From The Valley of Vision, page 189

There is much unconquered territory in my nature,
scourge out the buyers and sellers of my souls temple,
and give me in return pure desires,
and longings after perfect holiness.

Next to the Bible, The Valley of Vision is one of my favorite books.  It is an anonymous selection of Puritan prayers that both encourage and confront, highlighting my radical sinfulness and God’s radical grace. You can order your copy from Christianbook.com  I use these prayers regularly to strengthen my anemic prayers with some real substance. Of course, the far superior source is the Bible itself, but sometimes more recent fellow strugglers like the Puritans can be an additional encouragement.

Motivational slogans come and go, but here is a new one from the Final Four Wichita State University Wheat Shockers – Play Angry!  

The challenge apparently originated a few weeks ago with Antoine Carr, former Shocker and NBA star, whose number is retired at the top of Koch Arena.  But it caught on and has been used by Coach Gregg Marshall ever since to motivate his team toward passionate effort.  It worked!  They came very close to a Butleresque* appearance in the NCAA championship game before losing in the semis to eventual champion, Louisville.

Welcomed back home last Sunday by appreciative fans, Coach Marshall decided to pass on some life lessons.

Whatever your occupation is, what every you do in your daily life, without hurting anyone else, without being too overtly aggressive, do it with anger… Preach angry, If you are a cab driver, drive angry.  if you are a school teacher, teach angry.  If you are an accountant, count angry. Continue reading “Play Angry… Preach Angry???” →

Here in Big Ten country, Missouri Valley Conference schools don’t get much respect. Not since 1979, when Larry Bird led Indiana State to the NCAA championship game against Michigan State and Magic Johnson, has a Valley team made it this far.

But now they are in the Big Dance, the Final Four. The Shockers took out 1 and 2 seeds Gonzaga and Ohio State.  The Hoosiers are out.  My favorite, the Kansas Jayhawks were embarrassed by Michigan when they had the game won and let it get away.

But the Shockers are going to Atlanta. Continue reading “48 Years Later – Wheat Shockers in the Final Four” →

We all know the joy or relief of completing a task; shoveling snow off the drive, mowing the lawn, finishing the laundry or the dishes, finishing a major project at work; or in my case, completing the preparation of a sermon.

The problem with all these things is that the job is finished only to cycle back around and needs to be done all over again.  Wouldn’t it be great to say, “It’s done,” and it really was?  Jesus could truly say that about His work.

After six hours of hanging on the cross, and shortly before Jesus died, He uttered what was translated into Greek as just one word, Τετέλεσται.  The common English translation, It is finished! or It is accomplished! Continue reading “Τετέλεσται” →

What are the consequences of America’s obsession with college basketball?  Most noted is the economic cost of billions of dollars of lost productivity last week during daytime games in the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament as workers steal time from their employers to check on the game; or the inordinate number of those calling in sick because of a higher priority called basketball. The 8th Commandment comes to mind, You shall not steal Exodus 20:15 Continue reading “March Madness and the First Commandment” →

It is breathtaking to realize the vast amount of activity and teaching that took place in the few days before Jesus was crucified. The Last Week was my Palm Sunday sermon at Faith Church as I traced daily events from coming to the Jerusalem suburb, Bethany, to entering the city on Palm Sunday and all that followed the next week. Continue reading “What if?” →

So, I admit it.  When I get to Exodus 25-31, I get a little weary of the detailed description of the Tabernacle and all its furnishings, the priesthood regalia and the ceremonial dressing of the priests for service. Forty days of Moses on the mountain receiving the law from God proved too much for the short memory Israelites, and I’m not entirely without sympathy. I read a little faster through that section… well, quite a bit faster…it’s called skimming. Continue reading “Making Our Own Gods” →

And God spoke all these words: