Today was opening day in major league baseball. I have been at my real job at Ameriquest Field in Arlington, Texas directing the Texas Rangers and Boston Red Sox television opener. And that will likely be my real job until you people start buying more books! In my mind there is no more special day in sports than opening day in baseball. The smell of freshly cut emerald green grass delights the senses. The base lines are painstakingly and perfectly defined by a grounds crew that is committed to perfection on this day.  Red, white, and blue bunting give the ball park a festive world series look. The players today act like little boys. This is the one day that these privileged athletes seem to forget they are millionaires and actually appear grateful that they are paid to play a little boy’s and girl’s game. Kids skip school and parents do not care because memories are being made for both of them. The hot dogs taste like gourment food.  Tacky souvenirs are
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I am not a scientist. I don’t play one on TV. I didn’t even stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. But I have to humbly disagree with a story that I found in the Dallas Morning News today. The headline reported that a “Study fails to show healing power of prayer.” I appreciate the efforts of the Templeton Foundation to quantify spiritual effect scientifically. I really do. Still,  I suspect that many or even most would be unmoved if the results showed a profound and positive effect for prayer. I recall that Pharaoh refused to believe in the God of Israel even as he stood derriere deep in frogs. Let’s examine the findings in the story and discuss. My comments are italicized. Does praying for a sick person’s recovery do any good? In the largest scientific test of its kind, heart surgery patients showed no benefit when strangers prayed for their recovery. And patients who knew they were being prayed for
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If you missed yesterday’s edition of the humble ramblings allow me to bring you up to date. We invited Job’s buddies in to give us a seminar on how not to treat a friend going through a difficult season. Today the first guest is Zophar from Naamath. And, waiting backstage to confront his friends is the star of the book, Job himself. Another lesson in friendship coming up next on Good Morning, Uz. Let’s welcome Zophar from Naamath to our discussion: Job, do you think you can carry on like this and we’ll say nothing? (Pretty sure Job was thinking that ain’t likely to happen).  That we’ll let you rail and mock and not step in? You claim, “My doctrine is sound and my conduct impeccable.’  How I wish God would give you a piece of his mind, tell you what’s what! I wish he’d show you how wisdom looks from the inside,  for true wisdom is mostly “inside.’  But you can be sure of this,  you haven’t gotten
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Yesterday I passed along some tips on how to be a good buddy when a friend is going through a deep trial. Steve is a committed reader of these ramblings (and for that perhaps he should be committed). He complimented me on being a quick study on this issue. While I appreciate the kind words I have to admit that I learned much of what not to do from Eliphaz from Teman, Bildad from Shuhah, and of course; Zophar from Naamath. If you don’t recognize the list above these are the buddies of Job who taught the original seminar of how not to deal with a friend going through adversity. I must disclaim that Joni and I have not encountered friends like Job’s in our current trial. But there are so many lessons to be learned in this remarkable story about suffering, trials, our response, and about how to be a friend. As all of you literate readers of this blog know already, it
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 It is not easy to know what to do when a brother or sister is going through adversity. So here are some early lessons we have learned from our cancer journey. A primer for being a good adversity buddy… 1) It is okay to say the “C” word. Joni and I know that she has cancer so it will not be a surprise to us. We believe that we have a “C” word in our lives that trumps the fear of cancer. That “C” word is Christ. 2) You don’t have to “say” anything profound, theologically brilliant, or comforting. Simple phrases like “I am praying” and “I am here if you need me” pack more punch than a theological dissertation on suffering. Some don’t know what to say and then proceed to say it in great detail. Joni and I don’t need to “figure” this all out right now. We just need to walk with the Lord one step at a time.
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American Christians should think twice before we ever use the word persecution when we describe our trials. Please hear me out…I know that many of the things we endure are difficult. Betrayal, slander, loneliness, hurt, illness, divorce, abandonment, and separation are painful. But persecution? I don’t know if the average American Christian really knows what that word means. Dictionary.net defines persecution as “the act or practice of persecuting; especially, the infliction of loss, pain, or death for adherence to a particular creed or mode of worship.” I have been so moved by the story of Adbul Rahman. He is my brother in Christ in Afghanistan. Abdul  has earned the right to use the word persecution. He has stood courageously in the face of threats, ridicule, and even the prospect of death. I am not worthy to lace his sandals. When Rahman had the oportunity to “compromise” to save his life he refused. Authorities offered him the defense of mental incompetance to avoid the punishment.
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So many friends have expressed caring, love, and prayers since the word went out about Joni’s cancer. We are touched and blessed by your prayers and encouragement. James told us to “consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” That is a pretty tall order isn’t it? But as I look over my life I realize that every time of real growth was watered by adversity. Job endured a more severe test that most of us can even fathom. Not once through all of his overwhelming trials did Job sin. He said nothing against God. At one point Job’s wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!” But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks.
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