SPIRITUAL OASIS Blog

RSS Feed Homepage

Articles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Winterfest - Gatlinburg - Report from the Road
2007-02-19 07:34:01
These words are coming to you from the winter wonderland of Gatlinburg , Tennessee. Along with my wife and several other adult sponsors I have the privilege of chaperoning a group of teenagers from Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey in attendance at Winter fest 2007. While it still feels like today, it is actually already become yesterday?s tomorrow. To make this cross-country journey we boarded our bus at about 4:30 AM on Friday. We?ve traveled a ?fer piece? today. Today?s (yesterday’s) highlights included: — A nasty fall while helping load the bus this morning. Actually, I was on my way to help load the bus. Our church facilities are positioned on a relatively small but steep hill. The road up the hillside has a couple of sharp curves which prevented the driver gaining enough speed to cross the ice barrier created by runoff in order to reach the parking lot. So, we had to load the bus in the roadway at the bottom of the hill. When I was making my way down the icy dr...
More About: Inter , Report , Port

Communicating Communion
2007-02-15 13:31:05
In the previous post I referred to the distinction that Eugene Peterson makes between two groups of words. The first is words for communication. The second is words for communion. The difference does not consist in the combination of consonants and vowels. The difference, it seems, has more to do with the heart from which the words emanate. I heard a story many years ago that seems to underscore this. You?ll have to imagine a time that predates the proliferation of mass media, even radio. For entertainment and edification people regularly gathered in community meeting halls to listen to gifted ?readers?. By all reports these were often spectacular events. Near the conclusion of an evening?s offerings a well-dressed, dignified looking gentleman assumed a commanding position in front of an assembled crowd. With distinct diction and a booming bass voice he flawlessly recited the six verses which constitute Psalm 23. The audience responded with vigorous applause. Near the back of the r...
More About: Cat , Muni , Union , Comm

Words and Wonderment
2007-02-15 01:30:04
With this post we move from lighthearted reflections on words to serious thoughts about these basic units of language, these principal carriers of meaning. Through an excerpt from his book ?Under the Unpredictable Plant?, Eugene H. Peterson will serve as our spiritual director for this excursion. Before we dive into these thoughts, a couple of preliminary comments are in order. First, we note that this book was written to help ministers recover ?vocational holiness?. The story of Jonah is used as the framework for discussion, while Peterson?s personal observations and experiences supply the substance of the book. Of this book William H. Willimon says, ??with honest, biblical eloquence, Peterson talks about what?s needed to stay with pastoral ministry in ways that are both faithful and vital.? Second, the portion of this book we will engage is near the end of the book. It follows Peterson?s presentation of a thoroughly developed and, in my opinion, a well-established need for a para...
More About: Word , Men , Words , Wonder

Wonder Words 001
2007-02-14 01:29:01
Words are fascinating, aren?t they? I sometimes wonder how certain words came into being, how they entered into the English language. An example of this is: smorgasbord. Sources tell us that it is a compound word derived from the Swiss smörgs, meaning sandwich and bord, table. Have you eaten at a restaurant featuring a sandwich table recently? A number of years ago I started keeping up with words that made me wonder. I don?t have an elaborate system. Each time a ?wonder word? pops up on the page, I flip to the back of the book and jot it down there, usually making note of the page on which it appears. Don?t worry if you loan me a book, though. I don?t make it a habit of marking up books that belong to other people. In such cases I tuck a piece of scrap paper in the book and jot the wonder words on it. I have a stack of these papers in my writing notebook. Through the years, I?ve read thousands of books. When people pick up a book from one of the shelves in my library and ask me if I...
More About: Word , Words , Wonder

Growing Closer to God
2007-02-10 07:25:01
Have you ever come across something in your files that looks familiar?like it could be something that you?ve written but you?re not certain? Well this post contains a list that comes from that category. The thing that makes me think I came up with it is the quirky alliteration. I?m kinda known for that. But it could be that I developed this from notes that I took from someone else?s teaching somewhere along the way. Regardless, I hope it blesses your life. The following is based upon Colossians 3:1-17. You?ll want to read these verses from which I (or, “we”) have extracted what I believe is a biblical strategy for growing closer to the Lord. ? The words ?Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is?? suggest the idea of INFATUATION (which literally means extravagant love or admiration) with Christ. ? ?Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things?? suggests PREOCCUPATION with Christ. ? ?Put to death what belongs to your earthly nature?? clearly indicates TERM...
More About: God , Close , Wing , Growing , Loser

Have you seen this?
2007-02-09 19:24:01
So many exciting things are going on in our little corner of the blogosphere! There is no way I could mention them all, but here are a few points of interest that caught my eye this week: — Alaska’s shimmering auroras captivate Japanese tourists. Since my wife and I went on an Alaskan Cruise a few years ago, everything about Alaska has captivated me. Click HERE to see some amazing pics. — Amy shares her heart about the up’s and down’s of being in and out of ministry. — Bobby reminds us that Paul?s ?Honey Do List? leads us to a life in Christ. — Dee’s 2nd Annual Finding Direction Winter Desktop Photo Contest is complete. For a full report click HERE. — Hooteewho at Hoots Musings gives us an opportunity to take the Ultimate Bible Quiz. — Neva Cooper fills every line she writes with spiritual wisdom and a loving spirit. — Patrick Mead shares some penetrating thoughts about believing in God regardless of whether our day ...
More About: This , Have

Singing In Between the Notes
2007-02-08 07:22:01
Anne Lamott is an enigma. She writes with complete candor about her life-experiences. She sometimes offends the sensitivities of church people with her unvarnished remembrances of her journey from atheism to an unashamed confession of faith in Jesus. Her honesty is unsettling for churched people who are huddled behind the barriers, insulated from the un-saved, un-churched masses of humanity. A poignant example of this is found in Lamott’s “Traveling Mercies” (1999, Anchor Books). Here she discusses her first steps away from a life of heavy drinking, frequent drug use, licentious living and avowed atheism into the netherworld of Christianity as experienced in Christian worship. What she says about singing is especially interesting. Please look at the following lines closely. I wonder if Anne Lomott would be a believer in Jesus Christ if the hearts of the worshipers had not been where they were when she encountered them! Ponder these words: I went back to St. Andrew...
More About: Note , The N , Notes , Between , Sing

Studying the Book of Revelation
2007-02-07 07:21:01
When it comes to studying the Scriptures, one of the most exciting sections is the revelation from Jesus Christ, which God made known by sending his angel to his servant John. Through the years, these 404 verses (as previous generations have divided them) have been the source of intense study, many questions and no little controversy. A few years ago I came across something helpful in a book by Homer Hailey. In the following excerpt, Hailey suggests three rules for studying and interpreting the Book of Revelation. What did the book mean to the people of that day to whom it was written? Any interpretation that omits or overlooks this point is invalid. This approach involves (a) some understanding of the conditions under which the saints lived, and (b) the spiritual needs of the hour, which were: revelation and instruction of Christ?s present rule, and encouragement and assurance of victory in the midst of trials. A second help is an understanding of the Old Testament, particularly...
More About: Study , Studying , Dying , Vela

I Like Same, Not Change
2007-02-07 07:21:01
?Any change, at any time, for any reason, is to be deplored.? So stated the Duke of Cambridge in the late 1800?s. The duke quoted above is not alone in expressing this sentiment. A few years ago, while one of our children was down for his afternoon nap, my industrious wife decided to rearrange the living room. A couple of hours later as he emerged from the hallway and saw everything repositioned, he stopped in his tracks and exclaimed, ?I like same, not change!? You would have thought his whole world was turned upside down. Concerning this aversion to change one person has commented, ?Nothing is ever done until everyone is convinced that it ought to be done, and has been convinced for so long that it is now time to do something else.? Perhaps the words from about 100 years ago of the clerk of Abington Presbytery near Philadelphia express it best. He said, ?Lord, help us to be right, for you know how hard it is to change.? Jesus often advocated change. When His disciples brought the...
More About: Change , Like , Same , Chang , Chan

Points of Interest #1,001
2007-02-03 19:18:01
As we wrap up our week, let’s take a couple of minutes to review a few points of interest. Here’s the lineup: (1) Our dear friend Kathy, of Beauangel’s World renoun, shares pleasant memories of her life’s journey HERE. She also has something to say about a upcoming football game, but she’s got the outcome reversed. Don’t anybody tell I said that, though. (2) I mentioned my visit to Lewes, Delaware, the first town in the first state, a few posts back. This really is an interesting and historically significant place. You can get a sample of what I mean by clicking HERE. (3) Mike Cope shares some interesting thoughts on the process of sermon preparation HERE. (4) In his book that explores vocational holiness called “Under the Unpredictable Plant”, Eugene H. Peterson shares his perspectives on pastoral ministry. He says, “…I want to study God’s word long and carefully so that when I stand before you and preach and teach I...
More About: Inter , Interest , Rest , Point , Points

Taming the Tongue
2007-02-02 07:17:01
—Have you ever said something that you wish you hadn?t said? Of course you have. Everyone does it. Some do it more often than others. —Have you ever wished you had something you didn?t say? Well, duh! This happens all the time, doesn?t it? —Has someone ever said something to you that you wish they hadn?t said? Again, we all suffer from hoof-in-mouth disease from time-to-time, don?t we? When James writes about this we are led to realize that looking carefully at how we are using our words is crucial. In a section of the Scriptures that many publishers have given the heading ?Taming the Tong ue ?, the Holy Spirit moved James to write: Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers and sisters, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. Those who are never at fault in what they say are perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can tu...
More About: Ming

Move over MySpace; ShoutLife is here
2007-02-01 07:16:02
Not too long ago, Maggie asked, ?How do Christian parents handle ?MySpace ?? I posted a response to this question on her blog in which I pointed her to an excellent post by Mark Strohm (click here). Here, Mark offers a number of general suggestions and specific alternatives. One of the alternatives on his list is ShoutLife .com. I just read that this free Christian online community was started by a friend of Keith Lancaster, Paul McClellan, who formerly served as Acappella?s volunteer webmaster. As the parent of teenagers who use services like this on a daily basis, I would like to encourage everyone to take a close look at this resource and encourage our teens to check it out. Let?s do everything we can to help our children have a safe internet experience. Blessings, -bill
More About: Myspace , Over , Move

Encouraging Words
2007-02-01 07:16:02
Knowing my week would involve a couple of alligator wrestling matches, dealing with a cantankerous heater, some insurance company nonsense and a couple of cranky old coots, God sent numerous blessings my way last week in the form of encouraging words? —There was the kind word spoken by one of my spiritual shepherds following last Sunday morning?s worship gathering, which affirmed not only the message I had just spoken but, also, what I felt was the Holy Spirit?s inner working in my life which brought this message to life. —There were many words of affirmation in the comments section of this blog, along with an unusually high number of soul-stirring, spirit-boosting off-blog comments via e-mail. —And, there were the kind words spoken by one of my best friends as we arrived at the church for mid-week Bible study last Wednesday evening. He encourages me almost as often as he makes me laugh. Both are a blessing. —There was also a letter that arrived in yesterday...
More About: Word , Words , Ragi , Aging

Frustrations and the Holy Spirit?s Fruit
2007-01-29 07:15:01
I went to the bank to make a deposit a couple of days ago. There was only one teller on duty at this small branch. The line was long. I waited patiently for the five people who were in front of me. It seemed to take forever for each one to do his or her business. Finally, my time arrived. With her usual cheerful countenance, a teller named Connie said, ?Next.? I stepped to the window. I handed her my deposit. She counted the cash in typical bank teller fashion. After the second time her nimble fingers worked their magic on my $20 bills, she looked at me and said, ?You?re one short.? Instantly, I thought I knew what had happened. Earlier, I had tucked the deposit under the sun visor in the car. When I pulled it out, one of the $20?s must have gotten stuck and separated from the deposit. Regardless, my time waiting in the line had been wasted. Not only would I have to return to the car to find the missing money, I would also have to wait in line once again. GRRRR. When I returned, I...
More About: Fruit , Holy Spirit , Frustration , Trat , Spirit

Tagged, Again!
2007-01-26 07:13:01
Here’s a tag that is actually kinda’ cool. Matt Wilson of Living the Story; Embodying the Kingom fame tagged me on Tuesday, but I’m just now getting around to getting this done. Here’s how it works: Here is how it works: 1) Grab the book closest to you 2) Open to page 123, go down to the fourth sentence 3) Post the text of the following three sentences 4) Name the author and book title 5) Tag three people to do the same. The book at hand was recently given to me as a gift by my blogging friend Mark Wilson. It is Under the Unpredictable Plant, An Exploration in Vocational Holiness by Eugene H. Peterson. The requested text from page 123 is: Tarshish is a dream, a vision, a goal; Nineveh is mappable, has dust and dirt in the streets, is full of the kind of people you don’t particularly want to spend the rest of your life with (these were ancient enemies, remember), and locates a defined task. I remind you that Jonah in Nineveh is not an ideal pastor—...
More About: Tagged , Again

A Most Majestic Mission
2007-01-26 07:13:01
Romans 10:13 sets forward a bold declaration: ?Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.? This quote from the Messianic message of Joel 2:32, serves as a synecdoche (a figure of speech in which a part represents the whole), which speaks of a person?s acceptance of Jesus as Messiah and surrender to His lordship in their lives. This is astonishingly good news! Everyone who accepts Jesus as Lord and Christ will be saved! This assertion is followed (Romans 10:14-15) by four piercing questions: 1) How can they call on the One in whom they have not believed? 2) How can they believe in Jesus, if they have not heard of Him? 3) How can they hear about Jesus, if no one preaches the Gospel to them? 4) How can preachers preach, unless they are sent? While other points are involved, these questions convincingly instruct Christians of all ages concerning the majesty of our mission! To call on the Lord and be saved, people must believe in Him. Such belief is predicated upon hearing...
More About: Miss , Most , Sion , Mission , Missi

Are You Living a Blessed Life?
2007-01-23 07:11:01
A man went into a restaurant and said, “Do you serve crabs here?” And the waiter said, “Why, yes sir, we serve anybody here.” Have you noticed some people have an incredible ability to go with the flow, without ever really being flustered by life’s up’s and down’s? Have you noticed, on the other hand, how some people get bent out of shape over every little difficulty encountered? Indeed, some people see an opportunity in every problem, while others see a problem in every opportunity. Zig Ziglar says that a sour disposition is the greatest malady on the face of the earth. In which category do you see yourself? Paul’s words to the Christians at Philippi make it clear that God is concerned that we have a proper attitude. Although the context relates specifically to a servant heart, he stated, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2:5) Additionally, we are told that the living, active word of ...
More About: Life , Living , Blessed , Esse , Less

What do Johnny Mercer, Bing Crosby, The Andrews Sisters, Art
2007-01-16 19:05:02
What do John ny Mercer, Bing Crosby, The Andre ws Sisters, Artie Shaw and Kay Kyser have in common? They are recording artists. All scored a Billboard hit with a recording of the collaborative work of Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer. Can you name that tune? It was Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive. Johnny Mercer’s recording reached the number one position in 1945 as World War II was drawing to a close. The nation, indeed, the world was exhausted in virtually every way possible. According to many historians, this was, in terms of the loss of human lives and material destruction, the most devastating war in human history. War weary people everywhere were hungry for the message of Mercer’s song. Even if we weren’t around then, most of us are familiar with at least some of the lyrics: You’ve got to accentuate the positive Eliminate the negative And latch on to the affirmative Don’t mess with Mister In-BetweenYou’ve got to spread joy up to the maximum Bring g...
More About: What , Hat , Andrew

You have probably been asked numerous times about your New Y
2007-01-16 19:05:02
You have probably been asked numerous times about your New Year?s Resolutions, by now. Have you given any thought to what yours might be? Many people find it difficult to define and refine these. To be sure, it is quite common to struggle with this annual ritual of resolution making and, according to the experts, resolution breaking. Some estimate that more than two thirds of those who do make annual resolutions do not keep them. This can become quite frustrating. Many have simply given up on the practice of outlining goals for the New Year. Others go through the motions in response to peer pressure. But, they have no real resolve to follow through on the priorities listed. Nevertheless, there is great value is fashioning a strategic plan for growth and development. Many years ago, at the age of 19, a young man named James made the following resolutions: — Resolved, never to speak ill of an individual but to call to mind my own sins and imperfections and be silent. — ...
More About: Time , Your , About , Times

May your knowledge and experience of the riches of God?s gra
2007-01-16 19:05:02
May your knowledge and experience of the riches of God ?s grace, abundantly lavished on us through the gift of His Son as our Savior and King, warm your souls and brighten your days through this holiday season. Merry Christmas!  
More About: Rich , Experience , Your , The Riches

Bob Crusco is a close friend and one of the deacons in my h
2007-01-16 19:05:02
Bob Crusco is a close friend and one of the deacons in my home church. He has, in my estimation, been gifted in the area of narrativizing the information revealed in the Scriptures. He wrote the following, which we plan to use during our Christmas Eve service this Sunday night. It’s a bit longer than usual. But, that’s understandable, right? Here it is: The Old Testament foretold the coming of a day when God would step into this world of darkness to bring light and hope. Listen to some prophecies in the Old Testament. Isaiah 7:14, ?Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.? Isaiah 9:2, ?The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.? Isaiah chapter 9 verses 6 and 7, ?For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counse...
More About: Friend , Close , Cons , The D , Deacon

In this report Tarrah and Dave list ten things they had neve
2007-01-16 19:05:02
In this report Tarrah and Dave list ten things they had never done for Christmas (until now). They also provide us with pictures from the hospital where they delivered 250 gifts on Christmas morning. You can read this report and view these photographs by clicking on this link: From the Hildreths in South Africa - December 28, 2006. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
More About: Report , Port , List , This

The Lord willing, I will be launching a new sermon series at
2007-01-16 19:05:02
The Lord willing, I will be launching a new sermon series at my home church this Sunday. This series focuses on the passionate pursuit of a God-shaped life. We will examine 8 principles; 4 practices and 1 supreme purpose, by which God will shape us into truly Christ-like Christians, as we choose to passionately pursue them. Anyone want to have a go at guessing what any or all of these might be? — 8 Principles? — 4 Practices? — 1 Supreme Purpose?   — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
More About: Series , Sermon , Launch , Will

While working for his former employer, a Christian friend of
2007-01-16 19:05:02
While working for his former employer, a Chris t ian friend of mine had an extremely high pressure job. One Wednesday evening, I asked him how he was doing. He responded, “This day has been a long week.” Have you ever had a day like that—a day when it seemed as though nothing was going right? Like the homeowner in Maui I read about. He was told by the fire investigators that the cause of the blaze which destroyed his home was a short in the newly installed fire prevention alarm system. He responded, “This is even worse than last year, when someone broke in and stole my new security system!” Perhaps you experienced the frustration that comes when, no matter how hard you tried, you just could not seem to make yourself understood. Like the man who spoke frantically to someone at the doctor’s office, “My wife is pregnant and her contractions are only two minutes apart!” The voice on the other end replied, “Is this her first child?&rdqu...
More About: Work , Friend

Jackie Robinson, a baseball pioneer and legend, broke the co
2007-01-16 19:05:02
Jackie Robinson, a baseball pioneer and legend, broke the color barrier in the major leagues. In doing so, he faced jeering crowds in every stadium. One day in his home stadium in Brooklyn, he committed an error. He stood at second base, while fans ridiculed him. Then, as reported by Leadership Magazine, shortstop Pee Wee Reese came over and stood next to him. He put his arm around Robinson and faced the crowd. The raucous crowd fell silent. Jackie Robinson later said that arm around his shoulder saved his career. The gesture spoke more eloquently than the words: this man is my friend. According to Harpers Bible Dictionary, friendship is a relationship of mutual trust and congeniality. A variety of sources suggest that the single syllable utterance—friend—is the finest word in any language. The quality of our friendships is directly linked to the quality of our lives. For example, Howard Hughes, one of the previous century’s earliest and most eccentric billionai...
More About: Baseball , Jack , Pioneer , Legend , Ball

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but
2007-01-16 19:05:02
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. —Ephesians 5:15-17 Several years ago, a friend of mine wrote an article under the above title. He began by telling of a colleague whose philosophy is: When in doubt, delegate; when confused, meditate; when in trouble, hallucinate; when all else fails, procrastinate! I’m sure he picked this up from some source unknown to us today. Though few ever articulate it as such, this is a common approach to life, especially the final item. The problem of procrastination is pervasive. It sabotages church ministries, ruins careers, harms relationships and, as most can attest, it causes untold emotional misery. To procrastinate, according to Webster, is to “repeatedly put off something that is supposed to be done.” Who doesn’t occasionally do this? Some, however...
More About: Care , Live , Careful , Wise , Dash

If you would like to read the latest report from the Hildret
2007-01-16 19:05:02
If you would like to read the latest report from the Hildreths, who are living Jesus in South Africa, click HERE. — — — — — — — — — — — —
More About: Report , Port , Read , Test , Repo

Actually, WE are Time?s Person of the Year, since bloggers w
2007-01-16 19:05:02
Actually, WE are Time ?s Person of the Year, since bloggers will most likely read this. Now, if Technorati?s count is correct, there are 55 million bloggers in the world. And, bloggers are not the only people being singled out by Time’s choice. One thing is for certain, the WE part of Time?s choice probably won?t be making a joint appearance to accept our accolades for this momentous accomplishment. If you want to read more about this, you can do so by clicking HERE. Congratulations to you all! -bill
More About: Blogger , Blog , Bloggers

Most of us have the have heard that it is important to do ou
2007-01-16 19:05:02
Most of us have the have heard that it is important to do our proofreading with fresh eyes. There are numerous techniques we can employ which will help us accomplish this feat. I?ve found that almost anything that requires me to get my mind out of the autopilot mode and engaged in fresh thought helps me read with fresh eyes. I do my best to read the Scriptures with fresh eyes, as well. That?s one of the reasons that I?ve stopped making notes in my Bibles. I still have all of my well-marked Bibles within reach. I refer to them often. But, when it comes to doing my reading, I now prefer to use an unmarked Bible. Actually, an unmarked Today?s New International Version, without references is my current favorite. I?m hoping that Santa will bring me a new English Standard Version from which I can do my reading after Christmas. I?ve also found it helpful to read biographies of biblical characters, as well as historical works related to biblical events. These provide fresh insights into the...
More About: Port , Hear , Hat , Have , Most

??Do this in remembrance of me.? ? 1 Corinthians 11:24 When
2007-01-16 19:05:02
??Do this in remembrance of me.? ? 1 Corinth ians 11:24 When saints commune with Christ a marvelously wonderful scene unfolds. As a fine-cut diamond has many facets and is beautiful to behold from any angle, so also, the Lord?s Supper, which is a multi-faceted aspect of Christian worship, dazzles the spiritual senses of the believer. Let?s spend a couple of moments taking a few quick glances at some of the fascinating facets of this sacred supper. In 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 we read, ?Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.? Thus, the Holy Spirit reveals that participation in the Lord?s Supper is an occasion for both declaring and celebrating our oneness with all believers. Through the eye of faith, we see Jesus? sinless body crucified on the cross?an innocent vict...
More About: Remembrance , This