Most Treasured

I took down all the vestiges of Christmas yesterday and cleaned the house thoroughly. While putting away the decorations and cleaning the guest bedrooms, I found left behind toys of the grand kids, cookie crumbs their parents had dropped and pieces of torn wrapping paper and bows scattered here and there. Sweet memories of a festive holiday enjoyed.

Reflecting over the past year is something I always find myself doing after the holidays. Someone has said, "Remember that when you take inventory of the things you treasure most, none will have been purchased with money." Isn't that the truth! We had an additional member this year at our Christmas celebration--our youngest grandchild is only 9 months so this was her first Christmas with us. Her three year old sister and 6 year old cousin will have you hurting from laughter with their country accents and hilarious anectdotes. What a joy each of the grandchildren are.

Our daughter, not yet married, came and spent five days with us -- some much coveted time -- she and I are very close and yet have little time together. One of our sons helped his father finish a small project on the shed--time they enjoyed together.

All the things that I enjoyed this holiday season were not bought with money. Yeah, we purchased gifts for everyone and it was fun watching them each open them, but that isn't what I treasure most. As I reflect back on the past year, none of the things I treasure can be bought with money. I have learned that the material things of this life are temporary and can be gone in a moment, but relationships and memories will last a lifetime and no one or nothing can take them from you. Take time this coming year to put your effort and time into things that are truley meaningful.

"Remeber that when you take inventory of the things you treasure most, none will have been purchased with money."

Dana Burk

Sacrificing?

Trying to teach Kindergartners from affluent families about sacrificing for God can be quite a challenge. I'm afraid I didn't do too well with that assignment tonight in the Bible class I taught. I think the closest I came was establishing the fact that we should share what we have with God and give Him back a portion of what He has given us, but even that brought up some really interesting comments and questions from the little ones.

After Bible class, I saw two friends that were visiting; one, a preacher that I have known for over 25 years, the other is a young woman who's husband is a young preacher looking for a place to preach. As the preacher friend and I were reminiscing and talking about my husband's and my impending move to Puerto Rico the young preacher's wife came up to me to talk about a post I had on the blog a week or so ago. I had stated it seemed harder for women to make some of the sacrifices for living for God than it was for men. Particularly I was talking about the sacrifices a preacher makes in moving around. The preacher and I continued our conversation after she left and he talked about how he had "drug" his wife for two years over to Hungary to preach sometime back and some of the frustrations with that difficult move.

Yesterday, some ladies and I were discussing the sacrifices for God that Christians must make. One sister said she didn't feel that we really had to make sacrifices as Christians. After a few minutes of discussing how different ones did sacrifice as Christians, one lady said to her, "You have grown to the point in your life that serving God is not a sacrifice to you because you have seen the fruits that come from serving Him."

I was thinking about all of these conversations about sacrificing...and it is obvious that none of us "ENJOY" making them. We look at the word SACRIFICE as ugly and demanding--obtrusive, interfering with our "want to's". Something that forces us to do what God wants. Yet Paul tells us in Romans 12 that, because of all that God had done for us in providing salvation through sacrificing His own Son, we are to present ourselves as "living sacrifices".

Sacrificing for God should be something I gladly do, something I consider an honor or privilege knowing I can never repay all He has done for and continues to do for me each day. And seeing the fruit that comes from living for God will cause us to grow to the point in our lives that my sister expressed--I want feel that I am sacrificing anything by serving Him. It will be my pleasure.

Dana Burk

The Church is Decorated for Christmas!

I live in a small, middle Tennessee town in a county of about 65,000 people. There are over 50 "churches of Christ" in our small county, it being the dominant faith here. These congregations span the gamut from ultra conservative to ultra liberal in their thinking.

One of the congregations that is in the center of downtown, one of the oldest, is in my way of thinking somewhat liberal and yet they have a number of older members who have resisted the full blown liberalism that so many around here practice and teach. (My 87 year old neighbor is a member there.) I have had a number of discussion about the liberalism creeping into the Lord's church with my neighbor and she has expressed concern for the congregation of which I am speaking.

Yesterday, as I passed through town, I was a little taken back by what I saw--Christmas wreaths decked out with holly and bright red velvet bows streaming down on each of the eight doors leading into the church auditorium. The church is decorated for Christmas!

Don't misunderstand me...I love to decorate for Christmas--my home is decked out with poinsettias, Christmas lights inside and out and stockings hanging from the mantel. But I have a difficult time seeing how it is the place of the Lord's church to participate in the secular things of the world. Neither do I see how the Lord's church should involve itself in things we have no authority for such as celebrating a special holiday for the birth of Christ when the Bible is silent about such celebrations.

It was quite noteworthy that the wreaths and bows on the doors of the church of Christ looked just like the ones on the Methodist's and Presbyterian's buildings just down the block. I was reminded of the verses in 1Samuel 8:6-20 where the people of God said give us a king that we might be like the nations around us. Even in this town dominated by believers, the church is being influenced by the denominations around it.

I love this time of year and the spirit that pervades it, but I fear when the Lord's church leaves its God given purpose and role and involves itself in things secular or unauthorized. I will go worship our Lord and King on Christmas Eve, but not because we will be having a special Christmas service or pageant, but because it will be on a Sunday this year and I always go to worship on Sundays...that is what the Lord has commanded. And I will continue to worship Him throughout the year, not just during the month of December.

What do you think??

Dana Burk

Spirit of the Season

"Friends are God's way of taking care of us."

This was written by a Hospice physician of Metro Denver.

I just had one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and wanted to share it with my family and dearest friends: I was driving home from a meeting this evening about 5, stuck in traffic on Colorado Blvd., and the car started to choke and splutter and die - I barely managed to coast, cursing, into a gas station, glad only that I would not be blocking traffic and would have a somewhat warm spot to wait for the tow truck. It wouldn't even turn over.

Before I could make the call, I saw a woman walking out of the "quickie mart" building, and it looked like she slipped on some ice and fell into a Gas pump, so I got out to see if she was okay. When I got there, it looked more like she had been overcome by sobs than that she had fallen; she was a young woman who looked really haggard with dark circles under her ! Eyes. Sh e dropped something as I helped her up, and I picked it up to give it to her. It was a nickel At that moment, everything came into focus for me: the crying woman, the ancient Suburban crammed full of stuff with 3 kids in the back (1 in a car seat), and the gas pump reading $4.95.

I asked her if she was okay and if she needed help, and she just kept saying "I don't want my kids to see me crying," so we stood on the other side of the pump from her car. She said she was driving to California and that things were very hard for her right now. So I asked, "And you were praying?" That made her back away from me a little, but I assured her I was not a crazy person and said, "He heard you, and He sent me."

I took out my card and swiped it through the card reader on the pump so she could fill up her car completely, and while it was fueling, walked to the next door McDonald's and bought 2 big bags of food, some gift certificates for more, and a big cup of coffee. She gave the food to the kids in the car, who attacked it like wolves, and we stood by the pump eating fries and talking a little.

She told me her name, and that she lived in Kansas City . Her boyfriend left 2 months ago and she had not been able to make ends meet. She knew she wouldn't have money to pay rent Jan 1, and finally in desperation had finally called her parents, with whom she had not spoken in about 5 years. They lived in California and said she could come live with them and try to get on her feet there. So she packed up everything she owned in the car She told the kids they were going to California for Christmas, but not that they were going to live there.

I gave her my gloves, a little hug and said a quick prayer with her for safety on the road. As I was walking over to my car, she said, "So, are you like an angel or something?" This definitely made me cry. I said, "Sweetie, at this time of year angels are really busy, so sometimes God uses regular people."

It was so incredible to be a part of someone else's miracle. And of course, you guessed it, when I got in my car it started right away and got me home with no problem. I'll put it in the shop tomorrow to check, but I suspect the mechanic won't find anything wrong.

Sometimes the angels fly close enough to you that you can hear the flutter of their wings. Psalms 55:22 "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee. He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
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Whether we believe in miracles or not, whether we celebrate Christmas or not, you have to admit there is something about the sweet spirit of people this time of year. I often wish we could hang on to the generous attitudes and the caring for one another that prevails in the month of December thoughout the year. But, I am thankful for it if only for the short season.

Look around you and see who you can help this holiday season...or for that matter, this coming year.

Dana Burk

Why Is it Harder For Women?

We have a preacher from Puerto Rico (where we will be moving Lord willing in May) visiting us this week and so my husband invited a couple of other men who have an interest in Spanish work over for lunch today. As I was cleaning the kitchen and overhearing their conversations I began to think about how for each of them going on "mission trips" and working in foreign cultures seems to be no big deal. The sacrifices that it requires for each of them doesn't appear to be a sacrifice in their minds.

In our ladies Bible class this morning we were discussing in Romans 12 where Paul encourages us to be "living sacrifices" in our service to Him. I don't know about you, but I struggle with that. And it seems to me that it is harder for women than for men (or maybe we just wear our feelings on our sleeves and it is much more obvious). The move we are about to make is very, very difficult for me, but not to the same degree for my husband. I suppose that is a good thing or we would not be going. You think God knew what he was doing when he made man different than woman?

I do envy at times the "toughness" of my beloved husband.

Dana Burk

All Human Knowledge on an IPod?

I was reading an article that was talking about the amount of human knowledge that has been recorded over the millenniums. It stated; "at least 32 million books, 750 million articles and essays, 25 million songs, 500 million images, 500,000 movies, 3 million videos, TV shows and short films and 100 billion public web pages. All this material is currently in all the libraries and archives of the world." (Michael Duduit)

The article went on to say that when all of this material is fully digitized, at the current technological rates, it could be compressed onto a 50 petabyte hard disk. According to the author, you would need a building about the size of a small-town library to house 50 petabytes. It is almost unimaginable to me that all of the world's knowledge can be housed in my local library and yet, that is what technology has done for us. The article went on to make the point that with tomorrow's technology, it will all fit on your personal iPod. Do we live in a great time or what?

God has granted us with the greatest knowledge of all times and the means with which to spread that knowledge literally all over the world. We live in a day when we all enjoy sharing that knowledge with one another. We each have TV's and radios. Almost all of us have e-mail accounts that we check multiple times a day (even my 78 year old father checks his regularly). We surf the web with ease and many of us share our opinions and "knowledge" on blogs and at personal web-sites. We are so free to tell others what we think and how we feel and to espouse the knowledge that we possess.

Francis Bacon said, "For knowledge itself is power". We are a nation and people of knowledge thus a nation of power. How are we using that knowledge and power for God?

In Col 1:23, Paul says the Gospel had been preached to every creature under heaven in his time; "if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister." How was it possible for these early Christians to preach the Gospel to everyone without the Internet and pod casting? If they could do that, why haven't we? We are, as a church, without excuse?

What are you personally doing to spread the gospel?

Cell Phone vs. Bible

I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phones?

• What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
• What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
• What if we flipped through it several times a day?
• What if we used it to receive text messages?
• what if we treated it like we could not live without it?
• What if we gave it to kids as gifts?
• What if we used it as we traveled?
• What if we used it in cases of emergency?

This is something to make you go hmmmm...where is my Bible? (borrowed)

Did this make you think as much as me? I am not as cell phone conscience as many and yet I never leave home without it. I often leave home without my Bible and I often wish I had my Bible with me. Think I'll get myself a small one to keep in my purse.

Dana Burk

Food for Thought

I'm going out of town for the holidays to visit friends and family so the blog will not be blogged til after next Saturday. But, here are some things that are worthy of thinking on during this next week.

• Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.
• Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make them all.
• He who loses money, loses much; He who loses a friend, loses much more; He who loses faith, loses all!

Have a great Thanksgiving and may God bless you and yours.

Dana Burk

One More Thought...Or maybe more!

The point was made that there are two different types of marriage (marriage by law and marriage by the church [I assume by the church is meant to be by God]). I'm not sure I agree with that. I understand that the government allows many to marry who have no right in the eyes of the Lord, however, I do not believe that we as Christians should "recognize" those marriages anymore than God does.

You remember when Jesus was talking with the woman at the well in John 4 what He said:
17 The woman answered and said, "I have no husband."
Jesus said to her, "You have well said, 'I have no husband,' 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly." NKJV

Jesus understood that the "Samaritan government" had allowed this woman to be married six times and yet, He did not recognize that she was married (not even civilly). In Matt. 19:9, He says, "And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery." NKJV

I don't say all of this to say that we are to be hateful or ugly to those in "adulterous marriages", but accepting and condoning such does nothing to help convict them of their sin. And, just because the government has now begun to recognize divorce and remarriage for any cause does not make it OK. (Even in the 1940's and 50's divorce for any cause was looked upon as shameful in our society and by our government.) As a Christian, I cannot condone that which is wrong. Again, I would say, as we begin to go back to the point of this discussion, I am all for the government standing against the gay marriage issue. In so doing, the government, at least in this one area, stands with God and that is where I shall stand.

As for depriving a citizen of privileges that go along with marriage.....Isn't the whole point to encourage that which is right--to reward those "who do good" and punish those "who do evil", Rom. 13:4. I guess that is "forcing" people to do what is right. But, once again, what is the purpose of government if not to encourage us to "be good" and punish us when we are not? This may not seem "fair" but, as your mother probably told you, "Life isn't fair!"

We, as Americans, have come to believe that we should have NO rules or regulations. Nonsense! God's book is one long list of rules and regulations..."His ways are not our ways" and His salvation is conditional upon obedience. He set up government, so, it only makes sense that it will have restrictions, rules and regulations which we are to abide by. The further our government ventures from adherence to God's laws, the more corrupt and perverted our society will become. Prov 14:34 says, "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. NKJV

Dana Burk

My Thoughts

One of the big "issues" in our recent discussions has been: Does or should government legislate morality? My answer is a resounding YES! Government always has, and to a great extent, currently does regulate morality. Murder is a matter of morality. Incest is a matter of morality. Stealing is a matter of morality. Drunkeness in public is a matter of morality. Indecency (not being allowed to walk around in the nude) is a matter of morality. Isn't lying to a Grand Jury (a "white collar" crime many are sitting in jail for right now) a matter of morality? Government still, granted to a very limited extent, legislates our television and radio airwaves against indecent language, lewdness and sexual content (remember Janet Jackson's Super Bowl exposure?) Isn't that all about morality, limited though it may be?

Can you picture a world where government does not legislate morality in any way? In fact, I would propose that that is one of the primary purposes of government. In Rom 13:1-4, Paul tells us that we have nothing to fear if we "do what is good". But, if we "do evil", then we should be afraid. This certainly cannot be talking about road building and traffic lights, but rather, morality issues. And Paul is not talking about the Jewish Law of Moses, but rather the secular Roman Government. "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil." (NKJV)

A society that has NO moral legislation would be a society in total chaos--anarchy! God has ordained government for the purpose of legislating morality knowing that man will not voluntarily choose to "be moral". I recognize that our government has strayed far from the laws of God and yet, what laws of God they will adhere to and legislate, I welcome. The nearer we, as a nation, stand to God the easier it is for me, as a Christian, to practice my religion.

The idea that the government legislating moral issues makes it restrictive; prevents the persuit of life, liberty and happiness is just plain nonesense!!! Living in a free society comes with a price. Restrictions! We must all be willing to obey the laws of the land in order to not live in a chaotic mess. Not to be redundant, but....do you want to do away with the laws preventing murder, incest, stealing, lying, cheating, etc. If not why not? They restrict your freedoms don't they? Pursuing life, liberty and happiness has NOTHING to do with the lack of restrictions.

Legalizing anything that God has forbidden only allows it to grow in its acceptance and propagate. That includes gay marriages and homosexuality. Eventually, this acceptance WILL filter even into the church. It is being incredibly naive to think otherwise. Look around you at the denominations who staunchly opposed the gay agenda 15 to 20 years ago and today are ordaining gays to everything infinitum. Brethren in the Lord's church have followed the lead of denominations in their liberal thinking on everything else...if brethren fail to follow the pursuit of the acceptance of homosexuality it will be the first thing they have not tried to immitate.

Satan's incredibley subtle methods of legalizing and accepting sin have convinced so many (even within the church) that these issues have nothing to do with me--they do not REALLY affect my life and beliefs. If you believe that lie you are decieved already. It is Satan's lie about "freedom of choice" that has allowed millions of babies to be murdered. A woman DOES NOT have the right to choose the death of her child. Only God has that right. God's laws are very restrictive and we would live in a far better society if our government chose to obey them.

Dana Burk

WOW!! I Asked You What You Thought!

These are some of the comments I have recieved concerning the article posted last Thursday.


Ed Rangel's comment:
It seems like some Christians think that the government should outlaw all kinds of immoral things and to some extent I agree with that ideology. However, a people that is forced to be moral will not have a change of heart, the law will be obeyed because of the fear of retribution. King Hezekiah failed miserably when he forced the people to do away with idolatry. He left us the lesson that a people as a whole can only be changed one person at a time and not by force. Although, a preemptive attack on moral issues might not be such a bad idea, but what would it accomplish? Several years ago a Texas law on sodomy was challenged yet sodomy still takes place in that very place wherein it is outlawed. Obviously, as you can perceive, my feelings are mixed towards this ideology.

This type of thinking might also bleed into the church, as you already pointed out. Nonetheless, in this holy realm we cannot legislate only abide and comply.

Tracy's comment:
My fiancée and I have debated this very issue a few times. Here are a few points to consider:

1. Should government legislate morality? I agree with Ed Rangel when he says that this can have disastrous consequences, not only because one cannot force a change of heart on someone, but also because I believe it is the Church who should primarily be doing this work. Often, we as Christians hide behind government, asking it to witness for us, instead of doing it ourselves.

2. There are two types of marriage: I see a distinction between marriage by law and marriage by the church. The first we do to follow governmental protocol (giving to Caesar what is Caesar’s), whereas the second is a union before God, designed by Him, one which no man is to break (Matt 19:6). If these are two separate things, then should we dictate what secular marriage is to be?

3. What is government’s purpose in defining marriage? Since the government is secular and for the people, there must be a secular, beneficial purpose to marriage. If there is such a reason for not allowing non-heterosexual marriage, then this amendment is valid. By faith I know that God does not make mistakes; He designed marriage to be between a man and a woman because He knew it was best. Hence, I can trust that marriage between a man and a woman is beneficial to society, whereas homosexual marriage is not.

4. Would legalizing homosexual marriage make homosexuality more commonplace and give people the impression that it is not displeasing to God? If God hates homosexual relations, then would it be wrong for me to “encourage” it by not voting against it? Is voting for this amendment a way that I can do God’s work, influencing society by the laws I choose to support? On the other hand, a key part of the gospel is our freedom to choose who or what to follow, a principle we can reflect by the form of government we support.

5. What are we withholding from couples by not allowing them to get married? I don’t know the answer to this question, but there are privileges marriage confers in the world, such as the right to know medical information about your spouse when he/she has been in an accident, inheritance, tax cuts, etc., that seem wrong to withhold from a couple who want to be married but legally can’t. I can go on and on in circles about this issue, but the bottom line is that I am quite confused about it and I would really like to understand what God’s will is in all of this.

Ed's comment:
I have been studying Ezekiel 22-23 and the prophet paints a frightening picture of the morality in his society. The priests were a joke and themselves liars and thieves. The political leaders were no better and thus created a corrupt citizenship. Having thought more about Dana's post I feel even stronger that the judicial system is not the place to legislate morality. What propels this thought process is the fact that most of our leaders have a warped sense of what morality really is; what they think instead of what God says. No doubt that many politicians prey on our fears and offer us what we want to hear in order to elect them (hopefully I'm just cynical). Someone once said in reference to the immoral lifestyle of Ezekiel's time: "Ezekiel 23 is a mirror reflecting what current society, including national and state leaders, does behind closed doors. A steady lifestyle of this no longer bars the path to the White House. Such men and women as these are not answers to our moral and spiritual problems; they are part of the problems themselves!"

ukce1861's comment: (These are comments posted in answer to the original blog which my daughter sent me thus explaining this first paragraph. Dana)
I have a few comments on your post and some of the responses. Quite a few actually… I’d be happy to discuss things further or leave it altogether. I would have posted on your blog, but I’m not “Gold” and didn’t feel like paying the $5 a month to do that…

1. “Anybody but a Republican”, huh? So you voted FOR the party that advocates abortion and advancing the gay agenda? You voted FOR the party that advocates for a pull-out from Iraq leading to the further destabilization of an already destabilized and dangerous region? That’s interesting. Why? I can’t believe no one has asked that question in the comments yet, so I’ll be the first. To a point, I understand your frustration with the Republican Party. I too am frustrated. On many issues, they have sold out. Immigration and Prescription Drugs come to mind. However, the Democratic Party is as bad and worse on most issues. I can’t think of an issue where my stance is closer to that of the Democrats than the Republicans. And I’ll be honest with you; this election, I was pretty close to a one-issue voter. We must “stay the course” in Iraq. Osama bin Laden and President Ahmadinejad (of Iran) have made it very clear that Iraq is central to their plan for the worldwide Islamic Caliphate. May I remind you this is the guy who prayed for Armageddon on the floor of the UN? These people are actively working to bring about the “end of the world” as they understand it. They are preparing facilities right now for the return of the Mahdi (their version of the Messiah). It doesn’t matter whether you believe in this stuff or not; they do. We ARE involved in a Holy War, even if it’s not one of our choosing. For that reason, I can’t support the Democrats.

2. Item by item on your gay marriage points.
“Government should not legislate morality.”
So you support giving children access to pornography at any age?
So you support allowing abortions at any time for any reason?
So you support allowing polygamy, marriage to the household pet, etc?
And of course you support the legalization of prostitution and “recreational” drugs, right?

Of course the government legislates morality. I don’t see how the passage from Romans that was posted previously couldn’t apply here. If God appoints government as his minister, you don’t think he’d want them to minister with morality?

“Knee-jerk constitutional amendments are a very bad idea, and are very seldom beneficial.”
Isn’t this a knee-jerk reaction to a knee-jerk amendment? Just because something is “bad” some or even most of the time, doesn’t not mean it is always bad. I don’t know about you, but if there were a constitutional amendment to ban abortion, I don’t care if it was “knee-jerk” or not, I’d vote for it in a heart beat. Let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater.

“’Same sex marriage’ is not legal in TN now. We don't need language added to the constitution that is already handled by other legislation.”The judiciary has demonstrated numerous times that it WILL legislate from the bench. The only way to keep existing laws from being struck down as unconstitutional is to add them to the constitution. It will be interesting to see how these [State Constitutional Amendments] stand up when they are appealed to the Supreme Court for conformance to the US Constitution, but it is at least an additional layer of protection. Especially with controversial and “hip” issues like gay marriage, the only protection we have is constitutional amendments. Existing laws have been demonstrated repeatedly to be inadequate.

“The amendment does nothing to "protect" existing marriage. Even if gay people were allowed to marry, it won't affect a straight marriage one bit. Over 50% of marriages end in divorce now already; its a misnomer to cast this initiative as ‘protecting families and marriage.’”
While it might be a BIT of a misnomer, I don’t really see it as inaccurate. Currently, marriage is basically defined by most common sense people as 1 man, 1 woman. There are those who would like to change that to 2 men; 2 women; 1 man, multiple women; 1 man, 1 dog; ad infinitum. So formally and legally defining the institution of marriage as 1 man, 1 woman, will protect marriage. How could it not? Do we need to strengthen marriage between 1 man and 1 woman? Yes. Does that mean we should allow further dilution in the process? Absurd. As for families, it does strengthen them. God has defined a family as 1 father, 1 mother and children. Legal marriage entitles a couple to a whole host of rights. Among those is the right to adopt children much easier. I realize this happens now, but it will become much more widespread if gay marriage is legalized. Not to mention, if you think the gay agenda in education is bad now, just wait till gay marriage is legalized and that becomes even more of an accepted lifestyle. Oh, and if you want to laugh at me for saying gay marriage opens the door for polygamy and other forms of marriage, don’t. What stops those people? Why don’t they have the same right to define marriage as they see fit? What legal standing do you have to deny them? None. The battle for cultural acceptance of polygamy has already started and will intensify in the near future. HBO started a series (http://www.hbo.com/biglove/) featuring a polygamous family and I would say within 5 years there will be at least one network show featuring such a relationship. The gay agenda was advanced in the same way. Remember all the controversy about Candice Bergen being an unwed mother on Murphy Brown? That was 1992, folks, 1992! Less than 15 years ago. Look how far we’ve come now. Gays were introduced into television shows and shown to be an “acceptable lifestyle choice”. If we cave on gay marriage now, we will have NO STANDING WHATSOEVER when polygamy and marrying nonhuman or inanimate objects comes up, and trust me, it will.

“Its restrictive legislation, and does not promote ‘life, liberty, and happiness’ for all citizens.”
I really think this is just a subset of #1. We have all kinds of “restrictive legislation” and I’m not in favor of getting rid of much of it.

Just a couple of other comments I wanted to respond to.

“I think it is equally sinful of government to deprive someone of medical benefits because they are a homosexual... or worse, because their parents are homosexuals.”
What exactly does this mean? I’m totally lost on this one. How is the government depriving someone of medical benefits? Help me understand this, please. If you’re saying it’s a right to have medical insurance and somehow that’s a function of the government, I couldn’t disagree more…

“It is not the job of government to save souls.”
I don’t see how this law has anything to do with saving souls. I see it as protecting families and our society.

“And we will not save souls by alienating them and depriving them of their needs.”
How are we alienating them? Don’t you think we should tell them that their lifestyle is wrong?

“I don't think Christ would have denied someone of health insurance”Is that really what this is all about? Wow… I always thought Christ had bigger fish to fry than health insurance…

One Flaw in Woman

By the time the Lord made woman, He was into his sixth day of working overtime. An angel appeared and said, "Why are you spending so much time on this one?"

And the Lord answered, "Have you seen my spec sheet on her? She has to be completely washable, but not plastic, have over 200 movable parts, all replaceable and able to run on diet coke and leftovers, have a lap that can hold four children at one time, have a kiss that can cure anything from a scraped knee to a broken heart and she will do everything with only two hands."

The angel was astounded at the requirements. "Only two hands? No way! And that's just on the standard model? That's too much work for one day. Wait until tomorrow to finish."

But I won't," the Lord protested. "I am so close to finishing this Creation that is so close to my own heart. She already heals herself whenshe is sick AND can work 18 hour days."

The angel moved closer and touched the woman. "But you have made her so soft, Lord."

"She is soft," the Lord agreed, "but I have also made her tough. You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish."

"Will she be able to think?", asked the angel.

The Lord replied, "Not only will she be able to think, she will be able to reason and negotiate."

The angel then noticed something, and reaching out, touched the woman's cheek. "Oops, it looks like you have a leak in this model. I told you that you were trying to put too much into this one."

"That's not a leak," the Lord corrected, "that's a tear!"

"What's the tear for?" the angel asked.

The Lord said, "The tear is her way of expressing her joy, her sorrow, herpain, her disappointment, her love, her loneliness, her grief and her pride."

The angel was impressed. "You are a genius, Lord. You thought of everything! Woman is truly amazing."

And she is! Women have strengths that amaze men. They bear hardships and they carry burdens, but they hold happiness, love and joy. They smile when they want to scream. They sing when they want to cry. They cry when they are happy and laugh when they are nervous. They fight for what they believe in. They stand up to injustice.

They don't take "no" for an answer when they believe there is a better solution. They go without so their family can have. They go to the doctor with a frightened friend. They love unconditionally. They cry when their children excel and cheer when their friends get awards.


They are happy when they hear about a birth or a wedding Their hearts break when a friend dies. They grieve at the loss of a family member, yet they are strong when they think there is no strength left. They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart.

Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors. They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you to show how much they care about you. The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning. They bring joy, hope and love. They have compassion and ideals. They Give moral support to their family and friends. Women have vital things to say and everything to give.

HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN, IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR OWN WORTH.
(borrowed)

What Do You Think?

My daughter sent me this e-mail last night of a discussion she and one of her Christian friends had via an e-mail discussion. She asked her father and me, as well as one of her brothers, what our thoughts were and we expressed them to her. She also responded to the young man in a much longer conversation than is recorded here, but I am curious what some of my readers thoughts are concerning his views. How do you think these types of views will affect the future of the church?


Mom,
One of my Christian friends from TN wrote this on his blog:

"Voted AGAINST the "marriage amendment" to the state constitution. I figure its going to pass anyway, but I'm steadfastly against it. "

so I asked him -
"Why vote against the marriage amendment? interested in hearing your thought process...your comments about politics they are always intriguing :) "

he said:
"Well, there are several reasons.
1. Government should not legislate morality.
2. Knee-jerk constitutional amendments are a very bad idea, and are very seldom beneficial.
3. "Same sex marriage" is not legal in TN now. We don't need language added to the constitution that is already handled by other legislation.
4. The amendment does nothing to "protect" existing marriage. Even if gay people were allowed to marry, it won't affect a straight marriage one bit. Over 50% of marriages end in divorce now already; its a misnomer to cast this initiative as "protecting families and marriage"
5. Its restrictive legislation, and does not promote "life, liberty, and happiness" for all citizens. I'm not FOR gay/same-sex marriage.
It is already illegal, and amending the state constitution for a morality initiative is bad, bad, bad public policy."


Let me know your thoughts on this. I will address this more in the next few days.
Dana Burk

No Charge for Love

A farmer had some puppies he needed to sell. He painted a sign advertising the 4 pups. And set about nailing it to a post on the edge of his yard. As he was driving the last nail into the post, he felt a tug on his overalls. He looked down into the eyes of little boy.

"Mister," he said, "I want to buy one of your puppies."

"Well," said the farmer, as he rubbed the sweat off the back of his neck, "These puppies come from fine parents and cost a good deal of money."

The boy dropped his head for a moment. Then reaching deep into his pocket, he pulled out a handful of change and held it up to the farmer.

"I've got thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a look?"

"Sure," said the farmer. And with that he let out a whistle. "Here, Dolly!" he called. Out from the doghouse and down the ramp ran Dolly followed by four little balls of fur.

The little boy pressed his face against the chain link fence. His eyes danced with delight. As the dogs made their way to the fence, the little boy noticed something else stirring inside the doghouse. Slowly another little ball appeared, this one noticeably smaller. Down the ramp it slid. Then in a somewhat awkward manner, the little pup began hobbling toward the others, doing its best to catch up...

"I want that one," the little boy said, pointing to the runt. The farmer knelt down at the boy's side and said, "Son, you don't want that puppy. He will never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs would."

With that the little boy stepped back from the fence, reached down, and began rolling up one leg of his trousers. In doing so he revealed a steel brace running down both sides of his leg attaching itself to a specially made shoe.

Looking back up at the farmer, he said, "You see sir, I don't run too well myself, and he will need someone who understands."

With tears in his eyes, the farmer reached down and picked up the little pup. Holding it carefully handed it to the little boy.

"How much?" asked the little boy. "No charge," answered the farmer, "There's no charge for love."

The world is full of people who need someone who understands. (borrowed)

What a beautiful story about compassion and understanding. Truly each of us needs to express these qualities more frequently. Dana

Please Vote!

Elections are just around the corner and it is nearly time for each of us to go to the polls (unless you have early voting and then you can go when you please.) We are blessed to have the right each voting season to be able to go and vote without fear and to have a part in deciding who runs this country.

No one is more disgusted than I am with our Congress and yet, we cannot just sit back and do nothing because we are angry. As my husband says, we at least need to go vote for the lesser of two evils. I encourage you to be active this political season and do your duty. Go Vote!

Perhaps where you live there is an amendment on the table to clarify that marriage is a union between a man and a woman. I believe, as Christians, for us to just stay home and neglect the opportunity for our voices to be heard on this controversial subject would be a sin--Silence is consent. Jesus said if we do not confess Him, He will not confess us. How blessed we are to live in a country where we can express our convictions and stand up for the word of God.

Please, Go VOTE!

Dana Burk

Sin and Marshmallows

We had 15 to 20 people over the other evening for a wiener roast and s'mores. As I watched the marshmallows being roasted over the open flames, I thought of how sin affects each of us. Some of our guests preferred their marshmallows to simply get a little warm while others shoved theirs straight into the flames until they became black.

Isn't that a good comparison of how we are in relation to sin. Some of us "play" on the edges of sin allowing it to taint us only a little. But then, there are others who just jump in head first and and before long their lives become black from it's influence.

But one thing I noticed about ALL of the marshmallows. They were ALL changed--they were no longer fresh and firm. Each of the marshmallows had begun to soften and melt to one degree or another because of the heat from the fire. There was no returning the marshmallow back to it's original form. Every marshmallow had even changed color. Not one was still snowy white. Not all were black, but each had turned dingy. Each had been tainted.

When we allow sin to come near us, we choose to become tainted--stained. And the truth is, we will never be unaffected by it again. The sin has permantly changed us. The closer and longer we play with the fire of sin, the blacker and more severely we are changed, but each of us have become stained to one degree or another.

Praise God, there is one drastic difference between us and the marshmallows in our analogy--Jesus can and will wash us so that we can be white as snow again. However, he warns us to stay away from the fire lest it consume us completely.

Dana Burk

I Know Who She Is

It was approximately 8:30 a.m. on a busy morning at the doctor's office when an elderly gentleman in his 80s arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He stated that he was in a hurry to make an appointment at 9:00 a.m.

I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it might be an hour before he would be seen. Seeing him look at his watch, I decided since I was not busy with another patient I would evaluate his wound. On exam, I saw it was well healed, so I talked to the doctor and got the supplies to remove his sutures.

While redressing his wound, we engaged in conversation. I asked him if he was in a hurry to meet another doctor's appointment. He said no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I inquired as to her health. He said that she was a long-time victim of Alzheimer's Disease.

I asked if she would be worried if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was; in fact, she had not recognized him in five years. I was surprised and asked, "And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?" He smiled, patted my hand, and said, "She doesn't know who I am, but I still know who she is."

I had to hold back tears as he left. Goose bumps covered my arm as I thought, "That is the kind of love I want in my life!"

True love is neither physical nor romantic. True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be. (via HouseToHouse.com)

The Stranger

A few months before I was born, my Dad met a stranger who was new to our small Tennessee town. From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer and soon invited him to live with our family. The stranger was quickly accepted and was around to welcome me into the world a few months later.

As I grew up, I never questioned his place in my family. In my young mind, he had a special niche. My parents were complementary instructors: Mom taught me the word of God, and Dad taught me to obey it. But the stranger He was our storyteller. He would keep us spellbound for hours on end with adventures, mysteries and comedies.

If I wanted to know anything about politics, history or science, he always knew the answers about the past, understood the present and even seemed able to predict the future! He took my family to the first major league ball game. He made me laugh, and he made me cry. The stranger never stopped talking, but Dad didn't seem to mind.

Sometimes, Mom would get up quietly while the rest of us were shushing each other to listen to what he had to say, and she would go to her room and read her books (I wonder now if she ever prayed for the stranger to leave.)

Dad ruled our household with certain moral convictions, but the stranger never felt obligated to honor them. Profanity, for example, was not allowed in our home...nor for us, our friends or any visitors. Our longtime visitor, however, got away with four-letter words that burned my ears and made my Dad squirm and my Mother blush.

My Dad was a teetotaler who didn't permit alcohol in the home, not even for cooking. But the stranger encouraged us to try it on a regular basis. He made cigarettes look cool, cigars manly and pipes distinguished. He talked freely (much too freely!) about sex. His comments were sometimes blatant, sometimes suggestive, and generally embarrassing.

I now know that my early concepts about relationships were influenced strongly by the stranger. Time after time, he opposed the values of my parents, yet he was seldom rebuked...and NEVER asked to leave.

More than fifty years have passed since the stranger moved in with our family. He has blended right in and is not nearly as fascinating as he was at first. Still, if you were to walk into my parent's den today, you would still find him sitting over in the corner, waiting for someone to listen to him and talk and watch him draw his pictures.

His name?...We just call him, "TV"
(Author Unknown)

Certainly, these are some things we each need to think about when listening to the guest in our homes that so freely influences our families and even ourselves.

Dana Burk

Selflessness and Appreciation

Today I saw a righteous demonstration of complete selflessness and deep appreciation. One of the young fathers who recently moved to our congregation donated a kidney to another young man he had attended church with in the past.

This young father has risked his life to help save the life of a friend. "Greater love has no man than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." John 15:13. What a graphic example of practicing what you preach.

When talking with the donor's wife the other day, she confessed there was a lot more involved in this whole ordeal than they first realized and yet, her conclusion was--it is what needs to be done nonetheless and he was ready to go through with the surgery and donation. I am humbled by their sacrifice.

But I saw another side of this whole saga as well. While waiting with the families during these long and arduous surgeries this morning, I repeatedly witnessed the wife, parents, family members and friends of the criticaly ill recipient of the kidney come to the donor's family, in tears, and express their deep appreciation for what was being done for their loved one. How moving to see such love and appreciation being exchanged from friend to friend.

As I thought on the things I saw today, I was reminded of the sacrifice God and Christ made to save our lives. There was no question that those I saw today knew very well what was being done for their son, husband and friend and they couldn't do enough to express their gratitude. Are we fully aware, do we realize exactly what has been done for us. If we do, then are we living our lives in such a way that shows we can't do enough to express our gratitude to Him.

Dana Burk

O'Reilly Got It Wrong

I was watching Bill O'Reilly on Fox News tonight and was appalled at his reaction to a "pastor" of a Bible church who was being sued for making known to the church the sin of one of the members who was having an affair. The pastor claims that he was doing what the Bible commanded in Matthew 18:15-17 where we are told to go to the person about their sin, if they will not hear us take two or three with you and if they will not hear them then take it to the church.

O'Reilly, in his usual overly confident manner, told the pastor's lawyer that he was a good Catholic and he had never heard of that before. He really didn't think that is what the Bible said because he had never heard of it. He asked the lawyer to quote Matt. 18 and the lawyer paraphrased what it said and so O'Reilly dismissed the truth of what he said. He went on to say that in his church (the Catholic church) this would never happen. The lawyer commented that that was the beauty of our law, that we have the right to practice our religion as we see fit and that this was a matter of religious freedom not a matter for the courts.

O'Reilly went on to contend that the pastor would lose in court because he had humiliated the woman and had defamed her and that was against the law. How sad that someone with O'Reilly's influence will so openly and publicly refute God's word when he obviously doesn't even know what it says and did not bother to check and see whether the pastor was correct or not.

With this kind of display, I would question whether O'Reilly is only committed to what his church teaches and not what our Lord Jesus Christ teaches. "...let God be true but every man a liar." Romans 3:4 We must each be careful that God's word is ALWAYS our supreme authority--not "our church", not our church leaders, not our friends, not any man.

Frequently I agree with O'Reilly, but this is one time he really got it wrong. I intend on writing and telling him so and I will quote Matt. 18:15-17 to him since he obviously won't bother to look it up himself.

Dana Burk

Dana Burk

Never Heard It Put Quite This Way Before!!!

In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth and populated the Earth with broccoli, cauliflower and spinach, green and yellow and red vegetables of all kinds, so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives.

Then using God's great gifts, Satan created Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream and Krispy Kreme Donuts. And Satan said, "You want chocolate with that?" And Man said, "Yes!" and Woman said, "and as long as you're at it, add some sprinkles." And they gained 10 pounds. And Satan smiled.

And God created the healthful yogurt that Woman might keep the figure that Man found so fair. And Satan brought forth white flour from the wheat, and sugar from the cane and combined them. And Woman went from size 6 to size 14.So God said, "Try my fresh green salad." And Satan presented Thousand-Island Dressing, buttery croutons and garlic toast on the side. And Man and Woman unfastened their belts following the repast.

God then said, "I have sent you heart healthy vegetables and olive oil in which to cook them." And Satan brought forth deep fried fish and chicken-fried steak so big it needed its own platter. And Man gained more weight and his cholesterol went through the roof.

God then created a light, fluffy white cake, named it "Angel Food Cake," and said, "It is good." Satan then created chocolate cake and named it "Devil's Food."

God then brought forth running shoes so that His children might lose those extra pounds. And Satan gave cable TV with a remote control so Man would not have to toil changing the channels. And Man and Woman laughed and cried before the flickering blue light and gained pounds.

Then God brought forth the potato, naturally low in fat and brimming with nutrition. And Satan peeled off the healthful skin and sliced the starchy center into chips and deep-fried them. And Man gained pounds.

God then gave lean beef so that Man might consume fewer calories and still satisfy his appetite. And Satan created McDonald's and its 99-cent double cheeseburger. Then said, "You want fries with that?" And Man replied, "Yes! And super size them!" And Satan said, "It is good." And Man went into cardiac arrest.

God sighed and created quadruple bypass surgery.

Then Satan created HMOs. (Borrowed)


I don't know about you, but this is certainly an area in which I struggle. Truly God created the good things and we have added the bad. I have a loonnngggg ways to go in getting control. This little story just clarifies how bad the problem is. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

Thanks Jennifer for sending it to me.

Dana Burk

Done Enough?

I read this excerpt from an article out of The Provider, a church bulletin from Fairfield Church of Christ in Centerville, TN.

"A dear preacher friend said to me, "It really disturbed me when my saintly grandmother was approaching death and said to me, "I'm afraid that I haven't done enough to be saved." This made me wonder if in our preaching we have left people with the idea that they have to be "good enough" or "do enough" in order to be saved."

The article went on to talk about how we cannot do enough to earn salvation. What a good point and one I think we often forget. I do not believe we have unconditional salvation (there are things we MUST DO in order to be saved) and yet, we can NEVER do enough to earn our salvation. Were it not for the grace of our Great God none of us would be saved. Were it not for His endless mercy we would all be destined to Hell fire. Were it not for His boundless love demonstrated through the sending of His Son, we would all be without hope.

God EXPECTS us to obey Him and strive to live our very best for Him. But the key words here are "our very best". None of us will reach perfection! If it were a possibility then there would have been no reason for our Savior to have died on our behalf. God knew we were weak and He made provision for our weakness. We can live with hope and peace knowing He knows our weaknesses and has provided an advocate for us. I do not have to live frustrated and ridden with guilt if I have obeyed His commands for salvation.

Once I have been baptized into Christ, I WILL fall. But I don't have to fall into deep despair. In 1 John one Christians are told that they will sin and they must confess those sins then He is faithful and just to forgive us of those sins. Why would I EVER worry that I had not done enough to get into Heaven when God has provided all the grace and mercy I will ever need.

Christians should be the happiest and most confident of all peoples. If we have confessed our sins to Him, we ARE SAVED!!! NO IFS, ANDS OR BUTS. He who said so is faithful and cannot lie. Praise God for the confidence we can have in Him.

Dana Burk

More Fruit

While visiting with someone today that we know from another congregation, who is recovering from some very serious surgeries, we were sharing the good news from our congregation of those being restored and the sister who was baptized yesterday. Well, they shared with us a baptism they just had Fri. evening.

A 102 year old woman obeyed the gospel Friday night. Now how exciting is that????? What rejoicing there must be in Heaven this week. Truly, it is NEVER too late.

Dana Burk

Bearing Fruit

What a day for our congregation. Yesterday, myself and another sister went to visit a young woman in our congregation that had fallen into sin and quit attending. After a lengthy visit, tears and prayer, we left her with hopes she would come back to the Lord. This morning, to our great delight, she did return, made it a point to meet with our elders and made her life right with God and the church. What a humble, contrite spirit she displayed and what rejoicing we each experienced in our church family to have her among us again.

But that wasn't all. Another member's elderly mother, who is in a nursing home, decided she needed to be baptized this afternoon. How exciting is that. What a glorious God we have that will accept us into his fold regardless of what stage we are in our lives.

And if that was not enough, we had a young family of five who have recently moved to our area place membership with us. The young father of this family was baptized as a teen, but fell away and eventually married his young wife. They were both in the world, without God and eventually moved from up north into our area. About a month ago, they showed up in our midst. After a couple of weeks, she was baptized and today he made acknowledgement of sin in his life and they have committed their lives to Christ.

We are greatly rejoicing over the power of God's word on people's lives. Truly it is as powerful today as it has ever been. The Gospel changes lives and brings hope to broken hearts. May we all continue to take to those who are seeking Him and His promises.

Dana Burk

Aren't We All the Same?

Tol and I were in Tortola a few weeks ago working with the church there and I want to share with you some thoughts. Aren't' we all the same? The church in Tortola is a small group of 30 or so. They live on a tiny, beautiful island in the middle of the Caribbean where many of us dream of going to vacation.

But, they LIVE there--not vacation there. They deal with the same struggles in life that everyone else does. They have to work to make ends meet (and the cost of living is outrageous there) just like everyone else. They have to get dinner ready each day, do laundry, clean house, deal with illnesses and they have the same concerns within the church that all congregations have. They battle with error and fight to stand for truth. They have varying personalities and work to be unified in the common bond of Christ despite their individual opinions. They are Christians living in a worldly society just like you and me.

When we left Tortola, we went to Puerto Rico where we met with a very tiny group of Christians (around 12 or so) who worship in the City of San Juan--a metropolis of 2 million people. Talk about feeling isolated. Truly they are Christians living in a worldly society.

There are brethren all over the world striving to live a life for Christ amid a world living for Satan. We may have different surroundings, different climate, different languages, but the struggles are the same and we are united in our goal--Heaven.

I am continually encouraged by the brethren I know in these small places. I see them struggle and yet persevere against seemingly insurmountable odds. They just keep hanging on. It is a testament to me that I must do the same. Paul said he do all things through Christ who strengthened him. So can we. Aren't we all the same?

Dana Burk

I'm Better

Several have asked how I am doing since my recent stay in the hospital due to my asthma. Just thought I'd take a moment and give you an update.

I am better. Still have a ways to go. This asthma stuff is bad enough, but the medications to treat it are equally as bad. I have to be on high doses of steroids for weeks at a time after I have one of these bouts and they really mess with my head and body. It is very hard to think and that is exactly why I have done so little on this site. Sorry.

I think my head is clearing slowly and the fog is lifting. Hopefully, each day I will continue to gain my strength. I covet your prayers for me and the winter ahead. Typically fall and winter are the hardest time with the asthma. This has been quite a shock to be sick at the end of the summer. But, our God is good and I am confident He will see me through.

Thank you for your concern and prayers and may our Great God Bless each of you.

Dana Burk

Try God

If your plans have gone wrong,
Try God's plan.
If your methods have failed,
Try God's method.
If your life is not complete,
Let God complete it.
He asks only that you Use His Power.
--borrowed

This Reminds Me...

I recieved the following story from someone recently, which I have read before (and perhaps you have too), but as I once again read it I was reminded of the newspaper reporters taken hostage a few weeks ago by Palestinian terrorists. Let me share some thoughts with you that I have had. My intention is not to judge these two courageous men nor to malign their characters in any way, but rather to ask myself what I would have to do were I found in their situation or the situation in the story below.

As you may have read and heard through newspaper reports, the men were "forced" at gunpoint to convert to the Muslim religion or die. Apparently they did swear allegience to this false religion though one of them reportedly resisted for a few moments. What a difficult position to be in.

What would I "HAVE" to do as a Christian were I to find myself in their situations. Could I concede out of fear and deny Christ and accept Mohammad in order to preserve my life and stand justified in the eyes of Jesus Christ? Would it be okay if I prayed to the Lord and made a deal with Him that I would deny Him in order to save my life, but then when I "got home", where I was safe, I would recant my conversion. What an incredible perdicament.

Jesus said if we deny Him before men then He will deny us before His Father in Heaven. I don't suppose anyone knows exactly what they would do when placed in this situation, but I do know what we SHOULD do. I believe we must begin preparing our hearts and minds to deal with these types of situations. We must recognize that we live in a changing world with changing world views different from any we have personally seen before and may face challenges we never dreamed we would face. Paul tells us that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. The Hebrew writer relates horrific accounts of things suffered by early Christians by the hands of evil men. Yet, in all, they did not deny thier Lord and were given the crown of life. We must muster the courage to do the same.

But, perhaps even more disturbing, is the story retold below. How many Christians sit through situations where only their "reputation" or "ego" will be harmed and will deny Christ for that? Have we become cowards when faced with faith in Christ? Many of us have. It is just easier to deny Him than to claim Him. Revelations tells us that the cowards and unbelieving will have their place in eternal torment as well. We may never face the trauma the two reporters faced this last month, but we are daily faced with standing up for our Lord. How are you doing?

Dana Burk

(RETELLING OF STORY)
This is a true story of something that happened just a few years ago at USC.

There was a professor of philosophy there who was a deeply committed atheist. His primary goal for one required class was to spend the entire semester to prove that God couldn't exist. His students were always afraid to argue with him because of his impeccable logic. Sure, some had argued in class at times, but no one had ever really gone against him because of his reputation.

At the end of every semester on the last day, he would say to his class of 300 students, "If there is anyone here who still believes in Jesus, stand up!" In twenty years, no one had ever stood up. They knew what he was going to do next. He would say, "Because anyone who believes in God is a fool. If God existed, he could stop this piece of chalk from hitting the ground and breaking. Such a simple task to prove that He is God, and yet He can't do it." And every year, he would drop the chalk onto the tile floor of the classroom and it would shatter into a hundred pieces. All of the students would do nothing but stop and stare. Most of the students thought that God couldn't exist. Certainly, a number of Christians had slipped through, but for 20 years, they had been too afraid to stand up.

Well, a few years ago there was a freshman who happened to enroll. He was a Christian, and had heard the stories about his professor. He was required to take the class for his major, and he was afraid. But for three months that semester, he prayed every morning that he would have the courage to stand up, no matter what the professor said, or what the class thought. Nothing they said could ever shatter his faith...he hoped.

Finally, the day came. The professor said, "If there is anyone here who still believes in God, stand up!" The professor and the class of 300 people looked at him, shocked, as he stood up at the back of the classroom. The professor shouted, "You FOOL!!! If God existed, he would keep this piece of chalk from breaking when it hit the ground!" He proceeded to drop the chalk, but as he did, it slipped out of his fingers, off his shirt cuff, onto the pleat of his pants, down his leg, and off his shoe. As it hit the ground, it simply rolled away unbroken. The professor's jaw dropped as he stared at the chalk. He looked up at the young man, and then ran out of the lecture hall.

The young man who had stood, proceeded to walk to the front of the room, and shared his faith in Jesus for the next half hour. 300 students stayed and listened as he told of God's love for them, and of His power, through Jesus.

You have 2 choices: 1. Delete this and never look at it again. 2. Pass this along to your Christian and non-Christian friends, giving them encouragement we all need every day. When you choose option 2, you have chosen to STAND UP. In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke, it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking........... Isn't it funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell? Isn't it funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says? Isn't it funny how everyone wants to go to heaven, provided they do not have to believe, think, say, or do anything the Bible says?

Or is it scary? Isn't it funny how someone can say "I believe in God" but still follow Satan (who, by the way, also "believes" in God )? Isn't it funny how you can send a thousand jokes through e-mail, and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing? Isn't it funny how the lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene pass freely through cyberspace, but the public discussion of Jesus is suppressed in the school and workplace? Isn't it funny how someone can be so fired up for Christ on Sunday, but be an invisible Christian the rest of the week? Are you laughing? ! Isn't it funny how when you go to forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list, because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it to them? Isn't it funny how I can be more worried about what other people think of me than what God thinks of me? Will YOU pass this on? I did.

The Scars of Life

This beautiful story was forwarded to me and I want to share it with. --Dana

Some years ago, on a hot summer day in south Florida, a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went. He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore. His father working in the yard saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, he ran toward the water, yelling to his son as loudly as he could. Hearing his voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his father. It was too late. Just as he reached his father, the alligator reached him.

From the dock, the father grabbed his little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the father, but the father was much too passionate to let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard his screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator.

Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal. And on his arms were deep scratches where his father's fingernails dug into his flesh in his effort to hang on to the son he loved. The newspaper reporter, who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, "But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my Dad wouldn't let go."

You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. No, not from an alligator, but the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret. But, some wounds, my friend, are because God has refused to let go. In the midst of your struggle, He's been there holding on to you.God loves you. You are a child of God. He wants to protect you and provide for you in every way. But sometimes we foolishly wade into dangerous situations, not knowing what lies ahead.

The swimming hole of life is filled with peril, and we forget that the enemy is waiting to attack. That's when the tug-of-war begins, and if you have the scars of His love on your arms be very, very grateful. He did not and will not ever let you go.

Please pass this on to those you love. God has blessed you, so that you can be a blessing to others. You just never know where a person is in his/her life and what they are going through. Never judge another person's scars, because you don't know how they got them. Right now, someone needs to know that God loves them, and you love them, too. ~~~~ enough to not let them go. (BORROWED)

What a Great Time

Well, I have landed in the hospital after a week of struggling with my asthma--was admitted around 10:00 this morning. But what a great time we live in. Around 4:30 this afternoon, a computer person came to my hospital room and hooked me up to their wireless network system. Is this too cool. I can work even when I'm sick--maybe good maybe not.

We DO live in a great time though. Just last week my husband and I were across the ocean some 2500 miles away, give or take a few, and yet were able to communicate with those at home via cell phone and computer. Then we left the islands one morning and were home by lunch time. My husband communicates with brethren via the internet and phone in foreign countries on an almost daily basis. What incredible opportunities we have set right before us.

How are we using this great time for the Lord? Are we so busy using our modern conveniences and communication devices to entertain ourselves that we do not see the opportunities to spread the gospel and encourage others that lie right in front of us. There are so many opportunities to teach and admonish others via the internet and with text messaging, e-mails and blogs like this one not to mention the conveniences we all have with the advent of cell phones. In fact, it is hard to get away from them. How have you used technology to encourage someone today?

I know the frustrations with airports and the hassles of security, but look where we can go and who we can influence in just a few short hours. There are still many areas in the world that are perfectly safe to travel to and as Americans we have few restrictions. How are we using these opportunities for the Lord? I think of how Paul and others in the NT spent months and sometimes even years to travel to different countries to admonish the brethren to grow in the Lord and the hassles we face aren't even worth consideration when compared to what they suffered. We can make those same types of trips in a matter of a few hours. We all can find the money and time to travel for vacation, but few of us find time and money to travel to teach others about the Lord. Many times, we choose to stay home and stay comfortable. Can you step out of your comfort zone to reach out to others beyond our borders?

What a great time we live in. To whom much has been given, much will be required. How are you using your advantages?

Dana Burk

Where is Happiness?

Not in unbelief. Voltaire was an infidel of the most pronounced type. He wrote: "I wish I had never been born."

Not in pleasure. Lord Byron lived a life of pleasure, if anyone did. He wrote: "The worm, the canker, and the grief are mind alone."

Not in money. Jay Gould, the American millionaire, had plenty of that. In dying he said: "I suppose I am the most miserable man on earth."

Not in position and fame. Lord Beaconsfield enjoyed more than his share of both. He wrote: "Youth is a mistake; manhood, a struggle; old age, a regret."

Not in military glory. Alexander the Great conquered the known world of his day. Having done so, he wept in his tent, because, he said, "there are no more worlds to conquer."

Where then is HAPPINESS found?

The answer is simple: In Christ alone! He said, "I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no man taketh away."
--C.L. McCartney

Tragedy in the Sky

Well, after a long trip to the Caribbean, a major systems crash on my computer (that I'm still not sure is over) and then a major "systems crash" with me and my asthma, I have been rather neglectful with this site. My apologies and I hope to do better (if I can stay out of the hospital with this asthma attack which is always somewhat questionable).

My daughter just called me in tears to tell me that one of the co-owners and his wife of the company she worked for 3 years ago, were killed in the airline crash on Sunday in Lexington, KY. Our daughter was very, very close to him and his wife and their one daughter (about her age). She had spent countless hours in their home and he had been instrumental in training her in her career--he had been her mentor. His wife had taken an interest in her as well and had welcomed her into their home as part of the family. Our daughter would house sit for them from time to time and even baby-sit the dog when they were away. Needless to say she is devastated.

But the thing she expressed that has torn her up the most, is knowing they had never obeyed the gospel by being baptized into Christ and becoming members of His church. They were lovely people, kind and good, but were not Christians as the Bible defines. It is so difficult to loose those we love and truly that is magnified when we know they are not ready to meet their maker. I told her all she can do now is pray for God's mercy.

It is at times like these that I am reminded how urgent the need is for us to take the gospel to ALL those that we love. It is imperative that we strive to teach any and all that we have any influence upon before it is too late. But even then it is the choice of each individual as to whether they will see that need and respond or not. Our daughter had spoken many times to this man and his wife about what she believed the Bible taught on salvation and yet they did not accept it. Now they are in the hands of a merciful and just God. How much more tragic would this be for my daughter had she never mentioned Him to her friends.

Dana Burk

What are you doing to teach your friends and loved ones about the gospel?

A Little Perspective

Your alarm goes off, you hit the snooze and sleep for another 10minutes.
He stays up for days on end.

You take a warm shower to help you wake up.
He goes days or weeks without running water.

You complain of a "headache", and call in sick.
He gets shot at, as others are hit, and keeps moving forward.

You put on your anti war/don't support the troops shirt, and go meet up with your friends.
He still fights for your right to wear that shirt.

You make sure you're cell phone is in your pocket.
He clutches the cross hanging on his chain next to his dog tags.

You talk trash on your "buddies" that aren't with you.
He knows he may not see some of his buddies again.

You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls.
He walks the streets, searching for insurgents and terrorists.

You complain about how hot it is.
He wears his heavy gear, not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow.

You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong.
He does not get to eat today.

Your maid makes your bed and washes your clothes.
He wears the same things for months, but makes sure his weapons are clean.

You go to the mall and get your hair redone.
He doesn't have time to brush his teeth today.

You are angry because your class ran 5 minutes over.
He is told he will be held an extra 2 months.

You call your girlfriend and set a date for that night.
He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home.

You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday.
He holds his letter close and smells his love's perfume.

You roll your eyes as a baby cries.
He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if they'll ever meet.

You criticize your government, and say that war never solves anything.
He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own government and remembers why he is fighting.

You hear the jokes about the war, and make fun of the men like him.
He hears the gun fire and bombs.

You see only what the media wants you to see.
He sees the bodies lying around him.

You are asked to go to the store by your parents. You don't.
He does what he is told.

You stay at home and watch TV.
He takes whatever time he is given to call and write home, sleep, and eat.

You crawl into your bed, with down pillows, and try to get comfortable.
He crawls under a tank for shade and a 5 minute nap, only to be woken by gun fire.

You sit there and judge him, saying the world is a worse place because of men like him.
If only there were more men like him. (borrowed)

WOW!!!!!! Dana

There Are Three

We traveled to Puerto Rico and then to the tiny Island of Tortola this past weekend in the midst of all the new security regulations. We spent about 2 hours snaking our way through the long security check lines in Puerto Rico on Sunday afternoon in order to make a short 25 minute flight to Tortola. During the last hour of our wait, we were close enough to the security check point that we could watch the people as they went through the metal detectors and had their bags searched for liquids and gels.

I was amazed at the sight I saw. Basically three types of people approached the security check points. There were those who had been very careful to follow exactly the instructions that were repeatedly being announced over the loud speakers and posted on every wall and pole. They proceeded quite quickly through the check points (once they reached them). There were those who had been careless and forgotten to remove a bottle of lotion, toothpaste, or some other seemingly innocent offending item. This caused delays for not only them, but all who were behind them. And then there were those who were simply rebellious. These marched right up to the security officers with soft drinks and water bottles in hand, defying and arguing every step of the way as items were removed from their bags and thrown away. I must admit I had to fight back my anger as I continually watched them cause all of us to suffer delays because of their behavior.

If you think about it, aren’t there the same three groups in the spiritual sense? There are those (hopefully you fall into this group) who are very careful to do exactly what God commands and instructs us to do through His word. They will proceed very easily through the gates of Heaven come Judgment Day.

Then there are those who mean to do well, but are careless—they are not careful to do exactly what God says. Because of their careless attitudes, they often hinder others from being obedient to God by teaching them that all they have to do is come close to His word. Maybe they teach all you have to do to be saved is believe or, they may teach that it doesn’t really matter how you worship God as long as you are sincere. But Jesus said in Matt. 7:21-23 that it is not those who believe in Him and worship Him in their own way, but rather those who “do the will of my Father who is in Heaven” that will be saved. In Matt. 15:9 Jesus said, “In vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrine the commandments of men.” We cannot be saved by being careless in our worship to God or being fooled by following others who have been careless with the commandments of God. If we are careless with His word, we will not get through the gates of Heaven and we may hinder others who follow after us.

Lastly, there are those who couldn’t care less about God or His word. In fact, they are very rebellious and defiant toward anything religious. They are actively fighting against everything He commands and instructs us to do. They have so spread their false doctrines of humanism and evolution that millions have been fooled and will never even approach the gates of Heaven.

Are you angered by these types of people as you watch them defy our God and take countless others with them to eternal torment? We are commanded to love their souls, but we should abhor their ways.
Are you being careful to follow God and His instructions exactly as He says and are you encouraging others to do the same? Your path to Heaven will be sure and the gate will be wide open for you if you heed His commands.

Dana Burk

You Can't Pray!!!

I am once again on the road--well, not exactly on the road but across the ocean in the Caribbean. Today is the first chance I have had access to the internet and so my blog has suffered, but I should be able to blog for the next several days. When checking my e-mail, I came across this excellent piece that was sent to me. Many of you may have already read it and for that I apologize for the repetitions, however, I was very moved by its sentiments and want to share it with you. God Bless you, Dana Burk

BY THEIR IGNORANCE, THE SUPREME COURT HAS GIVEN US A DOUBLE STANDARD...SEX AND MURDER IS OK, BUT DON'T MENTION GOD'S NAME - THAT'S AGAINST THE LAW. THIS IS WHAT'S WRONG WITH OUR WORLD TODAY!

This is a statement that was read over the PA system at the football game at Roane County High School, Kingston, Tennessee, by school Principal, Jody McLeod.

"It has always been the custom at Roane County High School football games, to say a prayer and play the National Anthem, to honor God and Country." Due to a recent ruling by the Supreme Court, I am told that saying a Prayer is a violation of Federal Case Law. As I understand the law at this time, I can use this public facility to approve of sexual perversion and call it "an alternate lifestyle," and if someone is offended, that's OK. I can use it to condone sexual promiscuity, by dispensing condoms and calling it, "safe sex." If someone is offended, that's OK. I can even use this public facility to present the merits of killing an unborn baby as a "viable means of birth control." If someone is offended, no problem... I can designate a school day as "Earth Day" and involve students in activities to worship religiously and praise the goddess "Mother Earth" and call it "ecology." I can use literature, videos and presentations in the classroom that depicts people with strong, traditional Christian convictions as "simple minded" and "ignorant" and call it "enlightenment."

However, if anyone uses this facility to honor GOD and to ask HIM to Bless this event with safety and good sportsmanship, then Federal Case Law is violated. This appears to be inconsistent at best, and at worst, diabolical. Apparently, we are to be tolerant of everything and anyone, except GOD and HIS Commandments.

Nevertheless, as a school principal, I frequently ask staff and students to abide by rules with which they do not necessarily agree. For me to do otherwise would be inconsistent at best, and at worst, hypocritical... I suffer from that affliction enough unintentionally. I certainly do not need to add an intentional transgression. For this reason, I shall "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's," and refrain from praying at this time. "However, if you feel inspired to honor, praise and thank GOD and ask HIM, in the name of JESUS, to Bless this event, please feel free to do so. As far as I know, that's not against the law----yet."

One by one, the people in the stands bowed their heads, held hands with one another and began to pray. They prayed in the stands. They prayed in the team huddles. They prayed at the concession stand and they prayed in the Announcer's Box! The only place they didn't pray was in the Supreme Court of the United States of America - the Seat of "Justice" in the "one nation, under GOD."

Somehow, Kingston, Tennessee Remembered what so many have forgotten. We are given the Freedom OF Religion, not the Freedom FROM Religion. Praise GOD that HIS remnant remains! JESUS said, "If you are ashamed of ME before men, then I will be ashamed of you before MY FATHER."

Servants of God

We studied about the name "Adonai" in our Bible class tonight and I was so impressed by how we are God's servants. The name "Adonai" means Lord or Master--the one who owns the servant or slave. But it also implies the one who provides for and protects the one who is owned.

Our God purchased us--He bought us to be His servants or slaves. We do not like the thought of that and yet that is exactly what the Bible says. Furthermore, we are instructed (commanded) to obey Him in all things since He is our master and Lord. However, our Master and Lord loves us as His dear children and wants only what is best for us. He provides all good things for us including forgiveness and mercy.

He is very serious about His responsibility as Master and Provider. How serious are we about being faithful servants to Him. Do we truly understand our role as slaves to God. Do we realize that ALL of our time and resources really belong to Him, not me? He bought us to serve Him. If we want forgiveness and mercy from Him, then we must recognize that we belong to Him and so does our time, our money, our homes, our lives. What kind of servant are you?

Dana Burk

An Amazing System!

Have you ever stopped to think about what exactly makes your car work? You turn the key which is connected to an electrical source which allows the engine to work. You press the gas pedal which is connected to an electrical source which allows a pump to begin the circulation of gas. The engine turns, belts spin, fluids move, and tires go round and round. All of this takes place so you can go down the road. If one part of the car goes our or is not working properly, then the entire car will suffer. What an amazingly integrated system!

The Lord's church is much the same way. If we are going to be moving in the direction God wants us to move there must be different parts all functioning together. When one of us fails to work then the body suffers. What an amazingly integrated system!
(borrowed)

Do we often think about the perfect system that our Lord bled and died for--that our Lord purchased with His Own Life. Some have said that it is not important to be a part of a "church". If that is so, then why did it cost my Savior's life? Why was the price so high? "...to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood." (Acts 20:28) Obviously God felt the church was necessary and its value, priceless. We should value this precious church as well.

Nothing God ever created was less than perfect or unimportant. He is the creator of His church as well as its designer. We should study this amazing system and do our best to make sure that it functions as He intended. We must also do what the word says to be a part of that system. (Acts 2:40-41) Do you value this amazing system as our God does?

Dana Burk

Simple Gospel

I have been studying the Bible with someone the last few days and after two or three studies she made the observation of how simple it was to understand the Bible--she said, "It is so plain." It is not that this young woman was not religious or did not know the Bible at all, but rather that the doctrine she had been taught had so twisted the word that it made it difficult to understand.

Isa. 35:8 prophesied that in the future kingdom of God there would be a road that even though a man was a fool he could find his way. God says that we will be judged by the word. (John 12:48) If the word was so difficult that only those trained in Seminary could understand it, wouldn't it be unfair of God to judge us by it? But the word of God is not so difficult that we cannot understand it. If we will simply read it and accept it as it is, God's plan for redeeming man is quite simple as are His commands for our worship today.

A number of years ago we had a man tell us he had studied a verse (that I felt was quite clear) for 7 years day and night before he could see it the way he now believed. I had read the verse through many times and never saw the conclusion he had drawn because it was not there. He had to study many other books, written by men, to twist and convolute the meaning of the verse before he could make it say what he wanted it to say.

We can misunderstand the gospel if that is our intent. 2 Thess. 2:10-11 says, "And with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie..." If we do not love truth above all things, God will allow us to believe a lie.

We must be seekers of truth and truth only if we want to be saved. The Bible says if you seek you will find. Seek truth and be saved.

Dana Burk

Egyptian Afterlife

We have two of our grandchildren and our niece staying with us for a few days and so we took them to an Egyptian exhibit at the art museum today. The emphasis of the exhibit was about the Egyptian afterlife and preparation for the afterlife. There were all types of coffins and mummies as well as all of the different types of prepatory clothing, jewelry and death masks made from precious gems and gold. But the most striking thing to me were all of the many, many gods and idols that were buried with the Egyptians.

I have always heard that the Egyptians had many gods, but I never realized how many--over 700. In fact, anything they feared they would simply make it into a god and then offer sacrifices to it and worship it so that it would "protect" them from the very thing they feared. Clever--if it only worked. They then made idols of all the different gods and buried them with the body to protect it in the afterlife.

Our grandchildren are 9 and 6 and when we pointed out some miniature animal gods made of gold (about 2-4 inches tall) the six year old laughed sarcastically and said, "That's not a god, it can't protect anybody." How amazing that a mere child of 6 can so clearly see that a statue of gold has no power and yet the very intelligent Egyptians depended on these toys. I was reminded of the verse in Romans 1: 22-25 where Paul says "Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things...and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator..."

This Egyptian exhibit was incredibly interesting and I'm glad we were able to view such awesome artifacts from history, but as we completed our tour and exited through the gift shop (clever marketing) it was basically impossible to buy any souvenirs unless you wanted to purchase an idol. Our niece, who is 16, said as we entered the gift shop, "Well, I guess you can't buy anything here unless you want a god."

The more I see and learn about the ancient Egyptians, the more I question their intelligence. On one level they were brilliant (architecture, writing, medical knowledge, etc.), but where it counts, (spiritually) they were fools--"professing to wise, they became fools". All of the preparations they made for the afterlife and netherworld we have now got on display in our museums--how intelligent were they, really?