Comments on: Saturday, March 4

By: Jones Lambert

Jones Lambert — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 11:01:33 +0000

Google is the best search engine

By: mark

mark — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 15:56:00 +0000

I have found the prayer Jesus gave his disciples to be the one of the greatest blessings in my life, especially when it is wrapped in the other teachings Jesus gave concerning prayer. A few days ago I was so discouraged that when I got up to pray I simply had no words to speak, so I sat in silence. After a while the words of that prayer entered my heart and served as a guide into His presence. To pray that prayer and mean it is the essence of discipleship for me.

By: CFOURMAY

CFOURMAY — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 13:21:00 +0000

I may have missed this whole discussion or I may be causing mmyself to look ignorant, but here is my take. I may be way out of line-but here goes. Let me start by saying I can see the potential for the Prayer of Jabez to be harmful in self-seeking Christians. I haven’t read the book so I will not argue that it is scriptual/unscriptual or helpful/unhelpful. I want to defend the prayer itself and not the book. I do want to say that in a time of weakness or need this is the type of prayer that many prayer and I believe should pray. Lot’s of people in the bible asked for strength and to be free from pain. And I pray that the Lord blesses all of us Christians and for His hand to be with us. Jabez also prays for more land (which in that day meant wealth). But in a time of need these request I believe would be ok. There are Christians who can’t pay an electric bill or who don’t have a big enough house for their family. That prayer is very relevant for many people. In the end, when it comes to any type of prayer whether it be the Lord’s prayer or Jabez’s prayer if the heart of the person praying is right God will bless that faithful Christian in some way. If it is true that the book teaches to pray for one’s self to prosper for selfish reasons then this does not follow Jesus’ living example of a Christian. Any Christian should know that being a Christian is not about ourselves, but for others. But to say that one never needs to pray a similiar prayer to Jabez’s is not correct either. I think most agree with this statement, but I just don’t want someone to think the pray of Jabez is wrong in the right context.

By: Joel Maners

Joel Maners — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 05:03:00 +0000

There’s another small obscure OT figure called Job. His prayer is quite interesting as well. If you could sum up the prayer of Jabez as “things can always get better, you could sum up the prayer of Job as “things could always b worse.”

By: Heather A

Heather A — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 04:44:00 +0000

Very sweet pictures…I love your family, and like many others have said, they have been a huge blessing in my life. Also, I just saw the pictures of Kerri and the girls serving communion today. May I please ask when this blog is going to stop making me cry??? No, really, I so love being part of the Highland family that I am embracing this wonderful mix of grieving and rejoicing because I know that I am experiencing true community as God meant it to be. Thank you, Lord, for allowing me to grow and struggle in my faith alongside such amazing sisters like Kerri Lane!

By: Michael Summers

Michael Summers — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 01:29:00 +0000

An earlier comment suggested that you hadn’t changed since 1998. I can’t see any change since 1982 at HGSR!

By: Brandon Scott

Brandon Scott — Sun, 05 Mar 2006 13:05:00 +0000

I think you’ve both aged well…if you can even call it aging. Basically you both stink. Sheesh. Look at least a year older next year, ok? Diane–what a babe!

As for the Jabez thing…AMEN! Ugh.

This morning we have our first big service in the sanctuary. Pray for us. ZOE is singing–actually ZOE+. The “pluses” call themselves “Faux-y” HA!!! That cracks me up.

By: David U

David U — Sun, 05 Mar 2006 03:18:00 +0000

Diane is prettier now than when she was at Harding, and you are way uglier! Explain that one.
DU

By: Leland & Jackie

Leland & Jackie — Sat, 04 Mar 2006 22:49:00 +0000

MUST READ! A new book by Larry Crabb just published about one week ago: “The PAPA Prayer.” It is a short book that describes the path to relational prayer; i.e., the cultivation of a relationship with the Trinity that must grow before other prayers of petition, praise, etc. (The publisher is Integrity here in Brentwood, but I don’t receive any royalties.)

By: Matt Elliott

Matt Elliott — Sat, 04 Mar 2006 22:14:00 +0000

Your post made me think of these challenging lyrics from the late Keith Green’s “Asleep in the Light,” a prophetic musical message written to lethargic Christians back in back in 1978:

“Oh, bless me Lord, bless me Lord” —
You know it’s all I ever hear
No one aches, no one hurts
No one even sheds one tear

But He cries, He weeps, He bleeds
And He cares for your needs
And you just lay back
And keep soaking it in.

Those lyrics still challenge me.

And you can order the Jabez t-shirt Ed mentioned by clicking here!

By: julie

julie — Sat, 04 Mar 2006 19:59:00 +0000

Mike, loved the pictures! You are safe when you post those pictures because I know that Diane is not awake yet.
I love that Highland says the Lord’s Prayer every Sunday. A couple of weeks ago our little friend, Jaxon, was sitting behind us while we said the Lord’s Prayer and he knows most of it…he is 4 years old and it was precious hearing it with his adorable 4 year old voice. And….I was reading the Sermon on the Mount to the sixth grade girls recently and got to the Lord’s Prayer and they spontaneously joined me as I read. Such a powerful moment and so full of meaning on so many levels. I am so thankful that these kids have owned that prayer and it will always be a part of them.

By: Deb

Deb — Sat, 04 Mar 2006 17:48:00 +0000

As models for prayers go, this prayer of Jesus contains so many layers. I am probably not saying this well, and over-simplifying, but do you find it interesting how Jesus frequently uses the terminology and references of ‘reward’ as He does:
* no reward in heaven for showy acts of righteousness;
* hypocrites receiving their rewards ‘in full’;
* rewards for giving in secret.

Then, as His prayer follows, we ask God to forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors (where do we get the words ’sin’ and ‘trespass’ in some of the versions of this prayer?). This four-letter word — debt — in today’s society where we’re programmed to feel like we are owed everything, or that what we are owed is our inherent right, is not any more popular than it was in Jesus’ time. (My Greek is non-existent, but is there a textual difference between ‘reward in heaven’ and v19’s ‘treasures in heaven’?)

We never seem to know what kind of wages Jesus received for His carpentry work, but He seemed to understand how basic and important the human need for wages, interest-earning, and material rewards were to the people He spoke to. As well also how the human soul could tumble when any of these assets are abused.

Thanks! Sure wish I could hear your homily tomorrow!

(PS: Looks like Time has been kind to both you and Diane!)

By: Conni H.

Conni H. — Sat, 04 Mar 2006 17:34:00 +0000

You have a beautiful family. You have been blessed.

Where is your high school graduation picture..??

Whats good for the goose…

By: Ahnog

Ahnog — Sat, 04 Mar 2006 17:16:00 +0000

Having spent 49 years associated with Churches of Christ I have had a low view liturgy. Since disassociating myself with the Church of Christ I have learned why the ancient Church adopted liturgical forms of worship. Especially when that liturgy is centered on something like the Lord’s Prayer there is great power in it. Like the Lord’s Supper, the Lord’s Prayer calls us back to focus on the right thing–”Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” That is what it is all about!

By: SG

SG — Sat, 04 Mar 2006 16:53:00 +0000

Everytime I see a picture of your boys I think Chris is Matt and the other guy…well who is he? Matt may be forever 14 in my mind and Chris is stuck somewhere around 3 or 4! Great pictures! I really don’t think you and Diane have aged since 1998!