i've taken to quotes lately as original thoughts are eluding me

Satan separates beauty from truth and thus our thirst from our religious practice and the obedience of faith...he replaces the love affair with a religious system of do's and don'ts that parch our hearts and replaces our worship and communion services with entertainment. Our experience of life deteriorates from the passion of a grand love affair, in the midst of a life and death battle, to an endless series of chores and errands, a busyness that separates us from God, each other, and even from our own thirstiness.

Brent Curtis/John Eldredge The Sacred Romance

isn't it amazing to think about how God loves us, and satan is so jealous that he will stop at nothing to pull us from the one true love of our lives. this is truly his plan, not pornography and drunkeness. those are just things he uses to maintain. if he can fool us into thinking that we are ok and that our checklist is being worked on, then he has rendered us ineffective. earlier in the book, the authors describe our relationship with God...

Have you ever dated someone and just knew, from the first time you met her, that she was the one you wanted to spend your life with? As you laughed and talked and marveled together, you felt love deepen to a heart bond that you knew you never wanted to free yourself from. And have you ever been so shocked to find one day that the one you loved so deeply and who you though loved you just as passionately, had been dating other guys and, moreover wa spending more and more of her time with your worst enemy?
Have you ever had to literally turn a lover over to a mortal enemy to allow her to find out for herself what his intentions toward her really were? Have you ever had to lie in bed knowing she was believing his lies and was having sex with him every night? Have you ever sat helplessly in parking lot, while your enemy and his friends took turns raping your lover even as you sat nearby, unable to win her heart enough so she would trust you to rescue her? Have you ever called this one you had loved for so long, even the day after her rape, and asked her if she was ready to come back to you only to have her say her heart was still captured by the enemy? Have you ever watched your lover's beauty slowly diminish and fade in a haze of alcohol, drugs, occult practices, and infant sacrifice until she is no longer recognizable in body and soul? Have you ever loved one so much that you even send your only son to talk with her about your love for her, knowing that he will be killed by her? (And in spite of knowing all of this, he was willing to do it because he loved her, too, and believed you were meant for each other.)

i know that is pretty graphic, but lets wake up and see that God loves us and desires to capture our hearts. don't give that to the enemy

have a great day
God bless
chuck
All this and more God has endured because of his refusal to stop loving us.

found this on mcsweeney's and couldn't pass it up

THIRTY-NINEQUESTIONS FORCHARLIE DANIELSUPON HEARING"The Devil WentDown to Georgia"for the First Timein 25 Years.
BY JOHN MOE
- - - -
1. The Devil won that fiddling contest, right?
2. Because isn't that totally amazing fiddle feedback thing the Devil plays (which sounds like Hendrix gone bluegrass) a hundred times better than that high-school-band piece-of-crap tune Johnny plays?
3. I mean, come on, right?
4. And since the Devil is so clearly better, why does he lay the golden fiddle on the ground at Johnny's feet?
5. What kind of one-sided bet was that anyway, your eternal soul for a fiddle?
6. Shouldn't it have been something like Johnny's soul or the eradication of Evil?
7. Or maybe a golden fiddle against some object Johnny placed great value upon?
8. If the Devil went down to Georgia 'cause he was looking for a soul to steal, why does he arrange what appears to be an honest competition?
9. Was there actually some hidden theft or scam going on here on the part of the Devil?
10. Then why not explain that, Mr. Daniels?
11. And who was judging that contest?
12. Was it an honor-system kind of thing?
13. With the Devil?
14. Honor system with the Devil. How did Johnny get sucked into that one?
15. Does Johnny suffer from some—I'm trying to be delicate here—cognitive disabilities?
16. Was there some sort of arbitration board in place in the event that the outcome was not obvious?
17. If so, who served on this board?
18. It wasn't the demons, was it?
19. 'Cause even though they're the only characters in the song, they're kind of biased since they're in the Devil's band and they're demons, right?
20. So why—why—does the Devil take the dive and throw the contest?!
21. I mean, the Devil can't be hurting for cash. How much is it going to cost him to buy a new golden fiddle?
22. I'm thinking maybe $18,000. Does that sound right to you?
23. If you're Johnny, what do you even want with a golden fiddle?
24. Doesn't the metallic surface of a golden fiddle create an unpalatably tinny sound as opposed to the nice resonant sound on a wooden instrument?
25. Does he think he's going to display it in his home and tell people the story of how he beat the Devil?
26. Who's going to believe that?
27. Or does he try to sell the fiddle?
28. If so, how does he go about getting something like that appraised?
29. Or does he just melt it all down for the gold?
30. That sounds awfully hard, don't you think?
31. And is Johnny haunted by the question of why the Devil let him win like that?
32. Was there some catch in the contest that Johnny wasn't aware of where the Devil really does get his soul anyway and Johnny didn't notice it because he's not all that smart?
33. And even if he didn't get Johnny's soul, what is Johnny going to say to God in heaven when he has to explain that he bet his soul, the essence of life, God's one true gift, on a fiddle contest?
34. Johnny knows deep down that he's not really the best that's ever been and that's the source of his insecure boasting, right?
35. Was it really necessary or wise to invite the Devil to come on back if he ever wants to try again?
36. 'Cause what does Johnny need, a second golden fiddle?
37. Or maybe a golden viola the next time?
38. Why would the Devil need an invitation?
39. Are you implying, Mr. Daniels, that Johnny actually wants to get hustled?

some thoughts on being spiritually bankrupt

God does not save us because of what we've done. Only a puny god could be bought with tithes. Only an egotistical god would be impressed with our pain. Only a tempermental god could be satisfied by sacrifices. Only a heartless god would sell salvation to the highest bidders.
And only a great God does for His children what they can't do for themselves.
God's delight is received upon surrender, not awarded upon conquest. The first step to joy is a plea for help, and acknowledgment of moral destitution, and admission of inward paucity. Those who taste God's presence have declared spiritual bankruptcy and are aware of their spiritual crisis.... Their pockets are empty. Their options are gone. They have long since stopped demanding justice; they are pleading for mercy. Max Lucado

i love the fact that he says their pockets are empty, because really i have nothing to offer God. He doesn't need anything from me. that's where pride arises in our lives when we think that we are needed. there is a difference between wanted and needed. i find it fascinating that the almighty creator of the universe wants me, but he wants me to come to Him aware of my need. so in essence He wants me, and i need Him. amazing. i pray that today, you would see your need for Him. have a great day

chuck

just so you know i'm not dying

the doctor called with the results of my blood tests last week, and i had a "bacterial spike" on my blood, so basically i now have a kickin 500 mg antibiotic that is making me feel much better. he does want to test me for hepatitis again in 3 months, so hopefully that is not what i am dealing with. i have a lot more energy and i'm feeling myself again. so thanks for your prayers. if you could please pray that i would not harbor bitterness. i've been seeing this bitterness appear in certain situations, and i really don't like that in my life. i know that God is probably trying to teach me humility, and other good things that i need, so pray that His love would overwhelm me and this root of whatever will be cut. hope you all have a great day

chuck

hey there sports fans

even though i haven't gotten to play it very much in the last 2 weeks, ncaa 2006 rocks. one of my favorite features is the fans who are in all corners of the stadium, they are usually on the front row, which is funny because most drunk, shirtless college kids sit in the student section. and they've got guys front and center in alumniville. the tech fans are usually shirtless with a painted chest and a cowboy hat. although many of them have shirts. my favorite thing they do is "horns down" and it doesn't matter who tech is playing. they mostly do it when tech is playing the longhorns. instead of raider red firing off his guns they have a cannon at home games which fires right into a journalists head. it's pretty good game play.

so i went to the doctor yesterday and found out that i have a "viral syndrome" which is pretty much his way of telling me, "i don't know what is wrong with you, and i'm not going to give you any drugs to make you feel better."
they took four vials of blood from my arm, and are testing me for lyme disease, mono, west nile, and epstein barr. sounds like fun eh? so pray that i'm ok and that this was just a virus that i'm having a tough time getting over.

have a good one
chuck

here's a blog, this is where i am right now.

john stott says
the highest of missionary motives is neither obedience to the Great Commission (important as that is), nor love for sinners who are alienated and perishing (strong as that incentive is, especially when we contemplate the wrath of God...), but rather, zeal--burning and passionate zeal--for the glory of Jesus Christ...

wow. so do we really have a burning, passionate zeal for Christ? it's a question i'm asking myself this very moment. it's actually very humbling. to think that all of the ministry that is done today. how much is done for the Glory of Jesus Christ? unpack that for a bit... then get back to me. if anyone reads this.

i finished the gospel according to tony soprano. it's a good book, but you have to read with an open mind, and by that i mean there is stuff to get through to get to the meat of what he is talking about. if you want to read it drop me a line.

so i start school with kids on wednesday. maybe this will be my last first day of school. at least that's what i'm praying. i hope to walk away at the end of the year, but that will only be God willing. He is good.

have a good one.
chuck