A Christmas Motif

Please take note of my new Christmas motif designed especially just to make you feel "Christmasy."  Enjoy the look and feel and remember to meditate on the mystery of God "in-fleshing" Himself in the babe in the manger. 

Humanity is freed from the tendency to create expressions of God, (otherwise known as idols) for we now know what God "looks" like in the person of Jesus of Nazareth.  To see the image of God, go to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and read about this Jesus I speak of.  The words of the writers will paint a clear picture of His character and nature for you.  He is "God with us."  He is the exact representation of God and "the Word made flesh."  We need never look any further than Jesus.  MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The Wonderful Gift of God-given Friendships!

My family and I arrived safely in Southern California on Sunday, December 18th to the warmth of the home of Jerry and Cathy McLaughlin and the cold of watching an Anaheim Mighty Ducks live hockey game.  Jerry is my wife's brother and he and Cathy have a beautiful family with 5 children, a big British bulldog named Sergeant and a home full of love.  We are looking forward to spending our first Christmas in 17 years with Peggy's family and hangin' out with some of my family and friends in Southern California.

As I told you in the last post, leaving Mazatlan was bittersweet due to the many friendships we made during our time in paradise.  In the picture collage seen here you can get a little glimpse of many of the precious people that jumped into our hearts and made "Maz" one of the most memorable experiences of my life.

At the center of God's purpose and plan for all of our lives is the idea that we were made to be relational creatures.  Hard-wired into human nature is the need to connect, relate, fellowship and enjoy the company of other human beings.  When God said of Adam that it was "not good for man to dwell alone," He was not just talking about our need for a marriage partner.  We were created for friendship, brotherhood, family and community.  It is a wonderful truth that the community of the twice-born, otherwise known as the church, is called all of these things at one time or another.  We are not a corporation, social or service club, but the "Body of Christ!"

In Mazatlan, a number of the friends we made were not necessarily followers of Christ, but they were all beautiful people made in the image and likeness of God who were meant by their Creator to be redeemed from sin and brought into fellowship with Jesus Christ and His family.  All of these people enriched us and blessed us in a number of ways.  Our family experienced God's love poured through human instruments of His grace.  We deserved none of this, but rather were recipients of people doing what they were created to do, which is love their fellow man. 

To all of you in Mazatlan, I can only say a great big THANK YOU FROM THE RECESSES OF OUR HEARTS!  Similar to the way that the wonderful people of Grace Harvest Church have poured love into my family for years, you too have blessed us.  You have reminded me that in spite of all of the evil and hurtful things that people do to each other everyday on this planet, the gift of friendship flourishes where people will nurture it. 

Rogelio, Marianne, Haley and Mario, thank you for taking us into your lives and sharing your rich deposit of kindness and love.  You gave and gave and gave to us until it was almost embarrassing!  People like you will never truly lack because you have learned that in giving, you receive so much more!  We look forward to maintaining a friendship with you for many years to come.  PS -  Rogelio, kayaking, bon-fire building, Pancho's and basketball were all great fun for me.  Even Sam's Club was cool.  THANKS!

James, Robin and family, thanks for taking time with us and giving so much of yourselves to us.  We felt at ease with you as we partook of the same spirit of friendship which will make you flourish in your outreach to Mazatlan.  Keep doing what you are doing and they will come, grow, and multiply!  Thanksgiving, El Quelite, Para-sailing and El Olivo's was great because you took the time to invest into our lives.

Javier, thanks for running the best Internet Cafe in town and for your warmth, professionalism, servant's heart and spiritual hunger.  Our discussion on the last day was excellent as you shared your journey and I shared mine.  Keep seeking and remember Jesus' words, "I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father except through me."  Jesus Christ is the "Light of the world" and my prayer is that He would Illuminate a way for you to see.

Mary, keep making the best burgers and sandwiches in Mazatlan and keep up your spiritual quest.  You have a great heart that God wants to fill with His love and healing.  Peggy and I enjoyed getting to know you.  We will miss you much!

Carlos and Raul, thank you for blessing our family as we para-sailed, boogie-boarded and enjoyed great fellowship and the testimonies of God's amazing grace.  Though our time with you was short, it was impacting to me as I was reminded of the creativity of God as He pursues us and wears us down with His love.

Lorena and Caesar, thanks for the great dinner on our last night.  Your kindness was refreshing to us and we really enjoyed getting to know you a little bit.  May God bless your lives and lead you into His Everlasting Arms.  Stanley, thanks for the use of the phone, Internet and all of the great tips that helped us to survive.

Pastor Fred and Debbie, we absolutely loved attending La Vina, going on a tour to "The other side of Mazatlan", dinner discussions over "kingdom matters" and the pleasure of hanging out with some "MOVERS AND SHAKERS" like yourselves.  Your enthusiasm to touch people with the tangible, practical love of Jesus is an inspiration to our family.  Thank you for letting us use the car and get around Mazatlan a little.  We look forward to possibly seeing you up our way in "06", God willing.

To all of the Rico's staff I say thanks for making our time fun!  All of you are getting practice in doing what it takes to go far in life.  Thanks you for the laughs, great coffee, pictures, hand-shakes, goofing off and Spanish language help.  Our family will miss you all very much.  We hope to return in the future and see some of you still at Rico's.  I know many of you are going to go on and make great things of your lives. 

Enrique, Jenny and family, thanks for your open-hearted friendship and passion for God and righteousness.  Enrique, though we did not talk much, when we did I thoroughly enjoyed your sense of conviction and persuasiveness.  Jenny, my wife really appreciated your kindness to her and the way you made her feel welcome in your home.  God bless both of you.

To Oly, Marge, Ellen, Randy, Juan, Bruce and Anne-Marie, Frankie and all of the other people who made this trip so memorable I express my heart-felt thanks to My Father in heaven on your behalf.  Mazatlan is a beautiful place, but the people mentioned above are what made this time one of the most memorable of my life.  Thank you!

Lastly, I would like to say thanks to Larry and Shirley, Dave and Ginger, Keith and Donna and the congregation at GRACE HARVEST CHURCH.  You all made this time possible as you released my family and I to go and rest awhile.  You have been our family these last 17 years and have been an amazing instrument of God's love and grace to all of the Sherman family.  Without you none of this would have been possible!  THANK YOU! 

"PARTING IS SUCH SWEET SORROW!"

I have always hated goodbyes!  You see, I went to four different high-schools in three different States, left all of my family to move to Washington State and have made friends all over the world.  The good side of this is simply the fact that I am very rich in relationships.  The bad side is that I am always saying, "See ya later."  We are down to our last two days in Mexico and I am dealing with the dual feelings of being sad to go and excited about seeing family and friends in California and then back home in Washington State.  "Parting is such sweet sorrow!"

Our family has made some new friends that I hope we will be able to keep for life.  We have come to love the City of Mazatlan and hope to return in two years for our 20th Anniversary.  We now have some wonderful people we can "hang with" which will make the adventure so much the better.  In the days ahead, I will take some time to introduce you to some of the people and places we have loved in Mazatlan and hopefully not bore you to death.

I remember Rick Warren, the author of "THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE" telling a story from his own life of his father´s long goodbye in death and the passion he graduated to heaven with.  Rick shared how his father´s consuming goal in life was always to, "Take just one more person to heaven with him."  I hope the love of God and the Good News of Jesus has shown forth from our lives in such a way while here in Mexico as to help to populate heaven.  I hope one day I will be able to look back on our time in Mazatlan and see that it wasn't´t just about R&R and ministry goal setting, but that Jesus touched some lives through the family that stayed at Residential Burgos in Casa #3.

I am also looking forward to the day when I will never have to say goodbye again in The New Heavens and The New Earth.  There, I will join with my eternal family in the longest party ever in Jesus´house.  I long for my Master´s appearing and the completion of this part of  "The Mystery of the Ages," when faith will become sight and spirit and matter will be one and the same.  I can imagine abolishing goodbyes and never having to attend another funeral.  Until then, I will continue to look for "A city whose builder and maker is God" and try to accept the idea that goodbyes create longing and are temporary.  Truly, "Parting is such sweet sorrow."

Lucy and The Lion!

We found a theater in Mazatlan that had "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" in English and went together as a family on opening night to see this classic tale.  All of us in the Sherman family really enjoyed the picture and felt that the director did about as good a job as could have been done by a Hollywood film studio.

Lucy stole the show!  All of the other characters were well casted, but Georgie Henley, the 10 year old girl who plays Lucy, was an absolute feast to the senses with her wide-eyed sense of wonder, innocence and child-like faith.  Peter, Susan, Edmund, Mr. Tumnus, the White Witch and Aslan were all a hit, but Lucy was the show-stopper.

The White Witch played by Tilda Swinton had "ice in her veins" and was the embodiment of seductive cruelty.  She, like many other tyrants throughout history, sees people, creatures and the environment as all existing as a means to an end.  Aslan's world is utilitarian to her as she consumes everyone and everything around her to strengthen her hold on power.

Aslan's voice is done by Liam Neeson and provides an excellent combination of gentleness, wisdom and power.  The one criticism of Aslan that I have is that we don't see or hear enough from Him.  There is some very important dialogue cut out of the picture which diminishes Aslan's presence as the awe-inspiring character He is in the books.  The director comes close, but falls a little short on this account.

The special effects are great and do a good job of making the creatures of myth and magic come to life in a believable way.  However, with all of the advancements in CGI which currently exist, it is almost impossible to create a CGI character that is flawless.  Aslan for instance is close, but I still had the feeling that He was digital lion. 

The one missing element that may be impossible to remedy in any future Narnia films is the wonderful witty narration of Lewis himself.  Throughout the books he inserts little quips and quotes that are key to making the Narnia series what it is.  Without a narrator reading directly from the books, I'm not even sure it would be possible to capture this effect.  Of course doing this would probably slow the story down a bit and quite possibly lose some of the younger viewing audience.

The positive element in all of this is the simple joy of being able to go back and read the books and know that there will always be certain little treasures hidden within the pages of these classic stories.  The film adaptation is very good and well worth seeing in the theater, but the books will always be just a little better.  Even so, "Aslan is on the move!"

The Kingdom of Narnia is at hand!

Yes, it is our intention to go and see "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" while down here in Mexico.  We are hoping to find a theater that will air it in English as most children's movies are dubbed in Spanish here in Mazatlan.  I have read a number of reviews and find that they are all across the spectrum when it comes to being favorable or not. 

One of the greatest dangers in this time of computer generated graphics is to cut out dialogue and replace it with "action" in order to make the picture more exciting to younger audiences.  A Christianity Today critique I read said this very thing.  If you are a C.S. Lewis fan as I am, you know how tragic that would be.  The witty dialogue of the beasts, children and Aslan is one of the greatest aspects of the entire Narnia series as the life of the Kingdom of God is foreshadowed simply and profoundly.  I am trying to not set my expectations so high as to make them unattainable. 

Nevertheless, I am encouraged that one of the most influential thinkers of the 20Th Century is going to have his post-mortem shot at impacting an entirely new generation with the beauty, wonder, power and grace of Aslan and Narnia.  Repent!  The Kingdom of Narnia is at hand!

Christianity Today Review of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.

World Magazine Review of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.

It´s almost NARNIA time!

Is the time finally at hand when Christian thought and worldview are starting to get a greater hearing within American culture?  For all of the things which we could lament surrounding us in pop culture, I am starting to notice a trend toward movies with a Christian world and life-view on the increase.  The first installment of the C.S. Lewis series, "The Chronicles of Narnia" will be hitting theaters on December the 9th and they promise to be true to the books and values of Lewis and his family.  God´s voice is getting a hearing in spite of the fact that others are trying so hard to squeeze Him out, or at least marginalize His people.  Let us as the redeemed community be as loud to applaud Disney for making this movie as we have been to yell when they blow it!  Go see "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" and travel to the wonderful land where Aslan rules!

CLICK ON TO THE WORDS, "CHRONICLES OF NARNIA" TO LINK TO THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE!

Some Good News and Some Bad News!

I have lived in the State Of Washington for 17 years now, and it has taken most of that time to become a genuine Seahawks fan.  You see, during high school  I lived in the San Francisco area for a number of years and got to witness the 49ers as they developed an awesome dynasty.  Joe Montana, Dwight Clark, Ronnie Lott, Jerry Rice, Keena Turner etc...!  I got very spoiled to say the least.

Since I moved to Washington, I have had to endure watching Seattle sports teams break their fan´s hearts over and over again. Somehow I determined ´twas better to flirt than make any commitment.  To love is to hurt.  To commit myself to the Seahawks was to prepare for the "Dear John letter" to come.

After all, I watched the Sonics win 64 games in 1996 only to be beaten by the Jordan-led Bulls in the finals.  Wouldn't you know the Sonics would have to face the greatest team in NBA history the year the Bulls would set a new record for the most wins in a season!  Soon after, the Mariners equaled the greatest regular season in MLB history by winning 116 games and then promptly losing to the hated Yankees in the playoffs.  Last year, I remember watching the Seahawks melt down against the Rams in  the fourth quarter of a regular season game and then go on to complete that process in the playoffs.  Could this year be any different?  Well, I think I am finally "getting serious" because I am actually starting to imagine the Hawks in the Superbowl this year.

I have been following these Alexander-led Hawks while down here in Mexico and I can say I think we have some good news and some bad news for fans everywhere.  First the good news.  The Hawks are winning games they had the amazing ability to lose last year.  They held on against the 49ers, and then won a squeaker against a Giants team intent on losing.  The New York fans now know what it feels like to be a Seahawks fan for a change! 

The bad news must come though, so here it is.  There is nobody right now that can or will stop the Indianapolis Colts as they march undefeated to the Superbowl and establish themselves as the greatest individual season team in history.  I have watched them play several times now, and I can honestly say that they are the best team I have seen since my Joe Montana Niner days.  Peyton Manning is far and away the best quarterback in football and on his way to becoming one of the greatest ever.  So, we have the privilege of watching our Seahawks peak right when Indianapolis is going to make history. 

A couple weeks from now, these two teams will meet on the field, and after the Hawks have been humbled as everybody else has, we will be content to sit back and play for second best.  I know, I must be getting old, for cynicism has taken hold where fan-faith used to dwell.  I can see the "Dear John letter" now.

Blowing Away Stereotypes!

Dear friends and readers of IllumiNations!,Today, I have a very special treat to share with you all!  The most beautiful, wise, creative and intelligent woman in the world is going to share her profound insights with all of us mere mortals!  Peggy Sherman the virtuous, has some thoughts about Mazatlan and the Mexican people that have been burning in her heart.  Please enjoy, as I sure do! ;)

"I will praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works and that my soul knows very well." Ps.139:14

Ever since we arrived in Mexico a little more than a month ago, I have been continually fascinated by the beauty and the diversity of the Mexican people.  I confess that my image of the average Mexican was someone with beautiful dark skin, shiny black hair, and brown eyes.  Growing up in Southern California, these were the majority I had been exposed to.  Granted, coming from a family of eleven children we didn't get out much.  Going on a trip to Aunt Mary and Uncle George's house 40 miles away was major for us!  So my exposure was limited to approximately a 40 mile radius from our home, which I thought was rather ethnically diverse!  Upon moving to Eastern Washington 17 years ago, it was much the same within our largely agricultural community. 

Doug, our son Stephen, and I recently went on a tour of the ministries that the local Vineyard church is involved in here in Mazatlan.  We had some extremely cute little kids following us around at one point during the day.  Among them were two adorable kids with red hair and freckles! (You can catch a glimpse of these little Mexican leprechauns if you go to the pictures labeled Mazatlan dump. They are the boy and girl directly to my left.)  While eating at Cafe Pacifico for our daughter Sarah's birthday, there were two couples who looked as American as apple pie.  Tall, with blond hair and blue eyes and they were talking, laughing, and having a great time all in Spanish!  Now, I understand that being in a tourist town such as Mazatlan you're going to have visitors from all across the globe.  But the majority are from the US, Canada, and other parts of Mexico.  One more example.  Earlier this week, Doug and I were eating at McDonald's (Yes, they have Mickey D's here too!  Two of them in fact!)  In a booth nearby sat three young people.  I glanced over at them and thought, " Oh, some typical American teenagers."  One young man had red hair, blue eyes, and pale skin with freckles.  He was wearing baggy Dickies pants, and the others were dressed in equally trendy clothing.  Lo and behold, they were "habla en Espanol-ing"!  My curiosity almost got the best of me and I was going to ask them in my limited, halting Spanish where they were from.  But they seemed to be in a hurry so my curiosity was left unsatisfied. 

My kids say that I'm just being nosey and that I shouldn't be so concerned about other people.  But at the risk of sounding defensive or as if I'm trying to justify my behavior, I must disagree with them.  I have always been fascinated with the diversity of humanity.  I experienced it while having Korean students with us this past summer.  I've also been grieved at the tragic history of nations being conquered.  And yet how God in His masterful way can, in spite of evil, create beautiful people of various skin tones, hair textures, eyes colors, facial features, etc.

My grandmother Katherine McLaughlin, while in her 80's, did an indepth study of the human cell just for the sheer pleasure of it.  I'm sure she explored genetics and how DNA and RNA, peptides and nucleides and all those other "ides"  work together to bring forth a unique masterpiece.  These all created in the image and likeness of the Master Himself.  Maybe that's where I get this tendency.  That's it!  I am cursed with  the predisposition towards "nosey-ness"!  As Reptevia said in "The Fiddler on the Roof" when he was told that money was the world's curse, "Then may the Lord smite me with such a curse, and may I never recover!" 

Yes, Mazatlan is just one very small example of the diversity and beauty that has been woven throughout all of human history.  May God forever receive the glory for it all!

"Live. And live well...!"

Last week, after my kayaking trip, my friend and brother in Christ, Jim Paul left a comment on my blog about the tragic death of pastor Kyle Lake of University Baptist Church in Waco, Texas.  According to Jim's account, pastor Kyle was killed when his wireless microphone shorted out while performing baptisms!  He died of electrocution while performing a holy rite for God.  I can only imagine the loss and confusion his family and congregation must be experiencing right now.  If you believe in God and the power of prayer, please pray for this grieving family and church. 

Jim passed on a quote from pastor Kyle's last sermon that was profound to say the least.  Please read it, ponder it and then act upon it.  None of us knows how long we have been given, so let's really "Live and live well!"

"Live. And live well. BREATHE. Breathe in and breathe deeply. Be PRESENT. Do not be past. Do not be future. Be now. On a crystal clear, breezy 70 degree day, roll down the windows and FEEL the wind against your skin. Feel the warmth of the sun.If you run, then allow those first few breaths on a cool Autumn day to FREEZE your lungs and do not just be alarmed, be ALIVE. Get knee-deep in a novel and LOSE track of time.If you bike, pedal HARD… and if you crash then crash well.Feel the SATISFACTION of a job well done—a paper well-written, a project thoroughly completed, a play well-performed. If you must wipe the snot from your 3-year old’s nose, don’t be disgusted if the Kleenex didn’t catch it all… because soon he’ll be wiping his own.If you’ve recently experienced loss, then GRIEVE. And Grieve well. At the table with friends and family, LAUGH. If you’re eating and laughing at the same time, then might as well laugh until you puke. And if you eat, then SMELL. The aromas are not impediments to your day. Steak on the grill, coffee beans freshly ground, cookies in the oven. And TASTE. Taste every ounce of flavor. Taste every ounce of friendship. Taste every ounce of Life. Because-it-is-most-definitely-a-Gift."

Hearing, Speaking, Reading and Writing!

Hearing, speaking, reading and writing are amazing God-given gifts with which we express what we call language.  Through language, we can travel to the past present or future and even go to lands that only exist within the author´s mind. 

In the past month I have met Zeus, Psyche, Hades, Cupid, Artemis, Athena, Poseidon and many others and I have spent some time in a couple of ancient civilizations!  I have experienced the grandeur of Atlantis and seen its fiery destruction as the earth rose in travail and devoured that ancient land of myth and fantasy for its exceeding wickedness!  I have watched Atlantis be reborn in the modern world in a work of fiction I read called, "World Without End!"  I have also traveled into the hearts and minds of other authors as they have told the non-fiction accounts of their own grappling with God, life, faith, disappointment and truth. 

As I have read and pondered, many things have passed through my mind that I could write about.  Today, I want to talk about the power of language and the blessing of being able to express thoughts, emotion, passion, wisdom, knowledge and creativity. 

"In the beginning was the Word...", is how the Gospel according to John opens.  In these few profound words, John shows us that everything begins with a thought spoken out into the void.  The ancient Greeks believed that this "Word" or "Logos" was the origination and genesis of all seen things.  Plato believed that the Logos was the original thought or explanation behind the scenes bringing the visible things into existence.  The great saint John goes on to tell a primarily Greek speaking audience that, "...The Word was with God, and the Word was God."  John gives personality, reason, intelligence and many other attributes to this creative concept known to the Greeks merely as the "Logos."

Inspired by the Holy Spirit of God, John further tells us that, "The Word became flesh(human) and lived among us!"  This Word was and is Jesus Christ, the thought and explanation of God to mankind!  Jesus is the Creator, genesis and original thought of God through whom all things seen and unseen came to be! 

When God wanted to disclose Himself to us in a tangible way and let us read, hear, speak, understand and act upon what He wanted to say, He spoke Jesus into the womb of the virgin girl Mary.  With that, the greatest story ever told became an infant inside the young woman overcome by the angel Gabriel and the power of the Holy One.  The language of God to humanity is Jesus, the very Word with skin on!

The language of Mexico is Spanish and I don´t speak it.  Mexico is a wonderful place filled with sights, sounds, smells and a language that is mostly foreign to all of us in the Sherman family.  Language is the one thing that seems to keep us on the "outside looking in" as we try to communicate here in the land that Cortes and the Spaniards conquered.  When God confused the languages at the tower of Babel, He truly knew that the best way to keep people from becoming their own gods was to keep them apart with language.  Not that I am not learning some Spanish, for I am learning "poquito!"  What I am saying though, is that I cannot really enjoy the richness of Mexico and its folk history, fiction, myth and uniqueness as I could if I knew Espanol. Even the language itself contains nuances that are interwoven into all of the aforementioned elements that make up what we call a culture.  Language is key. 

I find myself feeling rather infant-like as I go through the process that all of us must go through to learn to live on this planet.  As a little baby, I first learn to listen to words and recognize their meaning.  After listening for some time, I begin to speak as a baby would with all of the inherent wrong pronunciations.  One of the many differences of course is the simple fact that I experience embarrassment and feelings of incompetence.  Next, I make attempts at reading, which is really humorous!  Forget about writing, I know my limitations!

Language is an amazing gift from God for the purpose of expressing ourselves and being almost god-like in the creation of worlds made from words.  However, I long for the day when all is made right and the curse of Babel is removed and we can all speak a common tongue in the kingdom of the Word made flesh!  Until then, I will continue to stumble around Mexico and other places on this wonderful planet making a fool of myself and saying things like "no comprende."

Check Out The Photo Journals of Mazatlan

Hey all you blog readers,

Scroll down the page and check out the Photo Journals I have posted.  There are some really cool pics of our time in Mazatlan.  As we take more pictures we will keep you posted and publish them. 

By the way, Lorraine and any other readers who are wondering who the pretty blond with the baby is in the first photo journal, it is Peggy's sister Jane.  This is her first baby and a miracle baby at that!  All in the family are rejoicing with her and her husband Steve.  I should have put a caption below the picture.

Moses Lake church family,
You are all loved and missed!  Looking forward to seeing you in January.

Doug, Peggy and family

Kayaking, Climbing and Christ!

This past Saturday, my new friend Rogelio took me kayaking in the Pacific Ocean to a couple of islands off the coast of  Mazatlan.  After we reached Goat and  Deer Islands, we hiked to the top of the highest points on Deer Island and enjoyed the spectacular view and beauty that surrounded us. I saw plant and animal species I had never seen before and enjoyed a peanut brittle type snack that was light and tasty. The thing I enjoyed most of all was the company and conversation of Rogelio. My guide and host went out of his way to make our little expedition a great time while engaging me in dialogue about life, career choices, dreams, God, world religions, family life and Jesus Christ.

The trip itself was a lot of fun as we had to get out to sea through some rather large waves without capsizing and deal with swells and the wake from a fast moving fishing boat. Being in the ocean in nothing but a kayak is a sobering reminder of the power of the great Pacific. To me, this was an adventure, but to Rogelio this was a just another day in life. Rogelio is a tri-athlete! This guy is an amazing athlete who can out-swim, out-run and out-pedal me in his sleep! As I spent time with him, I found myself feeling rather humbled. I guess I'm not the athlete I once was.

After arriving at our destination, Rogelio asked me if I would like to go on a hike up into the rocks. I said yes, though I was a little nervous due to the fact that we were wearing flip flops which are not exactly the best climbing attire available. Well, our little jaunt was quite an adventure, and I can proudly say that I got a number of little cuts and scratches on my legs and feet! Oh, the glory of battle wounds! We reached the top of "Lion King Rock" and spent the next 30-45 minutes enjoying the beauty of the creation which the Scriptures tell us speak of God the great Creator, Architect, Artist, Engineer and Designer of all things seen and unseen.

John 1:1-3 & 14 - In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 He created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn't make. So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father. NLT

Hebrews 1:3 - The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. NIV

I spent several minutes telling Rogelio about my own life and the story of God's loving intervention in this rebel named Doug. As I recounted the amazing grace of Jesus Christ to me, I was once again moved to such gratefulness toward my Father in heaven. I once was blind, lost and dead and now I see, am found and live a new life in Jesus Christ! As we talked, I was reminded that nobody can ever take away from me the power and wonder of my own testimony of God's revelation and saving grace to me. Though all the major world religions have much we can learn and contain truths about God and His nature, only Jesus Christ can deliver a person from sin's power and show us the only pure vision of what God is like. He is the Word made flesh! He is the exact representation of the Divine nature and the explanation of God! He is loving, good, kind, just, gracious and worthy of all our worship and adoration.

Rogelio and I rowed back to the mainland and were on the final stretch as we tried to time things so we could ride the last wave in. The key is to not get cross-ways with the wave, but to stay perpendicular with it. We were only a few feet from shore when I turned us a little too much to the right just as the wave flipped us over and dumped both of us into the water! Rogelio had told me up front we would get wet, but I was starting to think we would pull off this whole expedition with only the splashes we enjoyed while rowing through rough waters. Once again, how you finish is so very important. We finished wet and satisfied with a fun day kayaking, climbing and conversing. Thank you Rogelio and thank you Father God!

An Amazing Inheritance!

Romans 4:13 - It is clear, then, that God's promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was not based on obedience to God's law, but on the new relationship with God that comes by faith. NLT
Are you ready to inherit the earth? Are you ready to be a steward of this creation of God? Are you ready to live now as if everything around you will one day belong to you? Many of the followers of Jesus who have set their future hopes on heaven are going to be surprised to find out that the ultimate purpose of God includes redeeming and restoring this fallen planet for the children of God! The fact is, the way we currently live and work during this vapor of time called “life” will have eternal ramifications for all of us in the world to come.

The “eternal state” of we human creatures is not to be taken up with being chubby babies floating about on clouds playing harps! Neither are we to be phantoms or wisps flitting about in some eternal state of nothingness. We are to be “ourselves”, but more so! We will be eternally strong and youthful in body, but unimaginably wise, creative and intelligent. Our celestial bodies will never get sick, experience weakness or grow weary! We will work in a labor of love, employing our gifts, talents and abilities without toil, sweat or the curse of “burnout!” Work will be play, and play will be work! Nothing will be meaningless or fruitless! We will enjoy the wonders of God’s creation as they were meant to be from the beginning of time. All of the curse of sin, sickness, death, natural disasters, war, famine, corrupt governments, etc…, will be cleansed from creation and we will be put in charge of this new earth to govern in love and justice.

These Biblical truths and more are why it is so important for us to live today as if every word and deed counts for eternity. All of these amazing realities are based upon this new relationship we can have with God through simple faith! We can truly have it all, some now, most later! Now, we are called to enjoy what God gives, while giving much of it away for the purpose of advancing the gospel of the kingdom of God in all the nations of the earth. We are charged to pray for the kingdom to come now and to work toward that end, while understanding that much may not reveal itself till later in the new order to come. We are called to pray, share, serve, love, reach, help, proclaim and give so that others may be benefited and experience the tangible love of Jesus the Christ. We are also called to take care of the creation of God and steward the earth in such a way as to advance humanity and care for the environment and creatures of God. What we do with what we’ve got now, will determine what we receive in the new heaven and the new earth later!

As I have sat on the beach here in Mazatlan and enjoyed the beauty around me, I have been reminded that this current world is only “The Shadowlands” of a lasting reality within the reach of those who have been given the faith to believe. If the “Shadowlands” can be so captivating and glorious, what must the “True Land” of the new heaven and new earth be like? I can only imagine!

Revelation 21:1-5 - Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a beautiful bride prepared for her husband. 3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, the home of God is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will remove all of their sorrows, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. For the old world and its evils are gone forever." 5 And the one sitting on the throne said, "Look, I am making all things new!" And then he said to me, "Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true." NLT

GOOD JAVA AND GOOD PEOPLE!

As many of you who read this know, I love a good cup of coffee.  A number of years ago, before I had caught the vision for specialty coffees, I used to mock the "sophisticated" tastes of my java loving friends.  What can I say, I have now become "one of them" and people mock me regularly as they wonder at the exorbitant prices I pay for a cup of the "drink of the gods!"

As most of you know who read this blog, we are in Mazatlan, Mexico and I am writing you from Rico's Coffee Bar.  The wonderful staff here at Rico's has come to know me by name and "my usual" as I spend hours here 3-4 times a week answering emails and blogging away.  I have come to really enjoy the company I keep at Rico's because these people are very friendly and make a great cup of cafe'.  Rogelio and Marianne are the proprietors of Rico's and some of the warmest people we have yet encountered in Mazatlan.  The staff is very professional and can be counted on for a great big smile anytime of the day.

To top it off, Marianne is a devoted follower of Jesus and a mother of sorts to all of her staff!  I can tell everyone genuinely loves working here and the Spirit of God is very welcome.  As many others have commented over the years, what could be better than a great cup of java and some friends to enjoy it with?  Please, go get a cup of coffee with some family or friends and if you are ever in Mazatlan, by all means, GO TO RICO'S!

P.S. - the Rico's website is not ready yet, but should be by mid December.

HANGIN' WITH JESUS AT THE DUMP!

Psalms 113:7 - and he lifts the poor from the dirt and the needy from the garbage dump. NLT

Luke 6:20-21 - "Blessed are you poor, For yours is the kingdom of God. 21 Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled. NKJV

Thursday stunk! My wife, oldest son and I went with a group of American tourists and part time residents of Mazatlan to the city dump! We went to the “other side of Mazatlan.” Mazatlan is called the “Pearl of the Pacific”, and a beautiful “Pearl” it is. The beaches are wonderful, the weather fantastic, the food excellent, the people warm and friendly, but the garbage stinks!

Why would a bunch of tourists and part time residents go “tour’ the city dump you ask? Well, because Jesus is there with the poorest of Mazatlan handing out water, oranges and sandwiches. I cannot think of anyone I would rather hang out with than Jesus. I saw Him in the eyes of the beautiful children and the men and women who make their living picking through the mountains of stench-filled refuse. One woman we gave a sandwich to looked so incredibly sad and broken, I nearly wept on the spot. Another man spoke almost perfect English and had lived in Fresno, California most of his life. Peggy and I found ourselves perplexed as we speculated on what his story must be and what could have brought him to this low point in life.

On the bus ride back, I turned to a lady sitting next to me and spoke what I have thought so many times before while among the world’s poorest in some of my travels. I said, “Any of us could have been born here in this dump. We had nothing to do with the sovereign choice of God in choosing our parents, our place of birth, or our initial station in life.” We have some power to change our lives once we are of age, but ultimately so many of the things that make us who we are have been chosen by Another.

I don’t understand the “whys” behind all of these statements, but I do know that Jesus wants us to take some cold water, sandwiches and His good news to the poor. He challenges us to never forget that it is His grace which has given us so much to enjoy. He calls us to remember the poor, because we are just like them. A few small changes in our life story, and it would be you or I sifting through the garbage dumps of Manila, Cairo, Bangkok, Lagos, New York or Mazatlan. Never forget, but remember!

Matthew 25:37-40 - 37 "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' 40 And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.' NKJV

GUIDANCE FOR SONS AND DAUGHTERS!

Romans 8:14 - For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. NKJV

One of the greatest things about being a follower of Jesus Christ is the knowledge of His continual guidance. I know I am His son because He leads me in such a way as to let me know it is He who is at the helm of this ship I call “life.”

As my family and I continue to walk through this sabbatical we are engaged in, I have been made aware on a number of occasions that my Father in heaven is arranging divine appointments that evidence His providence and love. I have met several people from Washington State, including a man from Ephrata and another from near Quincy, both close to our city. To the readers out there this might not mean much, but to my family and I, it is quite amazing.

Everywhere we turn, we are meeting fellow believers in Jesus Christ as well. Friday, I found out that the wife of the man who owns and operates Rico’s Coffee shop is an American and a follower of Jesus. (Rico’s is the place I go several times a week to blog and email friends and family.) The pastor of the Vineyard Church we attended has also opened his heart to us and offered to take us to dinner. These and many other people have expressed great warmth and favor toward us while they offer help and friendship to our family. All of these events are a manifestation of the Presence and Voice of God saying, “I love you, I’m in charge of you, I’m leading you and I am arranging things for my purpose and will in your life.”

Skeptics would simply say it is coincidence and explain these events as circumstantial only. Many people would chalk up our “divine appointments” as the power of positive thinking and say they were only the manifestation of our belief in these events. I would listen to these explanations and then quietly smile inside and look up to heaven and wink at my Father. We have a secret, and I know I am a son who is led by One who is lovingly crafting a life story that will glorify Him and make Him more appealing to people everywhere. Go on Creator and Maker, guide me with your eye, for I am your son!

Psalms 32:8 - I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.

CHANGING MY BLOG SERVICE

I am in the process of changing the BLOG SERVICE I am with from BLOGGER, to TYPEPAD. This new site will offer several features BLOGGER does not offer. I will have to pay, but it is minimal for the upgrades offered by TYPEPAD. I have been working on my new site, and will give you a link as soon as it is ready. Currently, it is frustrating the heck out of me! I will still call the site IllumiNations!, and will be able to import all of my archives from this site. Keep your eyes open. For now, I will publish the same posts on both sites. Blessings!

Doug

FRUSTRATED IN MAZATLAN!

Technology is a blessed curse!  This new BLOG SERVICE is driving me crazy!  It won't do what I want it to do!  It is proving once again that I would be terribly inept at ruling the world!  Control is really a human issue that runs right through our grain and permeates every fiber of our being.  I know, for I come from a long and distinguished line of "control freaks!"

I'm sure many reading this will come to their own defense rather quickly and announce with much fervor how free they are from the infection of "control freak- itis!"  I wish I could believe it, but I have found that even the very meek outwardly are actually people with big time control issues.  Come on, admit it.  For instance, how often when you pray (if you pray at all) do you find yourself telling God how He should order "your" world?  If only God would take our counsel and receive our wisdom, He would find things much better in the end. 

As a pastor, I have been learning for many years how ineffective trying to control people's lives can really be.  I don't mean that I have been overtly trying to manipulate people, but rather that people can be very frustrating as they go and do exactly what they want to in spite of my best pastoral counseling.  As I vent to my wife and staff, I find that the real issue going on in my heart is one of control.  I cannot get into the hearts and minds of people and make them do the "right thing."  This is really what all of us are trying to do, and the issue that most damages our marriage and family relationships.  We are free moral agents, given the ability to choose and do what we want.  You cannot have my choice, and I cannot have yours.  Oh, what a blessed/cursed gift!

Now, back to this darn computer.  Maybe I can get it to do what I want now!

   

A NEW BLOG SERVICE WITH COOL STUFF!

My dearest friends and readers,

I have begun to use a new BLOG SERVICE called TYPEPAD and I am very excited to report the upgrading of IllumiNations!  This service offers a number of benefits and features not available on my previous service.  It is also easier to use and has an interface that is more customizable.  Please bear with me as I make my way around this new site.

Mazatlan is growing on us and we are getting on each other's nerves!  I will find out quite soon how much of a "Real Christian" I truly am.  The crucible of human relationships is at work and I am feeling the "heat" of the fire! :)

I will maintain my other Blog at the former site for awhile so you can get used to referring back to this one.  I will include a link to this site as well.  Please put this site in your favorites and replace my former address.  At very minimum, just add this site and check both of them for awhile.  I hope you enjoy!

LESSONS FROM THE IGUANA

The other day, my family and I spotted several large iguanas outside the back of our condo. One of these prehistoric looking, dinosaur-like creatures seems to have got ahold of the concept of rest. He did not move from the same branch for two whole days! As I looked at him, I reflected on how God uses His creation to teach us about the cycles of work, rest, birth and death. Resting is as much a part of being human as work is.

When God's creation does not rest it breaks down and loses its ability to be fruitful and productive. In the Old Testament law, God commanded the Israeli people to give their land rest after 6 years of use to prevent it from being stripped of its nutrients. God alone is the one who never sleeps nor slumbers, yet even He "rested" after 6 days of creating the universe. So, take a lesson from the iguana and rest a little. Just don't take several days to digest your food on some branch in your backyard!

REST, RELAXATION AND WRESTLING

REST, RELAXATION AND WRESTLING! An adventure into the world of R&R has begun for the Sherman family as we have embarked upon a three month sabbatical. On October 10th, 2005 we officially began to pack and take care of all the final details necessary to leave our home, our city and most importantly the people we love as our extended family from the congregation I pastor in Washington State.

This has been a time I have both looked forward to and somewhat feared. Leaving a church I have invested the last 17 years of my life into for almost three months is almost like watching your kids leave home. Every leader of any kind of group or organization is faced with the prospects of how those he/she leads will do in their absence. The health of the group will be exposed and the job done by the leader will become all too apparent while the leader is gone. Have I done a good job of building a capable and strong team around me? This and many other questions lurk in the back of my mind while I try to relax and release the weight of the leadership load that has been upon me these many years.

As I write this it is already October 26, 2005 and we have spent 1 night with our dear friends the Graybills, 2 nights in Sacramento taking in a Switchfoot concert, 1 night in San Francisco enjoying one of the most beautiful cities in the world, 3 nights in Southern California with my wife’s family and 4 nights in Mazatlan, Mexico adjusting to the place we will call home for almost 8 weeks. We have slept in Hotel rooms, on floors of relatives and in the home of friends. Our family of 6 has been challenged by the tight quarters of our minivan and the major adjustments involved in being in a different culture with a different language and trying to find our way around. So far, our time has been anything but restful as I have dealt with my regular insomnia, only multiplied. Yet, in all of this, I know God has called us to this time.

Our Father in heaven is engineering something within His mind that will bring us more into the image of the pattern Son Jesus. I trust God to do this work which He alone can do. I have been tired, lacking inspiration and very discouraged at times these last few years and I am in need of a “personal revival!” So far, I have barely cracked my Bible and have done virtually no reading at all. The main goal I have before me at this time is to get oriented to my surroundings, help my family do the same and try to disconnect mentally and emotionally from the work mode. Believe me when I say, “This is much harder to do than it sounds.”

I am wrestling more than I am resting right now. This is evidenced by the number of dreams I have had about the church and ministry since my arrival in Mazatlan. Two nights ago, I dreamed I was at a church service and everything was going wrong that could go wrong! I was frustrated and felt OUT OF CONTROL! Is this dream indicative of my condition or what?! Anyway, this is one more proof to me of my need for rest and fresh inspiration.

I have found a cool coffee shop with wireless internet access and can now regularly write and blog without paying an arm and a leg. THANK YOU, ALL OF MY FRIENDS OUT THERE WHO REGULARLY PRAY FOR MY FAMILY AND I AND READ THIS BLOG. KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN, I WILL WRITE MORE OFTEN.

With much love and appreciation,
Doug

"BROKEN THINGS"

(Thanks to Michael Feldman for the image) Most days I read a classic devotional book given to me as a gift from a dear friend named Deea. This devotional is called, "STREAMS IN THE DESERT." It is a companion book to my daily Bible reading, filled with the wisdom and insight of saints long graduated to heaven. Today the reading focuses on the processes of God which produce brokenness in our lives. It is a powerful reminder of God's higher-ways which often do not make much sense to us at the time. BROKENNESS IS BEAUTIFUL! I have seen its effects worked deep into the lives of a number of people I look up to. I can say in truth, they are more beautiful because of the image of Christ stamped upon their souls through brokenness. Broken Things by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman

"By reason of breakings they purify themselves" (Job 41:25).

God uses most for His glory those people and things which are most perfectly broken. The sacrifices He accepts are broken and contrite hearts. It was the breaking down of Jacob's natural strength at Peniel that got him where God could clothe him with spiritual power. It was breaking the surface of the rock at Horeb, by the stroke of Moses' rod that let out the cool waters to thirsty people. It was when the 300 elect soldiers under Gideon broke their pitchers, a type of breaking themselves, that the hidden lights shone forth to the consternation of their adversaries. It was when the poor widow broke the seal of the little pot of oil, and poured it forth, that God multiplied it to pay her debts and supply means of support. It was when Esther risked her life and broke through the rigid etiquette of a heathen court, that she obtained favor to rescue her people from death. It was when Jesus took the five loaves and broke them, that the bread was multiplied in the very act of breaking, sufficient to feed five thousand. It was when Mary broke her beautiful alabaster box, rendering it henceforth useless, that the pent-up perfume filled the house. It was when Jesus allowed His precious body to be broken to pieces by thorns and nails and spear, that His inner life was poured out, like a crystal ocean, for thirsty sinners to drink and live. It is when a beautiful grain of corn is broken up in the earth by DEATH, that its inner heart sprouts forth and bears hundreds of other grains. And thus, on and on, through all history, and all biography, and all vegetation, and all spiritual life, God must have BROKEN THINGS. Those who are broken in wealth, and broken in self-will, and broken in their ambitions, and broken in their beautiful ideals, and broken in worldly reputation, and broken in their affections, and broken ofttimes in health; those who are despised and seem utterly forlorn and helpless, the Holy Ghost is seizing upon, and using for God's glory. "The lame take the prey," Isaiah tells us. O break my heart; but break it as a field Is by the plough up-broken for the corn; O break it as the buds, by green leaf seated, Are, to unloose the golden blossom, torn; Love would I offer unto Love's great Master, Set free the odor, break the alabaster. O break my heart; break it victorious God, That life's eternal well may flash abroad; O let it break as when the captive trees, Breaking cold bonds, regain their liberties; And as thought's sacred grove to life is springing, Be joys, like birds, their hope, Thy victory singing. --Thomas Toke Bunch

"PAINTING PICTURES WITH WORDS!"

Last Thursday, October the 6th, my family and I were privileged to experience the world of REDWALL as we listened enthralled to Brian Jacques the critically acclaimed author of the REDWALL SERIES. Mr. Jacques captivated us for 90 minutes of storytelling and book signing while teaching all of the wide eyed children and children at heart by "Painting pictures with words."

About 8-9 years ago at a conference in Spokane, Washington, some friends of ours turned us on to REDWALL and the wonderful epic tales of warrior mice, otters, badgers, moles and evil rats, wildcats, foxes and weasels. Our son Stephen picked up REDWALL and we have all been converts since. Seventeen books later, we can all attest to the power of these well written adventures!

The books do a wonderful job of transporting the reader to a whole new world of gentle woodland creatures as they struggle over many generations to live peacefully in the midst of enemies full of ambition, malice and murder. Brian Jacques first began to write the books for blind children, so he uses very descriptive language. The battle scenes are graphic and capture the life and death struggles that exist especially in times of war. The lines between good and evil are clear and good character is esteemed as virtuous.

Over 60 years ago, J.R.R. Tolkien began to weave a very complex fictional history of a world called middle earth with the lines, "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort." These famous opening lines drew us into a very different, yet familiar world where we could learn about courage, valor, humility, love, faith, hope and friendship. Brian Jacques, like Tolkien is an expert at painting pictures with words and making you believe in the ultimate triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. But I must forewarn you, if you read the REDWALL BOOKS, prepare yourself to be carried away by the "magic" of these written words.

Now, enough from me. How about a description from REDWALL, the first book in the entire series?

"Redwall is an epic tale that begins at Redwall Abbey where Matthias, a young male mouse, is preparing for a great feast. With the help of his friend, Brother Alf (his full name is Mordalfus), he catches a fully-grown grayling. The grayling is then prepared to be the main course of the feast, for many from far and wide, including the Churchmouse family, from Saint Ninians Church.

Unfortunately, evil is coming their way.....

"Cluny the Scourge" a giant rat, many times larger than any other, with only a left eye -- his right eye lost in a battle long past -- carries a pole topped with a ferret's skull, and uses his immense tail as a whip, with a poisoned barb fitted to its tip. This great warlord leads an army of four hundred rats, ferrets, weasels, and stoats, which is rapidly approaching Redwall Abbey un-noticed.

Cluny the Scourge was thought to be only an old wive's tale, until young Matthias saw him. As a group of Redwallers were escorting their guests home, a large wagon pulled by a terrorized black horse, burst out of nowhere, noisily passing the Redwallers. The escort returns immediately to Redwall to report what they have seen. At the mention of Cluny the Scourge, everybody takes the whole incident as a joke, and laughs heartily at Sister Clemence's remark, "Perhaps Cluny is coming to get us for staying up late."

Once the Abbey's residents do become aware of Cluny's approach, they all puzzle on what to do: The most common conclusion is to abandon the Abbey, and find a new dwelling. But Matthias has other ideas. With the help of some others, he convinces those in the Abbey to make preparations to ward off the horde.

Meanwhile, Matthias tries to decode the many ancient inscriptions on walls, behind paintings, and other places throughout the Abbey. These inscriptions are believed to be written by Martin the Warrior himself. Every inscription is written in the form of a puzzle, and when the puzzle is solved, Matthias discovers that he must climb the heights of the Abbey tower, and find the sword of Martin the Warrior there. Unfortunately, a group of violent, and very dangerous sparrows known as the "Sparra" live up there always guarding the sword of Martin. And so the battle begins....."

Enjoy these pictures of Brian Jacques, TURN OFF THE TV and take your pre-teens and older children with you into the amazing world of REDWALL!

THE HIGH GOD DWELLS WITH LOW PEOPLE!

Psalm 113:1-9 - Hallelujah! Give praise, servants of the LORD; praise the name of the LORD. Let the name of the LORD be praised both now and forever. From the rising of the sun to its setting, let the name of the LORD be praised. The LORD is exalted above all the nations, His glory above the heavens. Who is like the LORD our God--the One enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the garbage pile in order to seat them with nobles--with the nobles of His people. He gives the childless woman a household, making her the joyful mother of children. Hallelujah! CSB God is transcendent! He is above and other than all of His creatures. We may be made in His image, but we are still creatures. God is God and there is no other being like Him or on the same plane as He. If we were able to lower ourselves and take on the form of a single-celled creature to act on their behalf to "save" them , the humiliation necessary would be less than Jesus went through in becoming a man. The Incarnation is truly a mystery as Creator became creature in order to lift His creatures up into heavenly places to sit with Him!

God is Imminent! He is near to the lowly, the poor, the weak and the humble! He is closer than our skin. He is closer than the air we breath. This God who must "stoop" to look at the heavens and the earth has chosen as His friends people like you and I in all of our weakness, sin and poverty! He chose us while we were His enemies, bound by sin and satanic power and called us sons and daughters. He lifts us up, gives us His favor, love and kindness and shares all He is and has with us. He did all of this through the person of Jesus Christ, the Savior of men. God the Master, became the Servant who washes our dirty feet and souls with His own blood! Wow! That is the essence of the gospel.

Last night at the conference I am attending, T.L. Osborn talked about how he has preached the good news in almost 90 countries of the world and seen millions come to faith in Jesus the Savior. At 82 years of age this wonderful man of God shared story after story of the redeeming, healing and freeing power of Jesus the Messiah of God among the peoples of the earth. He had three main points to make which are the essence of what he wanted to say to a room full of pastors from many of the countries of the earth. Those three points are as follows:

1. Be the VOICE of Good News!



2. Believe for the VALIDATION of the Good News!



3. Believe in the VALUE of people!

As I listened to T.L. make these points with illustrations of God's moving among the weak, poor and lowly of the earth, I was reminded of the beauty of the good news. God the Transcendent One, has become the Imminent One in Jesus Christ. He did this that He might take the garbage dwellers of the earth like me and seat us with His princes! This is my identity, this is your identity as a follower of Jesus the Christ! FORMER GARBAGE DWELLER MADE PRINCE/PRINCESSES AND SONS AND DAUGHTERS! Truly, this is the GOOD NEWS!

Isaiah 57:15 - For the High and Exalted One who lives forever, whose name is Holy says this: "I live in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and lowly of spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the oppressed.

LOSING AN ELDER, LOSING A LIBRARY!

Leviticus 19:32 - " 'Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the LORD. NIV

I get pages of forwards every week in my email inbox, and the truth is, I DELETE MOST WITHOUT READING THEM! Come on, you know my confession is merely one man speaking for many. Well, yesterday I received an excellent forward that spoke to my heart and challenged me to make a special effort to once again remember, honor and love the aged. This is another issue where the church must step up and lead the way. Here is the quote as I received it:

What Is Old Age For?
Elders as resources
—By William Thomas, Yes!
September 22, 2005 Issue
In our misguided quest for eternal youth, many of us forget the function and benefits of aging and the aged. Writing in Yes!, William Thomas reminds us that it is worth paying attention to the life-learned perspectives of the elderly, who have played an important role in building and maintaining a healthy social fabric for centuries.
Adults who are obsessed with remaining young face the risk of perpetuating a society of "developmentally delayed adults" fixated on accomplishment and lacking any sense of stewardship. Adults are goal-oriented and constantly doing; they are not comfortable simply being. Elders have spent their lives pursuing a variety of aspirations, their bodies have slowed down, and they are content just being. A sense of stewardship comes from the wisdom of being, not the action of doing.
"The development of human culture -- its refinement, storage, and transmission -- was woven into the fabric of old age," Thomas writes. He urges us to liberate elders in our society and return elderhood to its rightful position of respectability and utility. The percentage of Americans over the age of 65 today is three times that of 1900, but the elderly are routinely isolated from society in institutions. If the African proverb equating losing an elder with losing a library holds any grain of truth, this is the cultural equivalent of locking up all our libraries. Not only do we need to move beyond our society's overt ageism, Thomas argues, we need to learn from and value our elders, not disdain them.
-- Rose Miller

I know nothing of YES MAGAZINE, but this commentary on the article hit the mark!

OPEN MOUTH, INSERT FOOT!

Ahh, what a cute picture. Ooh, what a terrible experience and taste at 40! There are times in life when I wish I possessed the ability to rewind my mind and mouth and not say the stupid and embarrassing thing that just escaped my lips. Recently, Pat Robertson said something before a national television audience that I'm sure he wished he could have rewinded. But alas, once a foolish word escapes, it is out there for all to see and hear over and over again. Pat blew it on this one and did not do a good job of representing Christ or His church. Unfortunately, I too have done the same thing many times, with the difference being, I have a much smaller audience.

I remember for instance the time I was praying over the children in our church before we released them to our Kids Church program and I slipped into "auto pilot" and asked God to "bless these wonderful children to our bodies!" I think I was hungry or tired or both, but you can only imagine the laughter that followed that rather pious prayer. This past Sunday, after talking about why I was taking a sabbatical and was in need of rest, I found myself second guessing so many of the things I had said. Truly, those who wish to teach others have no idea what they are asking for! Those who teach and preach the gospel are called to represent Jesus Christ in their speaking and will do so either accurately or not.

James the apostle reminds us of the power of the tongue in the following biblical text: James 3:2-6 - 2 We all make many mistakes, but those who control their tongues can also control themselves in every other way. 3 We can make a large horse turn around and go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. 4 And a tiny rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot wants it to go, even though the winds are strong. 5 So also, the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6 And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness that can ruin your whole life. It can turn the entire course of your life into a blazing flame of destruction, for it is set on fire by hell itself. NLTAs you can see by these God breathed words, the tongue is a very powerful instrument, capable of doing great damage or good. I would like to end on a kind of funny note that I thought was appropriate to illustrate my point. I found this link at another fellow bloggers site and thought those of you with a sense of humor would appreciate it. Please don't let it offend you as it just shows that preachers especially are often the best at verbal faux paus! Remember, TRY TO KEEP YOUR FOOT OUT OF YOUR MOUTH!

CLICK ON THE WORD "LINK" ABOVE TO SEE THE VIDEO 

ILLITERACY OF THE WORST KIND!

At the center of every great civilization in human history are certain cultural values which work to further advancement and bring coherence within those societies. One of the values that consistently shows up throughout time is the need to develop language, writing, reading and the subsequent education of the masses. The history of our own great land confirms this. We have come to see that those people who read, understand and act on their knowledge lead the rest of the world. In recent years as our own public educational system has continued to melt down and fall behind the rest of the world, many are sounding the alarm that the USA is quickly becoming an illiterate nation.

I too am concerned with the issue of illiteracy, but as a pastor I find myself even more concerned with an illiteracy that is far worse; BIBLICAL ILLITERACY! It is interesting and perhaps ironic that as our government institutions continue to push the Christian heritage of our nation further out into the margins of society that our citizenry and especially our church folk become less knowledgeable of the Bible. I regularly ask the people of our congregation about their own Bible reading habits and find myself saddened by the apathy and indifference displayed by some. So, here I am sounding this trumpet and calling all followers of Jesus to take up the sword of the Word of God once again!

This ladies and gentlemen is a nation that once educated its children with the Bible as its main textbook! Again, I am not concerned so much with unchurched people as I am with those who claim to be followers of the One we call "THE WORD." Is it any wonder we are losing the battle for the moral high ground within culture? How can the people of God offer solutions for the age we live in if we do not know what the Scriptures teach about the ills and problems of our times? If being relevant means being biblically illiterate and ignorant, then you can have relevance! Of course I know it is possible to be both relevant and Scriptural, for, the only time we are truly relevant is when we are biblical.

Please understand, I am not talking about some kind of Bible thumping, dry as toast verse quoter, but a people impassioned for Jesus Christ and hungry to know Him in the pages of THE BOOK. In a desire to help those of you who read this blog, I offer this Back to the Bible link to a site that offers a variety of Bible reading plans and translations. I have also included this particular site in my personal link section on "IllumiNations!". You can now go to my site, read the Bible and then come back and read my newest post. ;) The time for excuses is over. It is time to reclaim our minds and hearts by bathing them in the only document ever proven to transform individuals and civilizations. It is time to stamp out "ILLITERACY OF THE WORST KIND!"

FOXNews.com - Health - Disasters May Be Causing 'Compassion Fatigue'

CLICK ON THE ABOVE LINK FOR THE STORY ON "COMPASSION FATIGUE."

JUDGMENT AND MERCY! God is an amazing person! He has the ability to simultaneously judge and demonstrate mercy at the same time! Hurricane Rita came ashore Friday night and Saturday morning causing widespread flooding and damage while reminding us again of the power of nature and nature's God. What was once a Category 5 hurricane was downgraded to a Category 1 by the time Rita made landfall. I see this as a wonderful demonstration of mercy on God's part as He heard the prayers of his people and showed His compassion and longsuffering.

To those who have lost their homes, cars, businesses and livelihoods, I offer my most sincere sympathies and prayers. I know it may be hard to see mercy in the devastation that surrounds you, but remember how bad it could have been. Remember Katrina! More importantly, remember God is present for you with His amazing grace and love. May you find Him in His people during this time. To those of us who are not in the Hurricane zone, but find ourselves feeling powerless, read this article link at FOX NEWS and beware of "COMPASSION FATIGUE." Remember, God is an unending source of grace and strength. When human compassion and effort wear out, God is just getting started!



Galatians 6:9-10 - 9 So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time. 10 Whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone, especially to our Christian brothers and sisters. NLT

PRAY! RITA IS COMING AND SHE'S MAD!

RITA IS COMING AND SHE'S MAD! I know this statement sounds a little funny, but I am not trying to be humorous at all. Hurricane Rita has been upgraded to a Category 5 with winds between 165-175 mph and she has the potential to do horrible damage to the Gulf coast of Texas by Friday night. Many of the people traumatized by Hurricane Katrina who were staying in Houston are now fleeing Rita as she makes her way toward Galveston, Corpus Christi, and Houston.

As believers in Jesus Christ, it is time to pray and ask our God to be merciful to all of us here in the USA. The discipline of God's rod is upon our land and His severity with us will be based upon our response to Him. Let us "Humble ourselves, seek His face, turn from our wicked ways and ask Him to heal our land!"

SCARING THE HELL OUT OF US!

(Photos from "THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE")
When I came to Christ 21 years ago, I was one of those people who had drunk so deep of the well of pop culture and sin that just about anything within these realms was considered anathema. I either burned or threw away all of my albums and tapes, I quit going to movies and I made an effort to separate from the world, the flesh and the devil. At that time in my life, most of what I did was probably necessary and healthy for me as I went through a sort of purification from my former way of life.

One of the things I regularly did during my B.C. days was watch horror movies. I went to the theatre and saw the first Halloween, Friday the 13th and many other movies in that particular genre. When Jesus Christ invaded my world, I knew that my horror movie days were over as I made an effort to think Philippians 4:8 thoughts and not open any door for Satan's influence in my life.

In recent years, some of my views about pop culture, the arts and music and movies in particular have "evolved." I have come to value the need for believers to engage the culture and not withdraw into our "Christian Ghettos" while waiting for Jesus to come back and rescue us from the big bad world and the antichrist!

I no longer just listen to "Christian music", watch "Christian movies" and wear "Christian t-shirts." I now believe in both "Christian artists", and "artists who are Christians." God made us to be creative and has put within us the ability to tell a good story and illustrate truth without mentioning Jesus in every other sentence. By the way, have you ever been perplexed at the idea that the Biblical Book of Esther, never mentions God one time? Anyway, I digress.

Recently, a movie called "THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE" has caused quite a stir inside of both the church world and pop culture. The director of this movie is a solid and sold out Christian who has used the horror genre to contrast the difference between good and evil and get us asking questions about the reality of the devil and of God. I don't agree with everything he says in this article in WORLD MAGAZINE, and I have not seen the film yet, but I do appreciate his desire to engage the culture and be a witness for Christ with his art form. I have already heard an example of this movie's impact on a young man from our congregation who had a dramatic encounter with God while watching it. Who knows, maybe God can use a horror movie to SCARE THE HELL OUT OF US for a change!