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The Odor of Mendacity

January 26, 2012 in Christian Life with 0 Comments

There ain’t nothin’ more powerful than the odor of mendacity…You can smell it. It smells like death.

–Big Daddy in Tennessee Williams Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

"The Odor of Mendacity" Burl Ives as Big Daddy

Recently I watched the old classic movie Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman put on memorable performances of the Tennessee Williams piece. Another character was Big Daddy played by Burl Ives. Ives has one of those voices that resonates in the mind as well as the ear.

Big Daddy was a dying, self-made man. Family members and even a church deacon poured on the flattery as they anticipated the passing along of Big Daddy’s fortunes. He was keenly aware of this when he spoke his words about mendacity.

Trust the past to the mercy of God,

the present to His love,

the future to His providence.

–Augustine

5 Old Prayers and 5 New Prayers

January 24, 2012 in Prayer with 2 Comments

Old Prayer #1: ~~Lord, please give me health.~~

New Prayer #1: Lord, honor your name in my sickness or in my health.

Old Prayer #2: ~~Lord, please give me wealth.~~

New Prayer #2: Lord, enrich your glory through my resources whether many or few.

Old Prayer #3: ~~Lord, please defeat my foes.~~

New Prayer #3: Lord, may your kingdom come and let me be on your side.

Old Prayer #4: ~~Lord, please give me ease.~~

New Prayer #4: Lord, for your sake give me hardship or ease.

Old Prayer #5: ~~Lord, please protect me.~~

New Prayer #5: Lord, be famous whether I live or die.

Unreached, Unengaged People Groups of Europe

January 23, 2012 in Missions with 2 Comments

I love missions. God is doing some amazing things around our globe. He is drawing people to himself from every nation and every tribe. I want to be a part of what He is doing.

Several factors play into my own love of missions journey. These factors work together to especially ask for God to do a mighty work amongst European people. Here are some of these factors:

1. My heritage – my branch of the Gantz family can be traced back to a city in the eastern part of Germany.

2. My history – with a military family background, I have lived in Okinawa, Italy and Germany.

9 Sacred Neighbors Who Need Our Love

January 22, 2012 in Culture with 0 Comments

Today is the 30th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision by the Supreme Court. This decision and the support that many give this decision indicates that we need a fresh understanding that each and every human being has been created in the image of God. This means that life is sacred from the womb to the tomb.

This sacred approach is a demonstration of the second part of the Great Commandment given to us by Jesus – to love our neighbor. Below is a list of some of our neighbors. I am indebted to one of the elders in our church, Brace Case. Brace preached this morning along these lines and stirred my thought process. I have created this list keeping in mind that some have justified the demeaning of these neighbors.

Book Review: Die Young by Hayley and Michael DiMarco

January 21, 2012 in Books with 2 Comments

Die Young: Burying Your Self in Christ by Hayley and Michael DiMarco is a new book out by Crossway. The theme for the book is a necessary call in our narcissistic age.

Our society is constantly pursuing all of the personal trappings of life, but seems to be missing life as it was designed for us. The DiMarcos call readers to forego a pursuit that is bound to leave one at loss. Instead they say that the gospel flips this pursuit on its head.

Instead of seeking this kind of life, we should seek to die. Die that we might live.

So death is the new life for those who have been buried in Christ, who have given up the right to themselves and thrown themselves headlong into the arms of the Father; for you who know the truth that “you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3).

–Page 40

Concierge #13

January 20, 2012 in Concierge with 0 Comments

Some links on the internet that you might have missed.

Grace-Motivated…Dieting?

We’re a few weeks into our new year’s resolutions. How’s that diet going?

Mike Cospers sheds some keen insight into our dieting motivations.

I’m a Little Sick to My Stomach

I just watched a video of a man who claims that he died twice on the operating table and has lived to tell about the experience.

The “Grilled Tebow” … An iconic grilled cheese sandwich | eBay

January 19, 2012 in Sports with 0 Comments

The “Grilled Tebow” … An iconic grilled cheese sandwich | eBay.

Judge Pressler Needs to Get Out More Often

January 18, 2012 in Politics, SBC with 0 Comments

Associated Baptist Press – Pressler denies Santorum endorsement was rigged.

I know the ABP article is about Christians and politics, but my comments here do not concern the political sphere. Those more politically minded might have something to say either pro or con related to the meeting of religious conservatives in Texas. It took until the end of the article for me to do a double take at what I was reading.

Here I am, a person who spent 25 years in elective office — always elected as a Democrat — and for the first time in my life I don’t know one single person that supports the Democratic Party and Obama,” Pressler said.

“I personally believe that this group is destroying the nation economically and morally, and if it is allowed to continue we have a very bleak future as a country.” Pressler said of the current administration. “I travel a great deal and I see what’s going on in the world, and I shudder to think what is coming to America if we don’t stop this right now.