The Return of the Son

I'm so excited I can hardly stand it -- Jonathan, Heidi, Kai, and Salem (my son, his wife and their 2 sons -- my two grandsons) will be arriving from South Carolina today!!! They are in SC working to establish a House of Prayer there, and while we love what they are doing, we sure do miss them. We haven't seen them since March when we made a trip to SC.

Anticipation is good for us! Perhaps I am getting a glimpse of the anticipation of Jesus as He looks forward to the day when The Father releases Him to come and get His Bride -- the Church. Perhaps I am getting an even better idea of what is missing in my own anticipation of that event. I must ask myself, am I as excited about the soon arrival of Jesus, as I am about the soon arrival of my son and His family? If not, why not? Is it because the return of Christ is not yet as real as the return of Jonathan? I am ready for the return of my son, but I am not yet ready for the return of The Son. Thank you, Lord, for giving me a a way to measure my preparedness and thank you for this time to get my heart ready for the return of The Son.

Superman

Debbie and I joined another couple on Thursday evening at "Superman Returns." There really wasn't much different about this installment -- bad guy seeks to dominate the world -- good guy tries to stop him -- bad guy seems to overcome good guy -- good guy ... well, I better stop there. I don't want to spoil the "intricate" (year right) plot. Anyway, the special effects were pretty good (What special effects? You mean he isn't really flying?), and I loved the music. There were obvious "Christ" parallels -- a father sent a son to rescue a race bent on self-destruction -- including a little too obvious scene of Superman floating in the air with his arms outstretched as if he were on an invisible cross. Anyway, I don't anticipate this one will get any kind of Academy Awards, but it was a fun escape for a few minutes and I came away from the movie having been entertained and feeling good. I know I'm not very sophisticated in that, but I kind of like a mindless movie that doesn't challenge me to think in the least in order to know what's going on. All that being said, I will probably see it again when it comes out on DVD.

Assume Crash Position

I was scanning the news today when I ran across a story that contained these words:
"[The] Sunni militant fringe ... characterize Shi'ites as kafireen -- atheists, or godless" saying that is the reason Sunni Muslims are so willing to attack and kill Shiite Muslims. Everyone by now is aware of the ideological gulf between its Sunni Muslims and the Shi'ite Hizbollah militants who are fighting Israel. The battle between these two Muslim factions could be an example of what Jesus said would happen as we come closer to the time for His return. Matthew 24:7 recprds, "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. ..." In reality, the "kingdoms" of Islam are against each other.

However, the next statement (24:9) in Matthew's Gospel is quite chilling. Referring to those who follow Christ, Jesus says, "Then they will deliver you (Christians) up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake." The same nations who were at each other's throats, will suddenly band together to focus their attention on a common enemy -- US! And the thing that seems most likely to precipitate that unholy union is the Church's support of Israel. The same news story that reported the conflict between Sunni and Shiite Muslims had this to say, "It's been widely decided by jihadists in general ... that even though Hizbollah has a special agenda, nonetheless we can make a common front with Hizbollah because the priority should be given to fighting Israel ... we still have to make a common front with them because they are fighting the worst enemy."

Bitter enemies -- fighting and killing each other one day -- willingly unite the next day to fight anyone who loves and supports Israel. We are on a collision course -- perhaps it's time to assume crash position. And what is that? Being fully clothed in the armor of God, standing firmly on the Truth of His Word, eyes fixd on Jesus, hearts consumed with love.

Move Over Marlon Brando

This morning, I went out onto the deck in the back yard to tend my tomato plants. I have three of them growing in three pots on my deck. My first response to the tomato plants this morning was, "Man, these are really ugly plants!" Truly, these are perhaps the worst looking tomato plants I have ever seen -- not that I've seen that many -- but of the ones I've seen, these are really ugly. They are twisted and gnarled. Branches are broken off -- some by the weight of the fruit -- some by the wind -- perhaps others ... well, who knows? The good news is that one of the plants is producing some really nice fruit -- little cherry tomatoes that are sweet and juicy. How that good produce comes from such ugly plants, I do not know!

My second thought was of the movie "The Godfather." Do you remember the scene where old man Don Corlione (I have no idea if that is spelled correctly, but if you've seen the movie, you know what I mean) is in the garden spraying for bugs and inspecting his plants. He begins to chase his grandson playfully, and then keels over dead. Now that is not the humorous part, in fact, I may have lost the reason I started this little story. Oh yeah -- it was not the Godfather getting dead part that was funny -- it was the old man bent over his plants -- inspecting them and spraying them. So I'm out on the deck, inspecting my tomato plants, watering them, checking for ripe fruit, when this image flashes through my mind. My thoughts race, "I hope nobody else is up this early watching me -- I look too much like old man Brando!"

Ok, so it wasn't that funny to anyone else, but I sure got a smile out of it -- and isn't that what really counts? Peace -- Out. Tom

Consistency

I was just sitting here, waiting for a meeting to begin, when I should have been exercising. One of the toughest things I deal with -- not because of the variations in my schedule, but because of my own lack of discipline -- is consistency. I really need to get up and move around -- walk, lift weights -- do something! And when I get home from the meeting, I NEED TO EAT (yeah, right!) -- and after I eat, I can't exercise right away. Then, of course, the experts say that you shouldn't do vigorous exercise (let's don't get personal now -- vigorous is a matter of perspective) within 3 hours of bedtime. So it looks like I may not get around to exercise today. And tomorrow is already a bust (exercise-wise) because I'm occupied all day. Perhaps I can get something done on Wednesday! Some would say I need to be better at time management. But you know what? I can't manage time -- each second is...well... a second long. And each minute is a minute long. And so on. Time is managed very well! Time is very consistent -- it keeps right on going, with or without me. What I need to do is be better at event management. Now there is something I can control and adjust as I need to in order to to accomplish something. So, my quest for the immediate future is to figure out how to better manage the events that come my way.

10 feet tall and bullet-proof

I just returned home after the Sunday gathering of the Body of Christ for worship. The preacher, Mike Bickle, was expounding on Zechariah 12 - 14. I won't attempt to re-cap what he said. For the notes, I direct you to the International House of Prayer link on this page. But I do want to comment on one phrase in the Zechariah passage. There will be a time when all the nations will gather against Israel (even moreso than currently is happening). Their gathering is described by Zechariah like this: "Behold I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples when they lay siege agains Judah and Jerusalem." In other words, when the assault begins, it will create in the attackers as sense of invincibility. They will be like drunks who will pick a fight with anyone -- in fact, some drunks will pick fights will whole groups of people -- the alcohol makes them feel "teen feet tall and bullet-proof." That seems to be the attitude of Hezbolah and Hamas right now. The thing we must all understand is that this attitude will only escalate. I pray that I will stand firm and not be part of the drunkenness! May we continue to pray with Paul that all Israel will be saved.

Blanket in a Snake

I've heard of -- and even consumed -- pigs in a blanket. But not until this week did I hear of the quite unusual "blanket in a snake." Did you hear about the 12 foot Burmese Python that swallowed an entire queen sized electric blanket? The owner of the snake (and the blanket) said that he kept the electric blanket in the snake's cage to keep the snake warm. (Seems a little over the top to me, but then I don't own a 12 foot Burmese Python.) The snake's dinner, a little unsuspecting bunny, must not have realized who the blanket belonged to, snuggled down for a warm nap, and found himself and the blanket making the trip into the Burmese black hole. I love the owner's comment: "Somehow, he was able to unplug the electric cord," Beznoska said Wednesday. "He at least wasn't hooked up to the power." I wonder what rabbit stuffed snake steak tastes like?

Ladder 49

Just finished watching an old movie -- Ladder 49 -- about a Baltimore fire fighter and all he, his family, and his fellow fire fighters went through for 10 years. His purpose for doing what he did, the thing he told his wife the day he met her in the super market, the thing he told his son in order to calm his fears, was "I save people." What a purpose! Reminds me of Someone else -- "I came to seek and to save that which is lost," Jesus said. Then He said to those who would call themselves by His name, "Go into all the world and make disciples ... " Perhaps we Christians should adopt the same purpose as the hero in Ladder 49 -- "I save people." Maybe then, we would be more like the One we love -- the One who loves us.

Connections

I was reading the "LOCAL" section of the Kansas City Star today when I noticed an interesting arrangement of stories. On page 2, the inside of page 1 (natch!) was an article telling us that a federal judge ordered Missouri prison officials to transport a pregnant inmate to get an abortion. The judge ruled that "A Missouri Department of Corrections policy instituted last year violated the constitutional rights of incarcerated women who could not otherwise have access to abortion services they legally are entitled to..." ("Abortion transportation ordered" by Tony Rizzo of the KC Star, Wednesday, July 19, 2006) When you remove pages 3-12 of the LOCAL section (which leaves only the outside page of the section -- pages 1, 2 and 13,14), immediately across from the page 2 story on abortion is the story (on page 13) headlined "Couple accused of abusing teen." (by KC Star writers James Hart and Mark Morris) This is a story about a couple who kept "a disabled teenager, their second cousin, captive in their basement." I am amazed that more people don't see the irony in that. On the inside front of the section, we have a story telling us that children are not worth preserving. On the inside back of the section, we have a story reporting the end result of treating life as "throw-away." Doesn't anyone see the connection here? When we as a society build into the cultural psyche the idea that life is cheap and insignificant, we must expect people to live that out in the form of child abuse, elder abuse, spousal abuse, etc. Statistics have alarmed law enforcement across the country lately -- violent crime is on a dramatic increase. Folks, there is a connection here that cannot be dismissed. When society devalues life in its beginning stages, it will necessarily devalue life in all its stages!

Pain In The Middle East

I can't add anything significant to all that is already being said in terms of solutions in the middle east, but I can express my support for brothers and sisters in Christ who are caught and confused. I am encouraged by email reports I get from both Gaza and Jerusalem. The Arab Christians in Gaza are holding strong even though they have not had electricity for days, nor have they had running water in that same length of time. Arab believers in Gaza are holding strong even though they don't know if anyone knows or cares that they exist. At the same time, I get information that Jewish Christians in Jerusalem are praying for their Arab brothers just a few miles away in a war ravaged area of "The Holy Land." I even understand that Jewish Christians are trying to get supplies in to their Arab brothers and sisters in Christ. So in the midst of all the carnage and chaos, a glimmer of light shines. There is hope! And that hope comes in the person of the Prince of Peace -- Jesus -- who ties Arab and Jew together into one new man. I am glad to be a small part of that hope, as I join a room filled with people praying for the entire situation to be resolved in Christ.

On Getting a New Bible

My old Bible was not that old, and I had certainly not squeezed all the available truth from it. But the cover was coming off and making it a little difficult to deal with. I emailed the Thomas Nelson Company explaining what had happened and asked if there was any kind of policy related to re-binding their Bibles. To my surprise, a Thomas Nelson representative called me within 24 hours to get more information from me. When I told the rep that I had a wide margin New King James Version, with genuine disappointment in her voice she said, "Oh Mr. Mills, I am so sorry, but that particular edition has been discontinued. But we want to do what we can to make it right. Would you please go to our web site and find a Bible of comparable value, write down the product number, call me back, and I will send a new Bible to you right away.

I followed her instructions to the letter, and in just a couple of days, I had my new Bible in hand. Kudos to Thomas Nelson Publishers!

Now begins the long and arduous task of learning how to use my new Bible. Isn't it interesting how we know right where things are in our "old" Bible, but somehow things that have been in the same place for centuries are suddenly not there? I mean, I don't even think the old stand-by, John 3:16 is in the same place in this new Bible. One thing I do refuse to do, though, is transfer notes from the old Bible to the new one. I am sorely tempted, believe me! But I know that transfering notes tends to hinder me from getting new insight on old passages. So, in an attempt to stay fresh in Bible study, I will limp along, re-learning where familiar passages are, finding new ones (ones that I promise you were not there before), and allowing the Holy Spirit to speak to me fresh. Perhaps that is what the Bible means when it says of itself, "The Word of God is living and active!"

Dawgs Are Pretty Smart

I just came in from the back yard. It's hot today in Kansas City -- not as hot as it is forecast to be the rest of the week, but still hot. I love the heat and my daughter's dog loves for anyone to join her in the back yard to play with her. We played for a few minutes -- actually, I threw the volleyball and she chased after it, pushing it along the ground with her nose as if it were a soccer ball -- guess she's not that smart if she doesn't know the difference in a volleyball and a soccer ball. Anyway, I was ready for more "play" when I noticed that she had gone to stand in her wading pool. Yes, we bought the dog a blue plastic wading pool just for days like today. I threw the ball, and she stood in the water and looked at me like as was some kind of fool. I encouraged, "Go get your ball, Abby!" She continued to stand in the wading pool. I then ran over to the ball and kicked it like a soccer ball (she trained me very quickly) and said again, "Go get your ball!" She stood in the water and watched. About that time, I noticed how really hot it is and left our play time for the air conditioning, leaving Abby standing in the cool water of her wading pool. When you think about it, dawgs are pretty smart.

Starting Over

I entered the world of blogging many moons ago and was a dismal failure. Not sure why -- probably lack of discipline. Anyway, I recently got the bug again and thought I'd put all that behind me and give it another shot. So, here's to new beginnings, fresh attempts, clean slates, wet cement, and whatever other metaphors or similies that describe what I'm attempting to do.

My first thought (well, probably not my first thought -- but at least the first thought that makes it's way onto the page) has to do with -- well, gee, maybe I don't have a first thought, or second, or third for that matter. But then, isn't that what blogging is all about? Just launching out until something coherent comes? Perhaps I have wasted a lot of time and space here, but then, perhaps I'm just cleaning out the cob webs (hey, that's another metaphor I should have used above!) in order to get started. I'll try again later -- after I've had some lunch.

Blessings to all who made it this far!
Tom