen. We are going to spend a lot more time in eternity on the other side of this life, so let us not neglect exercising those spiritual disciples in our lives that help us focus on the unseen.

1. Understand what doesn’t change

In every situation there are things that should never change, intrinsic principles, values, and absolute truths that are central to existence.

2. Do your creative work first and reactive work second.

Email, phone calls and things that “pop up” are important, but that is not your primary calling if you are to lead beyond where you are.

3. Lose the distractions

There are many good things, but not everything is profitable. Distractions and interruptions will chip away at the time available in your day.

4. Keep growing and learning

In order for change to happen, new information has to come in, and that comes only from study, growth, learning new things.

As I prepare for 2011, I am praying for areas God wants to grow me, our family, and our ministry, and I think numbers 1 and 4 are where I will focus my energy.

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A.D. 1789.  GEORGE WASHINGTON

Okay… so what do you do with that? I managed to find out which hospital they were taking her to before we hung up. After catching my breath, I got my shoes on as Carolyn was returning from the grocery store, shot out an email prayer request, got in the car and we headed to Wisconsin.

After arriving at the hospital, we found Catie in the emergency room getting x-rays. The pain from moving her legs around trying to get an x-ray made it oblivious something was seriously wrong. The hospital she was in was not able to work with her, so they transferred her to a trauma hospital in Milwaukee. A few hours later, it’s 2AM, and we find out the good news; her head, neck, and spine appear to be fine, but she has shattered both ankles and broken her right leg.

Saturday morning she went into surgery. Originally it was supposed to be a two-part surgery, one to fix her ankles and a second to fix her broken leg, and she was looking at two weeks in the hospital. Six hours into her surgery, the doctor called us in the waiting room and said he was going to be able to finish all the work at one time. It’s funny what kind of things you can get excited about!

She has several pins, screws and plates in her right leg, but her left leg was the worst. They had to remove a lot of bone and cartilage from her left ankle and do a lot of reconstruction; this ankle will be the most problem moving forward. Saturday night was a pain ridden night and no one got any sleep, although I probably pulled down the most Sunday she did better with the pain meds, we ran home for showers and clean clothes, got back and we will stay with her Sunday evening.

Catie is sleeping well right now, I’m catching up on a few emails, and Carolyn and I are getting ready to settle into our chairs for the night. I’m not sure what Monday and Tuesday will bring, or when she will come home. The doctor is thinking sooner than later, but she can’t feel her toes right now and they are watching that.

She won’t be able to put any weight on her feet for 3 or 4 months, and then will require physical therapy after that. Recovery is going to be long and require a lot of full-time care, so we will bring her home to Illinois with us. There are still a lot of blanks to fill in and we continue to more through hour by hour, but have really experienced God’s love and guiding hand through this experience. We are so thankful for the outpouring of prayers and support, and are looking toward God for His leading.

My eyes are getting heavy, so it’s time for bed. A good friend of Catie’s gave her this verse this evening; I think I’ll clam it too: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9

Interesting enough, even in my own thinking, it can be difficult to narrow down an idea. I can think of multiple passages in the New Testament where Jesus identifies characteristics of a disciple, as with Luke 9:23-24, or in the Old Testament with examples like Moses, who in Deuteronomy 30:15-20 posed to the people of Israel to “choose life.”

A definition can be difficult to narrow down, but in Matthew 4:19, Jesus extends an invitation in which I find three clear characteristics. Jesus says, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” What would Jesus expect to see in a disciple:

• One: Knows and obeys Christ (Come, follow me)
• Two: Reflects a Christ honoring life of transformation (I will make you)
• Three: Is committed to the mission of Christ (Fishers of men)

There are a lot of definitions out there, but I find a clarity in this passage that is both refreshing and worthy of self-scrutiny.