I was going to write a big blog entry tonight about communication, but I had two hours of premarital counseling with a couple tonight on the subject and I am communicated out. :) In several recent situations, I have been reminded of the fact that a lot of people talk a lot and have a lot to say but do not necessarily communicate. Much of the time they do not listen, to themselves or others. They are only interested in expressing, but not absorbing, reflecting, or understanding. Isn't it interesting that God, who knows all things and does not need to be told anything, still asks us to talk to Him, ask Him things and express things to Him. He understands that communication is more then just sending us His word and telling us to listen and agree. How are you doing at actually communicating?

Now I have worked hard to keep my personal political convictions mostly quiet. I have Christian friends who like Obama and ones who can't stand him. I usually avoid extremes and positions based only on reaction, not careful thought. I say all that to say that I am not stating either support or unhappiness with Obama. THIS ARTICLE is really interesting in that it talks about press bias toward Obama. It is amazing in that it comes from Newsweek which tends to be quite liberal. It is a good article which should provoke thought no matter what your personal views are. LINK

...IT'S ESSENTIAL! Like breathing and water, these things aren't merely important for the body, they are essential. There is no life without it. Do we think of church the same way. I think for almost everyone, the answer is no. Many Christians think church is important or church has its place, but they would not list it as essential or think of it in those terms. After all, I can be a Christian at home in my living room. Yes, but you cannot be part of the body of Christ that way, at least not the way God designed the body. Watching church on TV, listening on the Internet can give you teaching and allow you to hear great sermons, but they do not mean that you have connected to the church. Consider this. In the New Testament, the number of times "one another" occurs 101x; "church" 59x (not counting Acts). God designed not a loose collection of beleivers, but a body that relied on each other and was put together to work together and take care of each other. Last Sunday in "The Power of Trees" we talked about the fact that the only place that you can experience in human ways the love of Christ is within the context of the church and the relationships therein. Too many Christians have reduced church to a ritual, tradition, rite or regulation. It is not that, it is part of what it means to be a Christian. I think one example of how people may look at church is like exercise. You know you should do it more and you know it is good for you. You will try to get to it more and you do do it when you have time. But if you miss it, while not ideal, its not that big of a deal. Perhaps a better way to look at it is breathing. How many breaths can you miss before you start weakening? Now I'm not saying that church means going to Sunday morning service. You can do that and still not be in church. And you can miss a Sunday here and there and still be in church. Being in church is about being a part of the life of the body and connected to the family through a local assembly. Making sure you are giving and receiving the life of the body of Christ. It's not important that you do it. If you are a Christian, it is essential. You cannot be strong and healthy as a Christian without the body of Christ. That's what Scripture teaches, its just that simple.

Psalm 73. Asaph looks at people who ignore God and seem to prosper. He is bothered by the fact that the unrighteous seem to have an easier time than God's people.

They say, "How does God know? And is there knowledge with the Most High?" Behold, these are the wicked; And always at ease, they have increased in wealth. Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure And washed my hands in innocence; For I have been stricken all day long And chastened every morning. (Psalms 73:11-14)

I think it is easy for Christians to feel this way and to be swayed. As Asaph says in verse 2, "my feet came close to stumbling, my steps had almost slipped." There are days when you wonder as you see what is going on in the world. "When I pondered to understand this, it was troublesome in my sight." (V. 16) BUT the perspective is in verse 17. "Until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end (fate)." It is so easy for us to keep a worldly perspective even as we are aware of the heavenly reality. Our old point of view still can come too naturally to us. But here is what Asaph saw from the point of view of the sanctuary of God.

Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. How they are destroyed in a moment! They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors! (Psalms 73:18-19)

I love that phrase, "you have set them in slippery places." Like Yertle the Turtle, it may be a great spot, but it is not secure, not safe, and not permanent. Things can be hard sometimes now, and you may see others with more than you, but our joy, our security, our assurance is in the power and permanence of God.

Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. With Your counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalms 73:23-26)

Those who trust in the flesh are in trouble when the flesh fails. But after this is all over and our flesh has failed, we will be received into glory. This is an encouragement to me today, I hope it is to you. I leave you with the last verse of the Psalm, "But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all Your works." I praise the nearness of God.

Busy in the office today studying Ephesians 4 for this Sunday. Probably going to need another day to finish it. Missed posting yesterday and wanted to get in a post today. I am linking to an awesome article from last year on Tim Tebow, quarterback for a college football team and a Heisman Trophy winner. He is a man of faith and this article is really awesome from ESPN. LINK