The End Nears!

As I am quickly approaching my “New Age” I find myself realizing more that I invest waste a lot of time blogging.  For over 7 months I have religiously come here about once a week to post something clever for amusement purposes.  Lately, I am realizing I don’t have time for blogging, facebooking, myspacing, or any of these other trendy 2008 past times.  Its 2009, and I am giving my all to my family for now on.  To my 2 faithful blog followers, follow me in a different way by turning off the puter (learned this word from an old friend I don’t spend too much time with anymore) and spend some time with real people that you can touch and talk to.

My Valentines Day

I awoke this am to prepare myself for work.  On my way out the door I paused long enough to cut the fresh flowers and place them in the vase, sign the card that told her that “Life is hectic and no matter how busy I get I save my best moments to spend with her”.  I propped up the brand new copy of The Notebook (The only chic-flick I would ever recomend to another man to watch with his woman) and the card on the vase, which sat in the middle of the kitchen table and left for work.  As I drove the 40 minutes to work I realized the card was a lie, as I generally give my best at work and come home worn out and just wanting to do enough so that the family (wife & kids) feel I am engaged.  I can generally fool the kids, but she always knows. I came home tonight to no wife,  just kids and a mother-in-law.  The mother-in-law leaves and I begin the religious activity known as “Treatment Time” in the Herrmann household.  Treatment Time consists of three breathing treatments and two 15 minute rounds of wearing the abbi-vest .  Kids are gone to bed now and I think I will relax with a Margarita and watch The Notebook alone this valentines evening.

Things I Wrestle With

These aren’t in any order!

1. The Doctrine of Depravity – and if I am such a big piece of shiznip – then why did Jesus die for me.
2. Prayer – The recorded life of Jesus shows that he was much like us and prayed during the “tough times in life”.  There is no mention of Jesus and the disciples praying religiously every morning, before “every” meal, or every night to end the day.
3. Serving – Most of the recorded life of Jesus shows that he was more interested in serving the poor than praying and getting people saved.  Since this is true, why does alomst every sermon end with a prayer and a call to those in the congregation to get saved?
4. Death – If we truly believe that heaven is this great and wonderful place then why do we cry when someone leaves us and goes there?
5. Evangelism – Shouldn’t your life be your evangelism tool?  People should see you and want to be like you because of the changes that you have made in your life because of Jesus.  The unfortuunate part is we as Christians aren’t much different Sunday afternoon thru Saturday night then the good people we want to evangelize on to our team. Evanglism has become a “get them to believe what I believe” multi-million dollar business ministry, instead of a this is what Jesus did for me testimony.
6. New Age - Me? – Yes!  Well, actually not yet but my new age will be 33 in 16 days.
7. Billy Graham – Possibly the greatest evangelist ever.  Started poor and now is quite wealthy, but shunned by many because of what he says in this video.  I like Billy Graham and I have liked everything I have ever heard him say/preach (except that recorded comment with President Nixon) and I like this video also.

Can You Answer the Tough Questions

The Next Whipping Boy II

$400 million dumped in the 5,000 porta-potties brought in for the inauguration. Inauguration Tuesday has come and gone and the candidate that promised a sweeping change to DC, has already let us down.  All of us!  The inauguration celebration price tag is estimated @ $170 million, the federal government budgeted $49 million with the remainder of the funds coming from “donations”.  Combine that $170 million with the fact that the District of Columbia (Washington, DC), the State of Virginia, and the State of Maryland have all asked for $75 million each “to help pay for inaugural necessities, like extra police, fire and medical services,” and the total quickly reaches nearly $400 million.  Change? What change?  Barrack was there any change left after your party?  And how many times do you need to be sworn in before you realize it is not a dream?  Some people have their morning coffee, some people have their quiet time, Obamma he beckons the Cheif Justice to the White House every morning and gets sworn in.  I am sure that Chief Justice John Roberts has better things to do, like overturning R vs. W, like this will ever happen.  Maybe CJJR messed up the Prezzzz initial swearing in because BHO along with 21 other Senators voted against him going to the Supreme Court back in 2005. Nahhh!

What I Learned in Church Today

Crossroads is doing a sojourn through the New Testament in 2009.  We are currently traveling through Matthew (duh! It’s only January).  Today, Mark taught about how John the Baptist was a forerunner to Jesus; which fulfilled the prophecy in Isaiah 40:3.  In Matthew 11 we find John the Baptist in a fortified jail in Machaerus (present day Jordan).  John sends two of his disciples to Jesus to find out if Jesus is truly the one and if so will he do something miraculous to get John out of prison.  Jesus responds:

“Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.  Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.”

This response is amazing…and this is why.  Jesus is quoting verses out of Isaiah; Isaiah 35:4-6 and Isaiah 61:1.  John who probably has the Book of Isaiah memorized would have understood what Jesus was saying to him.

Isaiah 35:4-6 – The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the deaf hear

Isaiah 61:1 – the good news is preached to the poor.

Isaiah 61 also says proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners

John is a prisoner, but Jesus eliminates this part of Isaiah from His response, because he knows John will never leave Machaerus alive.  Jesus knows a few days/weeks/months later that John is going to be beheaded.  Jesus leaves John with hope because he “the dead are raised” to His response and then encourages John with His final statement “Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.”

Present day Machaerus pictured below.

Maybe you’re in your own Machaerus and you are waiting for God to do something miraculous.  Know this – Jesus is hope!  He releases you from whatever it is that is imprisoning you.  He frees the captives and releases us from the ever present darkness.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” – Jesus Christ

Humility Check?

Our Daily Bread

What I learned in church Sunday!

We pray “Give us this day our daily bread” – but what does that mean?  In the Old Testament the exiles (God’s people who He rescued from Egypt) were given Mana daily (Exodus 16).  They were told to take just enough to sustain them for the day (daily bread).  Some lost trust in God’s provisions or had the mentality that we possess today that we want more, excess, an abundance.  These people stored up more then what was needed and God allowed that food to spoil and be full of maggots by morning time.

St. Basil the Great wrote in a 4th Century sermon:

 “that nothing … that belongs to us … is ours alone … particularly that which is in excess of “our daily bread”. The bread that is spoiling in your house belongs to the hungry. The shoes that are mildewing under your bed belong to those who have none. The clothes stored away in your trunk belong to those who are naked. The money that depreciates in your treasury belongs to the poor.”

What are you holding on to?

Sometimes This Isn’t Enough!

Oh!  How I would love to write something clever, but I will leave you with this….”Jesus Loves You!”

Sometimes these three words, this trite phrase, is not enough.  This Christian idiom doesn’t solve all of our problems, but it gives us hope. 

“Hope gives us the courage to  move forward, the power to forgive, and the grace to keep the promises we have made.  Hope dispels fear.  Hope readies us for round two.  Hope holds our heads above water and gives us permission to regroup when we are tired.  Hope redeems mistakes and prompts optimism and resilience.” – Nancy Ortberg – Unleashing the Power of Rubber Bands.

May this phrase, this slogan, these three words bring you hope during whatever it is that you are going through.  Jesus loves you!

Our new Church

Crossroads

I think we have found a church home although we are still praying about it.  Of the two dozen or so churches I have visited in the past 12 months – this church (hands up (pun definitely intended)) wins the worship award.  Talk about being intentional when worshiping…this is not a 3 worship songs and done church.  Yeah, some of you know what I am talking about and cringe as I said it. The worship at Crossroads is powerful and sprinkled with prayer.  We visited Heartland about 10 months ago and I really enjoyed the time dedicated to prayer during their service.  Crossroads is very similar in this aspect.  Maybe the best part is for the first time in a long time I remember what the message was on Monday morning.  Many times in the past I found myself wondering what the message was about as I was picking up my children from Sunday school.  Maybe my favorite part about this church is that they are missional.  Crossroads partners include: Seeds of Hope, Compassion International, Heart of the Bride, World Partners, Anchor House Ministry for Boys, The Outreach Center, and Siempre Kids (an Orphanage in Mexico).

Enjoy this video from the youth group.  I love the song!

http://www.thexroads.org/media-2/video/