BJ Not BK

     Here is your weekly Church Steeple Picture.  I see Jesus as God reaching down to man, the steeple as man lifting up the cross to the community and reaching up to God.

This picture comes to you courtesy of Smithwood Presbyterian Church.  

This weekend I came across an interesting site called GodTube as a response to YouTube.  The site was created by a Christian who has worked with Television and film for some time.  I had a chance to browse through the site briefly and found some great stuff.

Here is one of the site's most visited videos.....[link].  This little girl is so cute.

Enjoy!
 

Chuck Norris is a man's man.  Tough, bad to the bone, unmatched in supreme dojo skills.

Guns don't kill people. Chuck Norris kills People.
There is no theory of evolution. Just a list of animals Chuck Norris allows to live.
Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits.
The chief export of Chuck Norris is Pain.
There is no chin under Chuck Norris' Beard. There is only another fist.
Chuck Norris has two speeds. Walk, and Kill.
The leading causes of death in the United States are: 1. Heart Disease 2. Chuck Norris 3. Cancer
Chuck Norris drives an ice cream truck covered in human skulls.
Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer....too bad Chuck Norris has never cried.

Sound familiar?

Christians do not extend grace, they expect it.
The chief export of most Christians is their wants and their needs.
Most Christians have two speeds whine and cry.
The leading cause of death in the United States and the world is still death.
The love and prayers of Christians avail much....too bad most Christians never love and pray.

We love Chuck Norris because he is a man's man and doesn't let anything get to him physically or emotionally and he certainly doesn't let other people slow him down.   I sometimes take that same mentality into my daily life when faced with the bad news of others.

"Oh, they died in a drug overdose?  Too bad.  They shouldn't have done drugs."

"What?  They lost their house because they had too many credit card bills?  Too bad.  They should have budgeted better."

"They don't know Jesus?  Oh well, I am sure they have been witnessed to many times before.  They shouldn't have hardened their hearts."

The problem we have today is not lack of information but way too much information.  We get more news thrown at us in more ways that our minds and our hearts become numb to human suffering.  

Question:  How did you react when you heard the following?

The shootings at Virginia Tech?  What did you think about the gunman?  The victims? 

Question:  How is your heart today?  Would you be willing to spend a few minutes and take a spiritual stress test?

Matthew 9:35-10:1 

"Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

 "He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness."

Central Truth:  To accomplish Christ's mission for my life, I must see my community with a heart of compassion.

When you read the gospels, as you focus on the above passage what is it that controls the motives of Jesus?  What was His response to the lost people around Him? 

First and foremost Jesus is our only pattern to follow.  When we talk about mission we should be focused on what Jesus' mission was.  When we talk about service we should look to Jesus for how to serve.  When we talk about leading we should look to Jesus for how to lead.  Jesus told us to 1. Love God and 2. to love people but very often we are backwards in our lives caught up in loving ourselves and stuff and using people and God for our own desires.

1.  We have to pattern ourselves after Jesus.

In the above passage Jesus is busy, He's preaching, teaching, traveling great distances and is becoming very popular yet he always makes time for those around Him, those close to Him.  Jesus heals of "every disease and sickness" leaving no one person sick, no one person with disease that sought Him out and Jesus shares the good news always.  Jesus meets the physical needs of those around Him through service and He meets the spiritual needs of those around Him by sharing the gospel. 

Our pattern is Jesus.  We are to always share the gospel when given the opportunity and we are to always help others who are in real need as God places people in our lives. 

2.  We have to regain our compassion

We are more than conquerers in Jesus.  Our mandate is not to crush unbelievers but to love them so much that they will be drawn to Jesus.  But in order for us to do that we must first regain our compassion.  Jesus, "When He saw the crowds had compassion on them."  Why?  Weren't these the same people who had been denying God for years?  Generations?  Didn't they get what they rightly deserved?  Weren't they paralyzed, blind, lame, sick, hit with leprosy because of their sins?  Isn't that justice?  Isn't that what they deserved?  God clearly warns us that none of us are righteous, not one and for anyone of us to hold themselves better because they are saved is a form of religious prejudice and is an act of the greatest sin, pride. 

Jesus came to save and to serve and His heart broke over the people He saw because:

They were harassed - stressed, worried, under a great deal of pressure, had things hanging over them, had no future hope, couldn't see past the present gloom.  Sound like anyone you know?  What are some of the things in society that can cause this in the lives of those around us?

They were helpless - Why is it that we often hold lost people to a higher standard than Christians?  Most Christians are given the hand of fellowship and forgiveness and grace when they have sinned yet when someone who is dead to God, an unbeliever, sins, we push them as far away from us as possible.  Shouldn't we extend the right foot of fellowship to our sinning brother?  Shouldn't he know better as a child of God?  By the same token shouldn't we feel compassion on those dead in their transgressions?  Helpless in their own ignorance? 

They had no shepherd - Sheep without shepherds are easily led in the wrong directions.  Paths that can lead to hurt, heartache, and death.  Sheep without a shepherd can't find food, nourishment or even manage to stay together....Wow!  What an incredible image to describe lost people.

Question:  How do you see lost people?  Are they getting what they deserve?  Are we to crush them with the cross?  Motivate them into morality?  Or are we to have compassion on them as Jesus had on each of us?  We mocked Him while He loved us, we played games at the foot of the cross while He cried father forgive them.  

By the way, the phrasing "had compassion" goes a little deeper than just a warm fuzzy feeling.  The term actually refers to Jesus becoming sick to His stomach, to the point of puking.  He had to do something He was so moved.

As a result of His heart, Jesus issued a challenge to those who would follow Him.  "beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers"  

That has been done with the great commission.  You and I are answered prayers lifted up by the families of lost ones over the years begging God the Father and Jesus to place godly people in the path of their lost loved one, just one person who would share Jesus with them so that they too would be saved.

The problem is not a lack of workers, the problem is the workers are not in the filed and we are not in the field because we care more about stuff and ourselves than we do about loving God and loving people.

I am not saying that our tears will cure the ills of the world, besides, only the tears of Chuck Norris can cure cancer, what I am saying is that each of us need to seek God, serve Jesus, read our Bibles, pray for those around us who are lost and share the gospel when we are presented with the opportunity out of a repentant heart, out of a thankful heart, out of a compassionate heart.

Love God and love people.

See those around you with a heart of compassion. 

Ok, not sure if you noticed but there is a new button added to bjnotbk over to the right under news.  This is my Amazon Wish List.

What is an Amazon Wish list....just that...my personal wishlist.

This is intended for family, friends, and all readers who desire to help make one of my wishes come true.  You can view the list by clicking on the button and then adding the item to your cart it's that simple.

Most of all this is for family and friends who say I am too hard to buy for.

Thanks in advance for your love, prayers, and generous gifts.

Blessings!
 

     Another week gone, and another series of posts handed over in triplicate to the folks at iron mountain to be hauled via armored car to the hillside bunker for safe keeping.  This week's transport is being escorted by a resolution filed by the Democratic party.  It seems that their continued efforts to destroy the country by insulting our allies [link] have even disgusted their own voter base.  I just hope the drivers don't go on strike because Pelosi wants to ride shotgun?

1.  Friday is for photos:  This photo comes to you courtesy of our recent family outing to the pumpkin patch.  Aren't these two of the most beautiful ladies you have ever seen?

2.  This next photo comes to you via a recent trip to North Carolina.  Cable?  TV?  Pool?  Pink?  Tinkerbell?  Yes!

(please note:  bjnotbk does not stay at hotels painted pink nor with images of tinkerbell on the sign)

If you like great photography make sure to visit Steve Mckoy's Friday photos here [link] and Joe Thorn's here [link].

Want to see your photo published here?  Submit all family friendly photos to bjnotbk@gmail.com for consideration.  Please note that I reserve the right to publish or not publish any submission.

3.  Dark:30 - Is it me or is it getting dark at like 2:00 in the afternoon now?  We went from summer to fall in a snap.  I am dreading the fall back in time as it means I will be leaving in darkness, coming home in darkness and my lush tan will change to pasty whiteness.  Sigh.....

4.  Hiking - This is the best time of year to hike.  The weather is cool, the bugs are almost all gone, and the leaves are beautiful.  There has been talk of reviving the after Thanksgiving day hike.  My plea is that we go for Mt. Leconte [link].  There has also been talk of someday doing a sunrise hike to the Chimneys [link]. 

5.  What are you reading?  I started the book of Luke and now my head is hurting.  Man what detail!  What precision!  I am trying to read a chapter at a time and am learning much.  Love you Jesus.

6.  What are you listening to?  Last night was great.  We were all in the family room upstairs cleaning.  Mom plugged in a cd player and put on some music.  As soon as the music started L convinced us that we all needed to be dancing.  So we closed the blinds, lest any of the neighbors think we were possessed, and proceeded to boogie down if you can boogie down to Nora Jones?  Anyway, it was great.  (pleas note: bjnotbk does not boogie down as he has natural rhythm and soul which translates to groovylicious vibrations)

Here is your Ja........thought I was going to say Jack Johnson didn't you?  

Here is your Amos Lee clip of the week [link].  If you can make it past the 30 seconds or so of interview you will be rewarded, or you can just move the slide bar forward and listen.  Have you heard of him before?

7.  Sleep?  Yeah, I read about that once.

8.  500 miles is a long way right?  I mean that takes what, 9 hours to drive, 2 months to ride via bus.  Why drive or ride a bus when you can run?  So now after 144 runs and less than 12 months I have reached 500 miles.  I use the nike+ ipod system and just passed the 500 mile mark...pretty cool huh?  check it out here [link].

9.  Weekend plans anyone?

10.  Thanks everyone for reading bjnotbk this week.  My prayer is that you will be entertained and encouraged or challenged each time you stop by.  I am also praying for you, my readers, that is, so be encouraged in knowing that no matter what someone, somewhere is praying for you.  Now go read your Bible, love your family, lover your neighbor, get outside, and love Jesus! 

There are many paths, many ways, which way you come does not matter to me as I must find and choose my own way.  Some are rich while others are not so much yet the end result is all the same.  It is a Friday night, you have a baby sitter, and your wife looks great which can lead to only one thing......a trip to Lowe's.

It doesn't matter what your intentions were or what you had planned to do as the cosmic powers draw you into the parking lot, homeowners everywhere can attest to the pull, instead of romance you get jig saws, instead of bonding you get epoxy and 40grit sandpaper.

You find yourself looking, not out of necessity but out of a covetous nature that says foolishly, "sure, I can re-roof the house if I just had the right tools" or "re-wire the house, add on an addition? No problem!"  Never mind that you have never held a hammer before.  Studies have proven that a man's testosterone levels jump 67% upon entering a Lowe's and estrogen levels rise 53% in women.

Tiffany lighting for every room, gold plated shower heads, brick pavers, lawnmowers, rakes, shovels, closet organizers, pipe cleaner, lumber and on and on marketed in such a way that even if you don't have a pool you buy chlorine anyway and feel good about it. 

12 months financing makes decisions even easier, the temptation more tempting. 

     Here is your weekly Church Steeple Picture.  I see Jesus as God reaching down to man, the steeple as man lifting up the cross to the community and reaching up to God.

This picture comes to you courtesy of Sequoya Hills Presbyterian Church.  

 Famous last words are interesting.  We know the material world all too well with it's joys, it's pains, the highs, the lows, the times where we feel invicible and the many times where we know all too well our own mortality.  Some find interest in the last words of loved ones, famous ones, hoping that in this last moment of living some sort of wisdom will be handed out, passed down, before passing on.

Here are some famous last words, some funny, some odd, some very sad

I should never have switched from Scotch to Martinis.
~~ Humphrey Bogart, actor, d. January 14, 1957

Josephine...
~~ Napoleon Bonaparte, French Emperor, May 5, 1821

I am about to -- or I am going to -- die: either expression is correct.
~~ Dominique Bouhours, French grammarian, d. 1702

Don't you dare ask God to help me.
To her housekeeper, who had begun to pray aloud.
~~ Joan Crawford, actress, d. May 10, 1977

While the words were different the outcome for each person was quite the same....physical death and the truth is that these words did nothing much to change the course of human history.

Enter Jesus stage right-

The Bible offers several passages that show the last words of the faithful:

David to Solomon 1 Kings 2:1-9, Moses to Israel Deuteronomy 31:1-33, Joshua to Israel Joshua 23:1-24:28 yet no other last or parting words were as important nor would have a more dramatic impact on the world and human history than the eyewitness testimony of the ascension and the last words of Jesus. 

Unlike the last words of the dying Jesus was ressurected from the grave.  Instead of laying on a death bed, weak, feeble, afraid, Jesus appeared to the disciples who had scattered out of fear.  Instead of giving a last speech before dying He gave a command to all believers to carry out while He is away, to keep faithfully until His return.

What were those last words?  I'm glad you asked!

Matthew 28:18-20

"Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

John 19:20-21

"On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

 Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."

Central Truth:  The central mission of my life is that Jesus has sent me into my community to be a witness for Him in order for others to become fully devoted followers of His.

Jesus sends us in the same way the Father sent Him.  How did God the Father send Jesus?  Here are a couple of examples: 

Jesus was sent to be...

Living Water - John 4:10
The Bread of Life - John 6:35
The Light of the World - John 8:12
The Door to Eternal Life - John 10:9
The Good Shepherd - John 10:11
The Resurrection - 11:25 

God the Father sent Jesus to love people, to listen to people, to talk with people, to interact with people, to live with people, to be salt and light in a dark culture, to show the way to eternal life, to provide direction, to give life sustaining food and vital living water.

Now Jesus sends us to bring, well, Jesus (living water) to those who are thirsty, Jesus (bread) to those who are hungry, Jesus (light) to those who are living in darkness, Jesus (the good shepherd) for those who need direction and Jesus (the resurrection) to any who believe in Him.

The basic truth is that God sent Jesus to the world to make the Father known and to make it possible for others to come to the Father, to know the Father and to receive eternal life and so we are sent to share in the great things God has done through Jesus.

The real tragedy is the mindset that we are not called to be missionaries...meaning that missionaries go to other countries, cultures, lands to share the gospel when in fact we are all called to be missionaries right where we are, which is often a foreign culture to us.

Don't left definition get in the way of you sharing Jesus with others.  We are all called to do so.  The command by Jesus to do so is not the "great suggestion" but the great commission.

The challenge for each of us is will we accept and embrace our mission to:

1. Be a disciple - Am I following Jesus daily?  Am I a fully devoted follower of Jesus?

2. Be a witness in my life - to my family first, my friends, co-workers, and everyone I come into contact with on a daily, weekly, monthly basis.

3. Make disciples - encouraging other believers around us to be more devoted. 

Will you begin to pray for those around you on a weekly basis that God would give you opportunities to make Christ known to each of them? 

Nothing says poverty like cardboard.  Poster board is good for supporting your favorite American Idol, competing in the local science fair, or attending a WWE event but one would never, never dare use poster board in the world of panhandling.  Cardboard is the choice of panhandling professionals everywhere and here is why.

1.  Cardboard is free and easily accessible.

2.  Cardboard is easy to write on.  You don't need a sharpie or a magic marker.  You can use sweat, blood, tears, dumpster juice it really doesn't matter.

3.  Cardboard is the perfect medium to get your message across.  Is it the end of the world or are you just hungry?  Need a ride to Winnamuckamack?  Cardboard may be your ticket.

4.  Cardboard doesn't have to be pristine to make a point.  In fact, the more destroyed the better.  Studies by the Panhandler's Institute of America, PIA, has shown that earnings increase dramatically based on the condition of the sign.  Those carrying newer, less worn signs reported lower earning than those with battered, tattered signs.

5.  Cardboard is mutli-functional.  It can be used as shelter, an umbrella, and if the weather is hot a fan.

6.  Cardboard tastes like chicken.

 Another week gone, and another series of posts handed over in triplicate to the folks at iron mountain to be hauled via armored car to the hillside bunker for safe keeping.  This week's transport is being escorted by rabid, pardon the pun, dog lovers.  You have to read the link to get the point [link] but let's just say that no one, I mean no one better breathe a word to adopt a pet that I gave Zeus and Apollo to Higgins...[link] got it?

1.  Friday is for photos:  This photo comes to you courtesy of our very own Joe Napalm.  I have studied this one for two weeks and haven't been able to crack the code yet.  Is it genius?  Some sort of hidden prophecy?  Or just the ramblings of a kerosene induced high?  What does it mean Joe?  Joe told me this was taken outside of a home he passes on his way to work.

2.  Speaking of Joe....This next photo comes to you courtesy of a bjnotbk/napalm hike.   

If you like great photography make sure to visit Steve Mckoy's Friday photos here [link] and Joe Thorn's here [link].

Want to see your photo published here?  Submit all family friendly photos to bjnotbk@gmail.com for consideration.  Please note that I reserve the right to publish or not publish any submission.

3.  Anyone watching college football these days?  I don't think I have watched an entire game this year?

4.  Last week I made my first meatloaf.  I am a big fan of the loaf of meat and sad to say I think it is a lost art form.  Just think about it, the meatloaf has everything a man could want.  It has ketchup and it has meat....mmmmm meat.  Anyway, I took 2lbs of ground beef, mixed in one egg, some dried bread crumbs, a cup of milk, some garlic, salt and pepper and then formed to make the "loaf".  I prepared a nice sauce for the top which included brown sugar, ketchup and mustard.  Baked it for an hour then served it up with green beans, yeast rolls, and sweet potatoes topped with plenty of butter and brown sugar.   mmmmmm meat.

5.  What are you reading?  I finished Confessions of a Reformission Rev [link] and have started The Radical Reformission: Reaching Out without Selling Out [link].  I just finished 2 Timothy and Titus and will probably begin the gospel of Luke shortly.     

6.  What are you listening to?  For the past two months I haven't listened to much music.  Most of the stuff lately has been preaching/teaching podcasts.

Live from Tower records, here is your Jack Johnson clip for the week [link]. 

7.  It looks like I am close to winning the infamous Harry Reid Rush Limbaugh smear letter [link].  So far my bid of $2,100,100.00 still stands.

8.  Weekend plans anyone?  

9.  Taking Steeple pictures has me looking up quite a bit lately.  God is good!

10.  Come to find out Joel Osteen is not the devil...Satan is.  Joel is just a nice guy with a big smile and a peace and prosperity message that comes across as positive but weak.  He is also a horrible dancer [link]. 

11.  Thanks everyone for reading bjnotbk this week.  My prayer is that you will be entertained and encouraged or challenged each time you stop by.  I am also praying for you, my readers, that is, so be encouraged in knowing that no matter what someone, somewhere is praying for you.  Now go read your Bible, love your family, lover your neighbor, get outside, and love Jesus!

I know how you steeple peeps are when it comes to contests so I am presenting you a list of legit contests that pit your brains and brawn against untold others in a quest for glory, fame, and riches.

I found the following contests listed in Wired’s Geekipedia, a supplement to their monthly publication.  Good luck!

MoonROx Challenge

Sponsor NASA

Challenge Derive oxygen from simulated lunar soil

Deadline June 2008

Purse  $250,000.00

Netflix Prize

Sponsor Netflix

Challenge  Build an algorithm that predicts movie preferences more accurately than current alternatives

Deadline October 2, 2011

Purse $1 Million

 Millennium Grand Challenge in Mathematics – This one is for you Wesley

Sponsor Clay Mathematics Institute

Challenge Solve one of seven intractable math problems

Deadline ongoing

Purse $1 million each

Archon X Prize

Sponsor Stewart Blusson, J.Craig Venter

Challenge Sequence 100 human genomes in 10 days

Deadline October 2013

Purse $10 million

Virgin Earth Challenge

Sponsor Richard Branson, Al Gore

Challenge Scrub greenhouse gases from the atmosphere

Deadline February 2010

Purse $25 million

Google's 30 Million Dollar Moon Contest [link]

Any takers? 

 Here is your weekly Church Steeple Picture.  I see Jesus as God reaching down to man, the steeple as man lifting up the cross for the community and reaching up to God.

This picture comes to you courtesy of the local Greek Orthodox Church. 

Is Joel Osteen the Devil?

You decide.....watch here

[link] 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IuiUOapK1w&feature=PlayList&p=BB78822C07FD94CE&index=0

The new mother is desperate for sleep.
The addicts is desperate for a fix.
The sick are desperate for a cure.
The dying man is desperate for life.
Teddy Kennedy is desperate for a drink.
 

Desperation occurs when all plans have failed, all thought, strategy, designs have gotten you nowhere, nada, nothing.  Desperation comes when you have exhausted your intellect, time, talents, and resources and nothing has worked.
Now you are willing to try anything, willing to let go of any scheme your mind has hatched, ready to try something new, something completely outside of yourself, outside of your comfort zone.
 

Our curse isn’t that we have hardships to endure but that we have comfort we have conformed to.  Our wealth, health, peace and prosperity have given us false hope as we believe we can achieve anything, do anything with enough sweat equity and brain power.  If it hasn’t happened it is only because we haven’t learned enough, worked hard enough, or raised enough money to overcome it….or so the thinking goes.

This happens even in the hearts of Bible believing Christians.  We seek cures and resolution through prescriptions taking pills by the handful, solace by seeking advice from advisers, and comfort from material items while Jesus sits right beside us, hands outstretched in desperation, wanting to help us….waiting for us to turn from ourselves, waiting for us to abandon all hope in ourselves and to turn everything over to Him so that He can be our plan A instead of our plan Z.
 

Jesus is desperate in His love for us, please refer to the cross, crucifixion, death, beating, crown of thorns, tears, prayers, miracles, healing, forgiveness of sins.  (I am not speaking of the sovereignty of Jesus)
 

What are you desperate for?
When was the last time you were desperate?
Who are you desperate for?
What avenues have you explored and exhausted to bring loved ones, lost ones to Jesus?
 

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Will you jettison your strategy, your plans, your schemes, your roadmap and march forward on your knees for those you love?
 

What does it mean to be desperate to you?

Evolutionary biologists, cultural anthropologist, and devout Darwin followers everywhere have searched for years for the "missing" link, that one piece of evidence that would clearly show and prove a transition from one specie to another in the evolutionary chain.  I believe I have found such the link and I call it chicken.

Think through this one with me and hang tight because I think you too will be swayed with my powerful arguments and evidence.  You see my theory does not rely on silly trivial matters such as geological, fossil, or physical evidence, no, my theory comes directly from taste.

I propose that everything, men, women, dogs, plants, mammals, reptiles, insects, all come from one common ancestor....chicken and it looks something like this.

Rattlesnake tastes like chicken.
Roaches tastes like chicken.
Gator tastes like chicken.
Salmon....tastes like gamey chicken.
Baby, endangered seal, tastes like chicken.
Spotted owl....you got it chicken.
Buffalo wings taste like chicken. 

I will leave you with the evidence letting your tastebuds make my argument.

please note that bjnotbk thinks evolution is a bunch of el toro caca