:: Book of the Year ::

This is last week's news, but the Christian Book Association has named its "book of the year." And the winner is ... drumroll .... the new ESV Study Bible. I saw this the other day, and thought The Bible was a good choice for "Christian book of the year"... I mean, it seems so common sense, and was probably just inched out by stiff competition a few other years, but I'm glad it's finally getting its due.

Seriously, it's a great, thorough Study Bible, with more depth, better explanation, solid articles, znd many other great features. Highly recommended; check it out here: http://www.esvstudybible.org/

:: New url ::

So I've owned oneglory.org since college (way before my blogspot got started), and finally decided to do something with it. Blogspot should re-direct, but there's the new "official" blogsite: welcome to www.oneglory.org!

:: Belize readings, Fri: Mission – the ongoing impact of this week ::

This week has been a hands-on, 100% giving of yourself for God’s mission and purposes. As much as you’ve experienced this week, however, your mission isn’t over when you get on a plane (or boat). In fact, one of our deepest hopes is that this week inspires you to continue that mission, back in the US and in your everyday life. The following are the words of Winfield Bevins (Church of the Outer Banks; Nags Head, North Carolina):

We are all called to be missional and share in the mission of God. Ed Stetzer says, ‘Being Missional means actually doing mission right where you are. Missional means adopting the posture of a missionary, learning and adapting to the culture around you while remaining biblically sound’ (Ed Stetzer, Planting Missional Churches, 19)…

Being a missional Christian is simply following the way of Jesus. Jesus Christ was the first and greatest missionary. The Bible tells us that He came from heaven to earth to die for a lost and dying world. The following scriptures reveal how the mission of God was fulfilled through Jesus Christ and how we are called to continue and complete the Missio Dei (the “mission of God”) in our culture. [as you read these verses, dwell on them and personalize each, as best you can]

· Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work." John 4:34

· "I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me." John 5:30

· "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me." John 6:38

· "I know Him; because I am from Him, and He sent Me." John 7:29

· "And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him." John 8:29

· "We must work the works of Him who sent Me, as long as it is day; night is coming, when no man can work." John 9:4

· And Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in Me does not believe in Me, but in Him who sent Me. And he who beholds Me beholds the One who sent Me." John 12:44-45

· "For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me commandment, what to say, and what to speak." John 12:49

· "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who
receives Me receives Him who sent Me." John 13:20

· "And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent." John 17:3

· "For the words which Thou gave Me I have given to them; and they received them, and truly understood that I came forth from Thee, and they believed that Thou didst send Me." John 17:8

· "As Thou didst send Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world." John 17:18

· Jesus…said to them again, "Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you." John 20:21

As the Father sent Jesus, He also sends us into our time and culture. Mark Driscoll says, ‘It is imperative that Christians be like Jesus, by living freely within the culture as missionaries who are as faithful to the Father and his gospel as Jesus was in his own time and place’ (Mark Driscoll, The Radical Reformission, 40). We have been chosen by God to live in this time and place in order to fulfill the mission of God.

Acts 17: 26-27 tells us that God has determined the exact place and time where we should live so that men may find Him. It is truly awesome to realize that you have chosen by God to be His representative to this world. It is both a great privilege and great responsibility. Paul describes our calling in the following way, ‘we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God’ (2 Cor 5:20).

“Christian ministry is God's way of showing the love of His Son Jesus through His church.
Christians must strive to always be like Jesus, our perfect example. Jesus said, ‘the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.’ (Mark 10:45) This scripture beautifully embodies the task of Christian ministry. To be a minister is to be a servant. We are to serve and give our lives for others. Serving is the example that Jesus gave; therefore we should follow it.

As the church we are called to care for a lost and dying world that is in desperate need of a savior. Too many times we compartmentalize the different ministries of the church. We have viewed social ministry as something we do on one hand and evangelism on the other. God is calling the church to rediscover the biblical model of holistic ministry. Jesus met both the physical and spiritual needs of the people He ministered to. As the Body of Christ on earth we are His representatives to a lost world. Therefore what we do and say are of eternal importance.

There are two primary ways that every Christian can become missional. The first is by sharing a verbal witness…, also known as the evangelical witness or more commonly called evangelism. This is when you share the gospel message with your words. The second is the second way we can fulfill the mission of God is called the social witness. The evangelical and the social are two sides of the same coin. We are called to lead people to Christ with both our words and our actions. It is universally true that people don't care how much you know ‘til they know how much you care.”

Is it scarier to live on mission in your own community, city, dorm, school, job, gym, or organization? Sure – but if we can learn, little by little and day by day, to put aside ourselves, our pride, our desires, our ever-present need for increased status and esteem, etc., then we might find ourselves a little more free to live for something more important than any of these things will ever be; more important than any of us will ever be. And we take with us everything we’ve learned and done this week, learn to put it in the context of out daily lives, and actively try to live accordingly, then this week has accomplished its purpose: we’ll be living out God’s purpose and mission, not just for a week, but every day of your life.

:: Belize readings, Thur: Mission – a good work, worthy of rest ::

(note - not sure why font is so large on a couple of these... can't seem to fix it. sorry!)

Read Exo 20:8-11; Heb 4:9; Matt 11:28-30; Rom 11:33-36

“Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God” (Exo 20:9) While time, schedules, and “life” unfortunately don’t allow a full six days of work on this brief trip, there is still much importance in taking tomorrow to rest and celebrate four good work days before flying home Saturday morning. So work hard today; accomplish much, and then take tomorrow to celebrate – not what you have accomplished this week, but what God has done through you, for his name.

Sabbath is a gift from God, given as a blessing for us and for our enjoyment, to lead us closer to God. C. John Collins (OT Professor, Covenant Seminary), explains Sabbath as follows:

The commandments were never given as a list of what you have to do to make God love you – nor even a list of what you have to be in order to measure up as a believer. Rather, they describe the kind of character that God aims to produce in those who love Him; and as we obey them, He's at work changing us. And they're a gift: they come from the same God who saved His people, and express exactly the same love for us as His works of salvation. God has honored us by giving us these requirements.

So yes, we can say that we've got to keep them, because they come from God; but that's not what I want you to think about right now: it's not just that you've got to keep them, it's also that you get to keep them. It's a privilege. In order for us to think this way about the fourth commandment, we need to consider briefly three points. First, what is the "rest" that this commandment requires? Second, what is the expected character of the Sabbath rest? And third, why is this arrangement so
delightful?

What Is the "Rest" That This Commandment Requires?
What exactly does it mean to "rest" on the Sabbath day? There are two kinds of rest that the LORD expects from His people: for the first, consider Exodus 23:12: "Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your servant woman, and the alien, may be refreshed." We might call this rest and recuperation for our natural life; as Exodus 31:17 tells us, the Sabbath "is a sign forever between [the LORD] and the
people of Israel, that in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed." Just as God rested after His workweek, so God's people are to rest on their Sabbath.

So the first kind of rest is physical rest. The other kind is what we might call spiritual rest. Leviticus 23:3 says, "Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work. It is a Sabbath to the LORD in all your dwelling places." Besides the gladness that comes from the relief of the body, comes the gladness of public, sacramental worship (which is what a "holy convocation" is, see Isaiah 1:13), entering His gates with thanksgiving (Psalm 100:4).

The Character of the Sabbath Rest
What is the character of the Sabbath rest that God has required? By this I mean, not just what were they to do, but how were they to go about it, and what was the day supposed to be like? Again, I can find two aspects that I want you to think about. Look at Genesis 2:1-3, which is the model for man's Sabbath:

¹Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. ²And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. ³So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. If someone asks you "What happened?" in a bit of Old Testament narrative, the first thing you should do is look for the verbs in the narrative tense; in this passage, "heavens and the earth were finished… God finished his work… [God] rested, blessed the seventh day and made it holy." Well then, what happened? Nothing! Nothing, that is, but inactivity, and enjoyment of the world that God made. Oh, blessed day of relaxation from ordinary toils!

So the first aspect of the day is relaxation from ordinary toils. The second aspect comes out in Exodus 34:21: "Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest. In plowing time and in harvest you hall rest." Yes, even in plowing time and harvest, when there's so much to do, and the weather cuts you no slack with its deadlines. And why? Because God's people need to learn to trust Him in all things, so that they don't fall prey to anxiety and fear – and the way to conquer anxiety includes doing the things we would do if we trusted as we should. So the day is supposed to be one that brings us freedom from anxiety, worry, and fear.

Why Is This Arrangement So Delightful?
Why does it go beyond the power of human tongue to tell how great is this gift of God? Think for a second about the Ten Commandments – given to a people that had just been delivered from oppressive slavery in pagan Egypt. "In Egypt you were surrounded by gods everywhere you turned; but now there's just one, the maker of heaven and earth. There you couldn't help but see carved images that degraded the nature of God and man; but now you get to worship the true God according to the way He really is. There they made you work all the time, and called you lazy if you wanted time off to rest or worship; but now you get to follow the rhythm of work and rest that God built into the world when He made it. There, if you wanted to get ahead, you had to reject your father and mother, and follow Egyptian ways; but now you can see what a glorious thing it is for covenantal parents and children to walk with God together." And so on…

'Finally, as you do one more day of work before you go, surely there were both good and frustrating moments this week; things that went well and things you’d change If you could; maybe even things that make you question yourself and your work in Belize. But as Romans 11 reminds us, we can’t know God’s purposes, but good, bad, or otherwise (from our perspective), “from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” True rest comes in that truth. And that’s what you can celebrate, both in your work today and in your celebration tomorrow.

:: Belize Readings, Wed: Mission – a way of displaying God as our satisfaction ::

In this week's readings, we see missions as the eternal purpose of God; we’ve seen how we get to participate in that purpose; and we've seen how missions is a living acts of worship. In giving up your time, your resources, your Spring Break, your comfort, and so much more, hopefully you realize the part you're playing God’s grander picture of history and life. But the question is, “why would we give up all that stuff? Why do we give our lives to that greater picture? Why are we living for God's purposes?” The following answer comes from John Piper (Bethlehem Baptist Church; Minneapolis, MI):

My shortest [answer to these questions] is this: God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.

We all make a god out of what we take the most pleasure in. Christian Hedonists want to make God their God by seeking after the greatest pleasure—pleasure in him. By “Christian Hedonism,” we do not mean that our happiness is the highest good. We mean that pursuing the highest good will always result in our greatest happiness in the end. We should pursue this happiness, and pursue it with all our might. The desire to be happy is a proper motive for every good deed, and if you abandon the pursuit of your own joy you cannot love man or please God.

The Difference Between Worldly and Christian Hedonism
Some people are inclined to believe that Christians are supposed to seek God’s will as opposed to pursuing their own pleasure. But what makes Biblical morality different than worldly hedonism is not that Biblical morality is disinterested and duty-driven, but that it is interested in vastly greater and purer things. Christian Hedonism is Biblical morality because it recognizes that obeying God is the only route to final and lasting happiness. Here are some examples of this from the Bible:

Luke 6:35 says, "Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great." It is clear when Jesus says “expect nothing in return” that we should not be motivated by worldly aggrandizement, but we are given strength to suffer loss by the promise of a future reward.

Again, in Luke 14:12-14: "When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your kinsmen or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return, and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor . . . and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just." That is, don't do good deeds for worldly
advantage; rather, do them for spiritual, heavenly benefits.

Should Duty Be Our Main Motivation?
But some will say, "No, no. These texts only describe what reward will result if you act disinterestedly. They do not teach us to actually seek the reward." Two answers to this objection:

1) It would be foolish to say, "If you take this pill, I’ll give you a nickel," if you expect the desire for the nickel to ruin the pill. But Jesus was not foolish. He would not offer blessing to those who obey him and then hold it against us if these blessings motivated our obedience.

2) Even more importantly, there are texts that not only commend that we do good in the hope of future blessing, but command it.

Luke 12:33 says, "Sell your possessions, and give alms; provide yourselves with purses that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail." The connection here between alms and having eternal treasure in heaven is not a chance result—it is the explicit purpose: "Make it your aim to have treasure in heaven, and the way to do this is to sell your possessions and give alms."

And again, Luke 16:9 says, "Make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when it fails they may receive you into eternal habitations." Luke does not say that the result of using possessions properly is to receive eternal habitations. He says, "Make it your aim to secure an eternal habitation by the way you use your possessions." Therefore, a resounding NO to the
belief that morality should be inspired more by duty than delight.

Don’t Be Too Easily Satisfied
Hebrews 11:6 teaches, "Without faith it is impossible to please [God]. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” You cannot please God if you do not come to him looking for reward. Therefore, faith that pleases God is the hedonistic pursuit of God.

As Christian Hedonists we know that everyone longs for happiness. And we will never tell them to deny or repress that desire. It is never a problem to want to be satisfied. The problem is being satisfied too easily. We believe that everyone who longs for satisfaction should no longer seek it from money or power or lust, but should come glut their soul-hunger on the grace of God. We will bend all our effort, by the Holy Spirit, to persuade people
• that they can be happier in giving than receiving (Acts 20:35);
• that they should count everything as loss for the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus their Lord (Phil 3:8);
• that the aim of all of Jesus' commandments is that their joy be full (John 15:11);
• that if they delight themselves in the Lord he will give them the desire of their heart (Psalm 37:4);
• that there is great gain in godliness with contentment (1 Timothy 6:6);
• and that the joy of the Lord is their strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

We will not try to motivate anyone with appeals to mere duty. We will tell them that in God’s presence is full and lasting joy (Psalm 16:11) and our only duty is to come to him, seeking this pleasure.

So why do we do all this? Because God is worth it. Because God is our all-surpassing joy. Because God alone can satisfy. And because we were created for this purpose God has given us, serving him and living for him better than anything else we could be doing with this week of our lives. Let that joy carry you today: through your work, through your interactions, for your frustrations, through your weariness, and through every moment of today's mission. Your joy is in Christ alone. Today you living out your joy.

:: Belize Readings, Tues: Mission – living acts of worship ::

Read Exodus 20:1-6; Amos 5:11-15, 21-23; Matthew 25:31-46

One of the most significant changes that you made in the lives of his followers is the kind of sacrifice in the kind of worship, that we give him. In the Old Testament for example, one of the most common forms of worship was a sacrifice of animals or grain as a “pleasing aroma”; an offering to God. But in Romans 12:1 Paul writes about a new kind of sacrifice that Jesus wants from us; a new form of worship: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” No longer is our sacrifice a dead animal; instead it's our very lives, living out the purpose for which he made us, which is to glorify him.

Interestingly though, this is not really just a New Testament concept. In fact, the first two commandments we find in Exodus 20 are really asking God’s people for the same thing. In our remembering the goodness of God, and in not worshipping things other than God, God is asking for our very lives to be dedicated to him in worship and service. In light of these commands in Exodus 20 and Romans 12, then, there are a few verses in the Old Testament book of Amos that are very striking and should raise questions for us.

In Amos 5:21-23, God rebukes his people, telling them just the opposite of everything we read so far. He does not want their offering; he does not want their worship. Why would God do this? Why has God rejected the sacrifice of his people? The answer is found just a few verses earlier starting in Amos 5:11. While God's people may be singing to him, they're neglecting the oppressed. While they may be offering up sacrifices to them, they're not serving and loving their neighbors. In fact, in the previous chapter, God calls his people “cows of Bashan,” which were animals known for their beauty, but also for their fatness and laziness. Essentially what God is saying in these verses, is “I have blessed you in order that you will bless the nations, and care for the poor and oppressed, and you're not carrying out your spiritual act of worship. So your songs are empty to me, and your offerings are meaningless.” These are strong words from the Lord of the universe, but in them. He teaches us a little bit about true worship.

In the words of the book of James, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” This is religion; this is service; this is worship. It seems throughout the Bible, that there is an inseparable link between pure worship and ministry to the poor. Jesus himself make the most clear in Matthew 25. The reward given that this judgment isn't based on the fact that the sheep went to church, or that they tithed, or even that they sang songs of worship. The reward given is because they served “the least of these”; those who couldn't serve themselves.

The truth today is that if your saved, it's going to make a difference in your life. This week, your meetings some practical, physical needs of those who can't provide for themselves. Your loving “the least of these.” And some of them may already know Christ; some of them might never be saved. But maybe on some level, that's not the issue. Maybe the issue is that you’re loving them, because you are saved. And while our deepest hope is that the work we do this week will have a great impact for the kingdom of God, there's also a great rest in hope in knowing that as you give of yourself, you are serving. You’re meeting practical, physical, as well as spiritual needs. You’re loving others as God first loved us. You're sacrificing. And in doing so, you're living out the Bible's description of pure worship.

:: Belize Team Daily Readings, Mon: Mission – our participation in God’s purpose ::

Read Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8

As you think that yesterday's reading, hopefully you are struck by the all-encompassing purpose of God: the redemption of his people. Since we are the church, and the church is the body of Christ; the people of God, and the all-encompassing purpose of God, must be the all-encompassing purpose of the church. We are God's royal priesthood; we are the hands that God has chosen to carry out his mission on earth. The mission of the church, as given in the Great Commission, is to make and train disciples; to carry the message of God to the peoples of the earth. This is commonly known in the Christian world as evangelism. The following is from Mark Driscoll (Mars Hill Church; Seattle, WA):

Evangelism is the speaking and showing of the transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ to people who do not yet know Him. Evangelism is the natural overflow of a life lived in joy as a worshiper of God. Sadly, evangelism is often portrayed as something that Christians must do as a duty, rather than something that they get to do as a delight.

Personally, I see evangelism as a wonderful opportunity to give the gift of God to people. I spent the first nineteen years of my life not knowing Jesus. I can count on one hand the number of times I remember anyone ever seeking to explain the person and work of Jesus to me. Ever since God saved me in college, I remain continually astounded by the love, grace, mercy, forgiveness,
and new life that has been extended to me through Jesus. I shudder to think at the devastation sin would have caused in my life had it not been for Jesus both forgiving my sin and keeping me from much more sin…

As Christians, our love for Jesus and people should cause us to delight in speaking and showing the transforming power of Jesus’ grace at every opportunity… Regarding evangelism, it is Jesus Himself who set an example for us as The Evangelist. In Luke 19:10, Jesus explained His earthly mission in evangelistic terms saying, “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” In calling His first disciples, “He said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men!’” (Matt 4:19). Among His final words after the resurrection and just prior to His heavenly ascension, we read [the Great Commission] in Matthew 28:18–20… Therefore, as we “go” to work, school, the grocery store, and elsewhere, we are to assume that Jesus is always with us, preparing people to hear the gospel because His work of evangelism has not ceased, but has
expanded to include us…

Practically, this means that by understanding that God is already at work on the elect, we are able up to do evangelism with the greatest amount of freedom and joy. We can share the gospel of Jesus in full confidence that God will use it to save some people because they are elect. On the other hand, if some people should not respond to the gospel in faith, we should not take that personally but rather pray that God would open their blind eyes to see His love and also humbly
trust God’s will and timing in all things.

In addition to the great promise that Jesus is the one who does the work and evangelism, there is also great comfort in knowing that there's no one right way to share God's message. Often the most effective way of sharing the truth of Christ is simply by sharing what he has done in your life. We want to use the rest of the time in today's reading to give you a chance to reflect on your own story, in hopes that God might give you the opportunity to share that story with someone you encounter this week. There is no story that's better than any other; it's not about having the biggest life change; it's simply your story of how God has brought you from sin and death into the beloved family of God. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you write, and don't try to be fancy; in fact, try to avoid big “Christian-y” words! This is just your honest story of what God has done your life.

:: Belize Team Daily Readings, Sun: Mission – God’s eternal purpose for mankind ::

Read Gen 1:1-2:3; Gen 3:1-24; Exo 19:3-6

Since the beginning of history (and even before), God has had one, unified, overriding purpose for all he does: to glorify himself. This is only right; after all, God is the single most worthy, glorious, “worship-able” Being who has ever existed. So God’s creation of all things (including humans) was to glorify himself, in creating a universe, world, and humanity that would worship, serve, and glorify him. God is glorified in his creation and kingdom when his creation and his people reflect his beauty, worth, and radiance to the world; God is glorified when his creation and his people submit themselves to his rightful rule, in all aspects of their lives. This is the image and likeness of God we’re created to be. So in creation, God was essentially building a kingdom – an unimaginable, incomprehensible, all-encompassing kingdom of stars and galaxies, animals and vegetation, mountains and oceans, angels and humans. And over this vast kingdom, God rightly established himself as King of kings and Lord of all (Gen 1:1-2:3).

This is God’s creation; this is God’s kingdom. But this is also the beginning of God’s mission. Even in these beginning scenes of God’s kingdom, creation’s ability to reflect God was contaminated; God’s rightful reign was violated. In Genesis 3, Satan ushers into the world a counterfeit reality; a false “counter-kingdom.” And in these first acts of sin, God’s kingdom becomes distorted. For the first time, there is hostility between earth and man; there is pain and death; there is shame and lying; there is separation between God and man; man is sent out from God’s perfect habitat (Gen 3:1-24). BUT… from the center of this dark, bleak scene, God’s heart shines bright. At this tragic moment, for the first time, his mission is seen in fullness: in the first sin of mankind; in the great rift of creation, God begins to rescue his people, and restore them to himself, and establish his eternal reign.

This mission started small. God clothed Adam and Eve as he sent them from the garden – he covered their shame with the skins of a slaughtered animal (Gen 3:21; does that sound like foreshadowing at all?!). If that action wasn’t clear enough, God even told Eve of his eternal plan for salvation and the fulfillment of his mission: in the middle of pronouncing the serpent’s punishment, God told it, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise [crush] your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (3:15). From that moment, mission is seen as the eternal mission of God. He saved and protected Cain (Gen 4); he rescued Noah and his family (Gen 5-10); he stopped humankind from glorifying ourselves (Gen 11). And in Genesis 12, a heathen idol-worshipper is redeemed by God, given the name Abraham, and becomes the father of a great nation of God’s chosen people. The rest of Genesis unfolds as God blesses and increases the number of his people; his growing kingdom.

But God’s mission didn’t stop with Israel. Indeed, as early as Exodus 19, God reveals his eternal mission beyond those who were already his own. In fact, those who were already God’s people were chosen by God, to carry out his mission to other peoples and nations! Israel was unique among the nations, but was “holy” – they were a people set apart for God’s purposes. And what were God’s purposes? To be a blessing and to be ministers to others! To redeem people; to reconcile creation; to restore the rightful reign of God as King! Isaiah 11 echoes this call on Israel, as does Psalm 67. But just as God’s mission didn’t see fulfillment or completion with Israel, neither was it finished in the Old Testament. Jesus ushered in its full reality, and then gave to his followers – the Church – the responsibility and honor of participating in his mission.

First Peter 2:9-10 says it like this: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” That’s what this week is. It’s not just about doing a few nice things for people; it’s not just a one-week event that you get to “do,” then return to “real life.” You are on mission! You are participating in something bigger, grander, more glorious, and more purposeful than any of us can imagine. You’re participating in God’s purpose for you, and in God’s purpose for mankind. You’re glorifying him by putting aside yourself and living for him; you’re worshipping with your life; you’re participating in the restoration, redemption, and reconciliation of God’s creation and people. You’re doing your part in God’s eternal purpose. You’re living for God’s glory and mission.

:: Changing the world ::

Whether you agree 100% with the theology of this movement or not, you can't deny the hope that faith, truth, and mission will live up to this high ranking - #3 of 10 Ideas Changing The World Right Now. Pretty cool, & worthy of our prayers, methinks...

:: Prayers... ::

Thanks to those of you who are checking for updates on my recovery. But tonight, please pray for the family and church of Fred Winters, an Illinois pastor who was shot and killed in the pulpit of his church this morning. No one has a ton of details, but CNN story here; Justin Taylor's details here.

:: Recovery reflections ::

With my arm mummified since Saturday, "sootchered up" since Wednesday, and healing well, here are a few things I've learned, observed, or been asked. I'm currently pretty bored and immobile and taking time to type isn't an issue, so thought I'd go ahead and write some out.

• It's amazing how much I take that second arm for granted. Seriously, it takes 5 freaking minutes to pull up my pants; I can't bathe my "good arm" b/c it doesn't bend correctly; I can't hold papers with one hand while I sign with the other; and it just takes longer to do even the littlest thing. But thank God I'm right-handed and broke the left!
• Time flies when you're having fun. Or when you're hyped up on drugs and sleep all day long.
• We have a great network of friends and family who care about us, and that means the world to us - we're humbled and honored, and it truly lifts our spirits. Thank you.
• It's amazing how much post-surgery sleep covers pain. But it's even more amazing how all that pain explodes the second you wake up, especially at 4am and the nurse needs your "vitals" and you have no idea where you are when she wakes you up; only that the light is blinding, and you've got cords hanging off you every direction, and your arm feels like it was stabbed cuz it was.
• I knew my anesthesiologist. Or at least I told him that several times after he drugged me on my way into surgery.
• Before surgery, I packed and planned to read 3 books, listen to some sermons/lectures, and write a few articles, talks, etc, and watch a couple movies. Since surgery, I have slept. Period.
• Being back in Weatherford, where I grew up, has made me realize how much I've lost touch w/ good friends from growing up (but The Pizza Place and Golden Moon still have dang good pizza and Chinese, respectively).
• People like making jokes with the word "screw" in them: 3rd place, Matt Hudson: "sounds like you're getting screwed"; runner-up, Tina Howard: "once you feel better, we'll have you over for screwdrivers"; winner, her husband: Todd called Tuesday night and said he'd been thinking of jokes for me: "you're kinda screwy; you're one screwed up kid; screw you; quit screwing around," and a few more before he said, "ok, that's all I got for now; I'll let you know if there are others. Bye."
  
• Anesthesia apparently gives me hiccups. Violent ones that don't go away with the usual tricks. And wouldn't you know it, the jerking of my body does wonders on an already painful wrist.
  
• Apparently on morphine, you can be fully conscious and do various things, and then have no recollection that you did these things. Like eat dinner or watch LOST... I think I'd heard this, but didn't realize the extent. And it gives you freaky weird dreams, which would be less funny to describe here than they actually were. Suffice to say, the beach is nice this time of the year.

That's all that comes to mind, at least for the moment. For those who have asked, no, I did not write those "Lent" blogs while I was in post-accident/pre-surgery. I wrote them the previous Friday and set them to post on the following consecutive days. After a few days, I'm planning on posting on Italy (oh yeah, that was supposed to be the big thing in our lives tight now!) as well as give my take on The Shack, which Jess and I read on the plane since we were both sick of hearing reviews but hadn't read the book itself.

OK, here's today's fo' real update: all in all, I'm doing ok - better and more coherent than expected actually. My wife is wonderful, comforting, strong, and makes me laugh which makes things better; my parents have bent over backwards to accommodate and host me while I recover (my mom even wanted to update folks yesterday and wrote her 1st-ever blog!). My pain isn't nearly as bad as the 1st night, an I'm not taking as many pain-killers as I'm allowed to be (sorry, the extras are already promised to the highest bidder... kidding).

Finally, many already know, but I will NOT be going to Belize b/c of the screws in my arm, the open wounds, + the quality of water or some lame excuse like that(!) - but it will still be a great trip; my presence/lack thereof won't change that! And as of now, I'll be at TCBC on Sunday, to wrap up our college series, 70 SECONDS. To close on a personal note, it's been weird to write about myself so much, especially about something so insignificant in the grand scheme of things. But again, we've been astounded at the interest and care you've shown - as we said yesterday, we're humbled and honored, and deeply thankful to God for you. Thank you; we'll see you soon!

:: Surgery details... ::

Hi all! This is Ben's mom, Becky... Ben is "under the influence," is dozing on and off, and can only use one hand, therefore, I was elected to do this!!

Ben's surgery actually did not take place until 3:15 pm yesterday at Weatherford Regional, as the surgeon did a hip replacement in the a.m. (it was not exactly scheduled and pushed all the other surgeries back). Jess and I were with a very hungry Ben doing what he likes least - having idle time! The actual procedure took 1-1/2 hours, and the bones all went back in place with a screw, just as the surgeon (Dr. Greg Schwartz) hoped. (Yes, there have been more than a few "screwy" jokes!). Following, we had a very loopy Ben to deal with in a LOT of pain (PTL for Morphine)!!!! He had to spend the night in the hospital so he could receive antibiotics, anticoagulants, and of course, pain meds.

He remembers very little about the pre and post-op events, but he did talk a lot. He was more concerned about several nurses' conditions than his own, at times asking them if they were in pain! He kept apologizing for being "trouble." He was moved to a room right at dinner time and surprisingly ate a complete (actually good) tray of food - he is still talking about the chocolate pie! Then, still being hungry, he ate a local W'ford favorite, R&K, hamburger with fries.

Ben awoke with a throbbing arm several times between each dose of pain medicine and between "vital sign check-up's" from the intrusive nurses doing their jobs very well. So, actually, not much sleep occurred in room 231 last night. This morning, his doctor came in and told him that he could go home, providing the pain was controlled. So, he is hanging out at our house (closer to the hospital and Jess has to work a couple over-nights to make up for this week's "un-schedule") - we are calling this the "Connelly Retreat Center", so there is a purpose and it is not like he is "hanging out with his mommy and daddy!"

We are grateful that this is his left arm and really, as soon as the pain is lessened, he will be able to "function" rather well. BUT, we are also grateful for the accident taking place in front of the Police Dept. building! The policeman covering this took two minutes (literally, in writing) to get to the scene following the call! Finally, we are all amazed, thankful, and humbled that over 200 folks have viewed this blog in the last 2 days. It means the world to Ben, Jess, and our family. More tomorrow, including a couple funny moments. 'Til then, thanks again, and God bless.

:: Recovery update, 3.03 ::

Just a couple quick "heads-up's": my surgery was moved earlier tomorrow (9am), and in case you couldn't tell from the pics yesterday, the car is officially totaled. Surprise, right?!

Jess and I will try to update over the next few days, surgery and beyond. Thanks for the continued thoughts and prayers, and get up to date here, then here. Thanks again; we appreciate you.

:: Lent & Giving Things Up, 4 ::

[The finale of a 4 posts on Lent & giving things up - Part 1 (intro) here; Part 2 (what is Lent?) here; and yesterday we tackled WRONG reasons to give stuff up, here - I'd love to know thoughts, feedback, etc. Thanks!]

So what is the right reason to give up something for Lent? In a simple answer, when we give up (completely or partially) food, beverage, or something else we use or take part in regularly – or if we add something new (like a daily time of prayer, rising early to journal during the sunrise, etc) – it’s a shock to our system, routine, and our schedule. As with any fast, the purpose is to remove something from our lives, in a private (meaning, “between you and God”) declaration that God satisfies you more than “that thing” does; when you add something “Godward” to your life, it’s saying the same thing: my time, money, effort, etc. is better used pursuing “first the kingdom of God” than whatever else I could be doing (sleeping, watching TV, etc). By giving something up or adding something to your routine for multiple weeks, it also hopefully serves as a constant reminder of God’s sufficiency, and you can use the time, money, effort, etc. formerly devoted to the object you gave up, instead giving that time, money, effort, etc. to God and his purposes.

When we find ourselves moving toward whatever we gave up, we stop and remember that we gave it up, and symbolically, it serves to turn our hearts toward the LORD. For example, if I were to give up my favorite beverage, Diet Cherry Coke, for Lent, then at about 12:30pm on any given day I haven’t had my first DCC, I will begin to get a caffeine headache (because I confess to you an unhealthy reliance on this delicious, Nutri-sweet-filled drink!). And when I get this headache, the point is that instead of quenching it by walking to the fridge, it helps me pause and reflect on the glory of God and his sufficiency and providence (which exponentially surpasses this 12-ounce beverage!), His suffering, death, and amazing work through which He saved me from my own depravity. I pause to give thanks and praise to my LORD, for who He is and for what He has done.

Is there any “set thing” you’re supposed to do in remembrance; to which you’re supposed to give that time, money, effort, etc.? No. A prayer of thanksgiving to Christ, remembering a psalm, singing a praise, turning to Scripture, praying for those around you, giving your Starbucks money to charity or the poor, or simply stopping and looking around you on a beautiful day like today and remembering the immense goodness of God is remembrance enough. Fasting, devotion, your personal walk with God, and thus Lent, is not a legalistic, rules-based practice, so do whatever works for you.

So, to conclude: Do you have to give something up? No. But on the flip side, is there anything inherently wrong with giving something up? No. If God is working in you to give something up, then do so! Add something to your schedule; stop eating all those sweets; whatever it is – go for it! I encourage you to prayerfully consider this, but to do so with discernment and understanding of what you're doing. ONLY give something up if do it for the right reason: as you reflect on His sacrifice by being selfless in one small aspect of your life for these 40 days, allow this symbolic act to drive you to Christ, to increase your holiness, and to push you to pursue His glory not just for Lent, but for the rest of your life.

:: Pics from today, screws on Wednesday ::

An update from my Saturday car accident - details here.

Well, again, thanks a ton for the prayers, thoughts, notes, and calls over the last couple days. Jess and I truly appreciate each of them, and it's been an amazing picture of the body of Christ, surrounding us in love, and lifting our spirits. We are humbled by you, and thank God for you.

Today we headed to see the doctor, and here's the official word on the left wrist: one hairline fracture running up the bone a bit from my wrist, with the possibility of a second shorter one next to it. But the kicker is that about a centimeter of the tip of the "wrist bone" (radial something) broke completely off and rotated a bit, taking some of the surrounding tissue with it. What does that mean? Glad you asked... it means that 1pm Wednesday I'll be having a little surgery to clean it up, replace the bone, and insert a screw to hold it in place. Yuck. But after a quick stay in the hospital that night, should be smooth sailing ahead. Please pray for well-guided hands and no after-effects!!!

BUT, as much as I don't look forward to Wednesday, I'd much rather have a wrist problem than what could have been. We went to see my car today, and in the words of the guy who towed it, it's fried dude." See pics below. And finally, pray for all the paperwork processing. The police report hasn't been turned in yet, and we won't know the auto side of things before my surgery, on the health side of things. But I'm alive and well, which is more than we can say for the Sentra. Thanks again for everything - I'm working to figure out work stuff, and what will and won't be happening w/ TCBCcollege this week. Enjoy the pics... they're a cit chilling to me.

:: Lent & Giving Things Up, 3 ::

(A 4-part blog series on "what is Lent and why do people give things up?" Part 1 [intro] here; part 2 [what is Lent] here. Today we dive into the purposes in giving things up for Lent.)

So what is the purpose in giving things up for Lent? First, let’s agree that there are several wrong reasons to give things up for Lent, among them being...

1. tradition of a family (“my family always has”)
2. empty tradition of a church/organization (rote tradition without knowing the meaning)
3. personal gain (giving up sweets for the purpose of weight loss)
4. pride (giving up things to “prove yourself” more holy, or to display this holiness to others)
   
5. “just to do it” (giving up gum just to give up gum)
6. because you think it will “earn you points” with God (as if you can do ANYTHING worth his love?!)
7. And my personal favorite: Lent is NOT a time to give stuff up "to identify with the suffering of Christ" (as I was taught as a kid – Seriously?! Christ didn't give up chocolate for a month; he freaking DIED FOR US! There's no way Lent could give us even the tiniest taste of suffering!)
   

Not one of these are good reasons to give something up… and I would make the case that some of them might even be bordering on sin: pretending something in the name of God while having another basis for it is a dangerous line to walk!

So what IS a good reason to give things up for Lent? That's the topic of tomorrow's finale - have a great Monday.

:: Car wreck details ::

Some of you have heard, some have not, but since I've gotten several calls/emails from folks today, I thought this might be a good venue to fill folks in on what happened (from an email sent to TCBC leadership this a.m.):

I was headed home at about 4:45pm Saturday, from buying supplies to make Jess' b-day dinner (yup, today's her b-day... I feel bad for her!!! And interesting fact: i debated going one exit west to another grocery to get a few more things, but figured I'd head home first to put cold stuff away. As I crossed I-20 on Winscott, I remember thinking I might regret that. Yup.) As I crossed an intersection, a car suddenly appeared from the right, turning left onto Winscott (= turning directly into the front right corner of my car).

In a split second, I was sent across the (empty) oncoming traffic lanes, and onto the lawn of the municipal bldg. Even with my seatbelt, I was pushed against the middle console, and my torso was leaning into the passenger seat. As I disorienting-ly tried to get my feet back to the brakes, the car came to rest in some bushes. Immediately people were there, pulling me from the car (airbag = smoke = concern of fire). The other driver was ok, and unfortunately no one witnessed it well enough to dispute her claim of a green light. I was ambulanced to Harris downtown, x-rayed, splinted, and cleaned up, and came home last night.

My face is sore from kissing my passenger seat, right hand and head have some tiny cuts, left leg is pretty bruised, and stiff-sore all over, but amazingly, only major-ish injury is fractured left wrist, of which I'll know the extent and necessity of pinning (please no!) on Monday.

In so many of the details, I thank God: the lack of traffic on Winscott during a usually packed day/time, the car going between many poles onto a lawn, the bushes that stopped me from hitting a building as I struggled to get my feet back to the brakes and my wits back, the speed and proficiency of the ambulance and ER staff, and a wonderful wife, family, and friends for love and care. And especially compared to what could have been, the minor level of injury. Praise and thanks to God for mercy and protection.

OK, sorry so long/detailed, but hope that answers questions. THANK YOU for prayers, concern, texts, and for you amazing folks who are making sure all is covered for today. I'm going back to bed, and Vicadin in a God-send. I'll update as I know more, and will try a pic or 2 as well. Thanks again. This took, like, 25 minutes to write... stupid 1-hand hunt/peck. The end.