Great Book

I was reminded today of something while I was driving by myself from Orange County to Sacramento. I love CS Lewis. Even though he wrote his books a few years ago God has really used him to speak to me while I was listening to the Screw Tape Letters. If you haven't read this book you should. The whole premise of the book is a Demon is writing letters to a Demon in training. The senior demon name "Uncle Screwtape" is giving advice on how to trip up humans and how to cause humans to sin. It is some really good insight on ways that the enemy may think about our temptation.

If you have not read this book you should. It will change the way you view your everyday activities.

Thats my 2 cents.

The Game Plan

Like any tactical mission you need a plan. You don't go into war with out a strategy, like you don't enter Costco hungry, and especially you don't battle a mouse with no idea as to how. I thought I would do you all a favor by posting my game plan on this blog. Make sure not to leak this out. If you do just make sure not to resell for profit without giving me a cut. So enjoy and I await the call from the History Channel asking me to narrate a documentary on how to battle mice.

A little game of cat and mouse

Tonight I feel like Arnold Swartenheggerherzergeerds... in Predator when he covered himself in mud, set a trap for the predator and waited. I have a a trap, 3 to be exact and now I wait. My buddy Marc came over to help me make a game plan and then help me also set the traps. In keeping with the predator theme Marc would be my Carl Weathers only I am hoping he doesnt get his arm blown off like ol Carl does in the movie. Any way my enemy is not an alien from outer space bent on hunting the galaxies finest prey but rather a mouse. This mouse came into my home uninvited and has been pooping in my pantry. This will be the last night that he enjoys taking a poo in kitchen though. I have set 3 sweet traps that has his name on them (what his or her name may be). Here is a break down of what I used.

• Under the Oven
• We have an old school metal spring trap with refried bean and Christmas cookie sprinkles on them. This is our first line of defense
• Along the wall
• I got standard Peanut butter with a dusting of baby formula. Maybe this is an infant mouse and loves the taste of formula.
• Finally in the pantry I have peanut butter with sprinkles..
• if this doesn't work then nothing will.

So tonight I wait and tomorrow I laugh because I will be victorious. I have attached some great picture of various mouse traps. Even though these are not the actual traps they really help with my story. Good night everyone and I hope to bring you good news in the morning.

PESM

I began my first day of school yesterday. I bought a new note bad and headed over to Portland for a little sip from the fire hose (metaphorically speaking of course). I started on my journey to get my masters degree. The first step is entering the Pacific Evangelical School of Ministry or PESM. This so far has been a pretty cool experience so far. I have been given about 10 books to read and multiple papers to write. I am excited to begin my learning again. I am always trying to learn but this is fun to learn in a classroom setting. Tonight I have a class from 7 to 10:30 tonight. Pretty crazy but I am excited because it is all about church history. Even though I am having a great time I still miss my family and I am missing the kick off night for Glow.

Anyway I cannot wait to become an expert on something becuase right now I am an expert only in lame things that dont matter. Like xbox 360 or collecting old computers.

I hope to have good things to say when i get back but I thought I would just post an update. Peace out dawgs

The B.S. (Blogging Society) Q of the Week

Posed by Keith Kirkpatrick

Jesus said, "if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." (Matt 16:24) He also says, "Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:33)

Most (American) Christians do not look any different from those who do not follow Christ. How do we follow Christ whole heartedly, a life surrendered to Jesus, giving up everything, and as Jesus says in Matt 16:25 we must "lose our life" to "find it"?

To shorten it: How do we look different from the world according to our faith in Jesus Christ?

This is a big question. I know how to answer this giving a church answer but since I dont like doing that and I dont know everything I will answer and probably have some questions of my own.

here is what I do know.

Eph 5:1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Matthew 5-7 the Sermon on the mount is pretty counter cultural.

2Co 6:14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial ? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

What I see here is a distinction between motives that then turn into action. I see that by setting my mind to that which God has, my life will be forever changed. I guess the question that has been posed is one of practicality and what that looks like in our day to day.

I have always had a hard time with this. Here is what I will say in a bullet style way.

• Sin: A christian should not be satisfied in their sin but Rather humbled and repentant. Christians recognize that they do sin but also make a conscious effort to correct any sin that is in their life. Jesus Christ is the only way to be forgiven but we have to act like we are repentant.
  
• Deeds: anyone can talk as if God has changed their life but we have got to act like He has. As Francis Chan said in a recent sermon on holiness, "we cannot keep prostituting ourselves out and then come to church like nothing happened." We have to recognize our sin and address it. Then try not to repeat the sin and learn from it.
• Speech: Sin is rebellion against God and we cannot speak as if we are proud of it. When someone is really repentant they dont brag about sin but rather are ashamed that they essentially spit in God's face and turned their back on God.

Simply put Christians that are following Christ need act like they care more about what God thinks then the world. This is the thrust of it all. I have to act like God is bigger then me making a lot of money, being ridiculed, being esteemed by peers, and that God is bigger then ME.

I cannot give a play by play about what this looks like in the everyday life sense because each of us is different and we all have different temperaments and demeanor's. I do know what what ever our personality type is, our minds need to be fixed on the same thing, God, His Word and His Creation.

A C.S. Lewis Easter Egg

If you have seen the movie Prince Caspian or better yet have read the book you may remember a conversation that Lucy and Aslan had. I love the dialog because there is a lot that we can learn about God's nature through it. The older and wiser I get (be it ever so slowly) I see how we CS Lewis weaves Biblical themes into his Narnia series. Here is the quote:

“Aslan,” said Lucy, “you’re bigger.”
“That is because you are older, little one,” answered he.
“Not because you are?”
“I am not. But every year you grow, you will find me bigger.”

As Lucy gets older and grows so does Aslan. I feel like that same is true in my own life. As I get older I see God and being bigger and bigger. When I was a kid God was protector from bad dreams and monsters in the closet. In high school God would guard me from embassement and ridicule. In college he was a guide for an unknown future. Now that I have a family and am totally on my own God has become increasingly larger. He is the Lord of all and the director of my life. He is the protector of my wife and kids, the provider of my financial needs, and the creator of everything. As I have grown so has my view of God. That is not to say the God never was those things that I now see but rather I am just beginning to see all that God is and I cant wait to see what aspects of God I have been missing now, when I am in my 60's.

Just thought I would share a little thought with you all today.

BS posting for last week

My Sincere apologies to my fellow BS brothers. Please excuse my tardiness.

This weeks question was posed by my friend Jack. The question was "Can you have absolute faith." for further explanation on the question you can read Jack's Blog which has a further clarification.

Here is my short answer for a long thought. Yes. I believe that you can have complete faith. I think where we can get into trouble is when our on sin mixes with our deeds. For instance when Peter jumps out of the boat to meet Jesus who is walking on water. I don't think Peter ever doubted that Jesus was God. if nothing else that moment probably gave him more courage than any other (at first) by seeing his savior walking on water. I think that Peters own insecurities and his fear over came him and then he sank.

Like I said this is a short answer to a longer thought but I figured I would just put it down just so I can get it our there.