Two Lessons about Teaching from James 3:1-2

Lecturing this past Tuesday at Liberty reminded me that teaching is not only a privilege but a grave responsibility. 

That's clearly taught by James in James 3:1-2, my morning Bible passage. Here are two truths from that text that I jotted down in my journal.  

1. Learning to be a teacher is a never-ending process. I get this from the verb ginesthe that James uses here. He doesn't say, "Not many of you should be teachers." He says, "Not many of you should become teachers." Here's the lasting lesson I wrote down in my journal:

"I will be effective as a teacher only to the degree that I am continually growing as a student of Scripture."

2. Because our role demands that we speak so regularly, teachers are especially vulnerable to failures of speech. This may mean talking too much. Or it may mean talking about things we know nothing about. Or becoming careless in our speech. Or failing to keep our sarcasm in check. Or trying to please both God and the world at the same time. Or failing to manifest grace in our speech. The principle?

"I will be effective as a teacher to the degree that I allow the Spirit of God to produce consistently (though not perfectly) pure speech with my tongue."

As a teacher, "my times" are not really mine but his. I am the steward of my days and had better number them that I may apply my heart unto wisdom. Lord, let me use my final days of teaching to faithfully witness to my times concerning the Timeless One.

Virtual Chat

If we were enjoying a cup of hot chocolate together, there are some things I would tell you. 

If we were having a cup of hot chocolate together on my front porch this evening, I would tell you how much I enjoy living in rural Virginia. This was my drive to Farmville this morning. 

There is never any traffic here to speak of. And the colors -- oh my goodness. The peak foliage may be over, but this view will still take your breath away.

If we were enjoying a cup of hot chocolate in my library enjoying a warm fireplace, I would tell you how much I love all the history you can find in Virginia. A major battle took place on this very site during the Civil War. 

It was a Union victory just a couple of days before the end of the war. You know, this isn't the only "rail trail" we have in the commonwealth. I think this is a great use of these former railroad beds, don't you? 

If we were enjoying a cup of hot chocolate together while watching the sheep graze, I would tell you what running has meant to me since Becky died. I would tell you how cathartic this sport has been to me. I love how it's challenged me to keep running the race of life. Life is never easy, but hardships are always temporary and for that I am grateful. 

Well, it's been nice sipping cocoa and chatting. It's so easy to sabotage ourselves. For God's sake, don't overthink everything. Just make it happen. Plan your route, set out your clothes, then get on out there. You'll be glad you did. 

Don't Let Yourself Down

I don't know who needs to hear this, but maintenance of strength and muscle can be achieved with surprisingly little volume, even just 1 day per week. Multi-joint exercises like pull ups, squats, presses, and rows should be prioritized over isolation exercises.

But if you decide to add an isolation exercise, the dumbbell curl is a great place to start. 

Going to the gym is more than just a workout. It's proof to yourself that you're willing to fight to become the person you want to be. Don't let that version of yourself down. 

Lecturing at Liberty Again

Today I had the joy of speaking in the New Testament Honors class at Liberty University. 

And mightily bored they were!

LU is definitely one of our best Christian universities in my opinion. The campus is knock-dead beautiful, plus the amount of things to do around campus is amazing (shooting range, ski resort, equestrian barn). Their biblical studies faculty is second to none. All the profs I know are incredible! The school has tons of international students, including this one from Ethiopia who's enjoying a copy of Becky's book My Life Story. 

I have met many fine students full of positive energy and great studiousness during my campus visits. Everyone is willing to help and assist you. I suppose that if you're there just because your parents wanted to "straighten you out," you won't get too much from the experience. But if you're serious about your studies, the school can truly help you achieve your dreams. (No, I was not paid to say that!) 

My thanks to Dr. Thomas Hudgins of the Divinity School for organizing today's visit. It was a great honor, sir!

New Greek Diacritical Mark Discovered

The Yoda subscript. 

Video credit: Thomas Hudgins.

Special thanks to my student Joey for coming up with the concept in Greek class today.👍

1 John -- Here We Come!

Ta-daaaaa! Today in our Greek class we begin our study of the book of 1 John. 

1 John has two main purposes. On the one hand, John wants to encourage his readers to live in fellowship with God and with his Son Jesus Christ. On the other hand, he wants to warn them against any false teaching that would destroy this fellowship. A big theme of the letter has to do with sin. For the believer, sin is inexcusable. It's also inevitable! (Read 1 John 2:1-2.) How do we live with that tension? Stay tuned! 

We Love Dutch

So happy Dutch is so easy to learn. Do half of the swaps and you're speaking German. Do the other half and you're talking in English! 

German went through a major consonant shift that English and Dutch avoided. On the flip side, English went through a major vowel shift that German and Dutch missed. So match the German vowels and the English consonants and you've got it made.

By the way, it's almost mandatory to call what I just described "the great vowel movement" 😂

Time Traveler

When people say 2014, I think of it as 4 or 5 years ago. When people say 20 years ago, I think of it as in the early 90s. I'll be 73 next year and I still feel like it's 2010. Time goes by so fast! 

Generosity Defined

Driving home from church today I couldn't help but think about the definition of "generosity" I heard in the sermon:

"Generosity is the act of doing more than is expected and expecting nothing in return."

Would love to become a generous person like that!

What to Do with "Ausgangstext"?

"English doesn't 'borrow' from other languages: it follows them down dark alleys, knocks them over, and goes through their pockets for loose grammar and valuable vocabulary." -- James Nicoll

Having learned German as a second language, I can attest to the fact that speaking English has been enriched by German loan words. A lot of what makes English such a great language is its fluidity and adaptability. For example, the livestock words borrowed from French (beef, poultry) didn't replace the Old English words (meat, chicken). They just gave us alternatives. Now I realize why we have so many synonyms in English. I always thought it was primarily because it was just to express similar ideas with slightly different meanings, but sometimes the real reason is the melding of different languages. 

It's a very interesting topic and good intellectual "fun" as long as one doesn't become too insurgent with it. An illustration might be the introduction of the German word Ausgangstext ("initial text") into the vocabulary of New Testament textual criticism. For some, the term has replaced the more traditional "original text." Generally speaking, when a word falls out of use, it's largely because it has outlived its usefulness. Scholars are therefore always coming up with neologisms -- often from German -- to move us "past" the past and into the future. Think Weltanschauung for "world view" or Heilsgeschichte for "salvation history." As a guy who teaches New Testament, I must say I find Ausgangstext a little disingenuous. Yes, it's punchy, even a bit scholastically elegant. But if all you mean by the term is that version of the text that was ultimately approved by the author for eventual publication, then I think I prefer to stick with the expression "original text." 

I'm not against neologisms. I think it's great to have both native words and long loanwords. "We were slaughtered" and "We were decimated " feel very different despite their similar meanings. The soldier says the former. The commander says the latter. But the choice is not insignificant! 

That's my thinking for now. 

You CAN Do It!

You CAN get into shape, my friend!

Here's how to progress:

1. Get to the gym. Find a few exercises you can do confidently and safely. When in doubt, start with the easiest ones. 

2. Work these hard 3 days a week. 

3. Get outdoors on nice days like today and either walk or jog. Find a track or a trail you enjoy. 

When we know or suspect something can hurt us (going too far, going too fast. etc.), do the exercise at a level you can handle. My rule of thumb is to feel "effort" but not "pain" (especially in the joints). 

4. Reward yourself for a job well done. Today that reward came in the form of a plate of camarones a la diabla. Delicious, but I almost had to call 9-11!

Let me know how it goes. Have a wonderful day! 

Extrinsic Versus Intrinsic Motivation in Education

"You may be able to maintain certain minimum standards by stressing duty. But the highest moral and spiritual achievements do not depend upon a push but a pull. People must be charmed into righteousness." -- Reinhold Niebuhr.

Hello friends.

How do you create intrinsic motivation? Let's explore this question together, shall we?

Students always seem to want some kind of tangible payoff for studying (a grade, a GPA, etc.). Schools (even grad schools) use a reward system just for doing the right thing at any given time. This is extrinsic motivation, and hardly ideal. 

For years I've been asking myself, "How is it possible to generate intrinsic motivation?" My experience has been that students will become motivated by their own desire for a successful future if you can help them see the immediate connection between what they are learning today and how that fits into their big picture. It is no longer about making their teacher happy or just following the rules or avoiding a bad grade. They are working hard because they find the work inherently satisfying. (Think of the time you volunteered somewhere and you enjoyed it because you chose to do it.) So I think it's definitely possible to encourage intrinsic motivation. But once students have been in the American school system long enough, it is extremely difficult to do so. Their natural curiosity and sense of autonomy have been discouraged because they have become used to doing only whatever is needed for a good test score and tend to loathe open-ended evaluations. 

Intrinsic motivation begins with proper pedagogy. Appeal to emotion. Appeal to creativity. Appeal to the beauty of the subject matter. Be Socratic. Surround your students with a meaningful and satisfying experience. Make them laugh. Model curiosity. Wonder about things out loud. "I wonder why Paul used this grammatical construction in this verse. Oh my gosh, now I have to know!" Let your students see you fail and try again. Talk about how silly it is that you once thought grammar was boring. "Can you believe I really thought that?" Mention interesting things without explaining them. The goal is to have students dying to know what that big word means. Or to beg for a chance to work with you in solving the exegetical problem you're working on.

External motivation, at least my perspective on it, is only doing something if the reward or punishment is present. Intrinsic motivation is finding some personal value in the activity. 

My anecdotal experience is that most students are eager to be treated like grown up adults. Research shows that achieving goals is dependent on the type of motivation you use. Shifting from extrinsic to intrinsic motivation is essential for obtaining our goals. When we do something we love doing, we're like an automobile that doesn't require any fuel. For me, that is marathoning and mountaineering. For others, it's mastering a biblical language. Research has not yet identified a foolproof way to develop intrinsic motivation. What we do know is that extrinsic rewards often undermine intrinsic motivation (the so-called "undermining effect"). 

Typically, people are driven by a combination of motivational factors. Sometimes these factors are internally driven. At other times they are more externally driven. Our motivation is highest when both factors are present. 

Thanks for putting up with this quirky philosophical dialogue! 

"DACH"

Did you know that DACH is used as a common term for the three largest German-speaking countries -- D (Deutschland/Germany), A (Austria), and CH (Switzerland)? "Dach" is in fact a German word meaning "roof," which fits as all German-speaking countries fit under one roof! 

Which Foreign Language Is Easiest to Learn?

The one you want to learn. 

"God's ... God's ... God's!" (1 Cor. 3:9)

As the semester winds down, I'm reflecting on the joy it is to be in the classroom. Teaching has been the best thing that ever happened to me after my conversion to Christ and my marriage to Becky. Why on earth the Lord believed in me and championed me like he did I haven't the slightest idea, but I'll be eternally grateful because he's the one that called me into this wonderful work. So much love to my Greek class. We've shared participles and principal parts together and still like each other. Our adventure in learning New Testament Greek will shortly come to an end. The difficult has turned into our life's mission and we will never go back. 

Which brings me to the passage of Scripture I was studying this morning in my devotionals -- 1 Corinthians 3. 

See, I am always looking out for repetition in Paul, and boy do we have it here in spades -- "God's ... God's ... God's!" Paul is saying (my paraphrase ), "Because Apollos and I work together with God, you are a field under his cultivation, or, if you like, a building being built to his plan. I planted, Apollos watered, but it's God alone who can make things grow."

Farmers like me know one thing. Our own contributions to a successful harvest are minimal compared to the contribution of the One who created the soil and provides the sun and the rain. I am writing this blog post today from a place of repentance, not arrogance. I am ashamed of all the times I may have left the impression that my students' success is dependent on their teacher's skill. It isn't. It never was. We -- teacher and students alike -- are sharing in the work of God. The Spirit is the one who fills our empty minds with an understanding of Greek grammar and launches us into ministry with that valuable asset in our toolboxes. I won't defile my blessings by imagining that I deserve them. It's all "God's." That's the magic. Jesus' kingdom continues in the same way it was launched -- through behaving like we truly believe that the surpassing greatness of the power is of him, not of us. When we do this, then and only then will we be able to align ourselves correctly with the humble ministry of Jesus, knowing that one day we will cast all of our crowns at his feet. 

My Fat Loss Journey (FINAL Part)

Either you want it. 

Or you don't. 

=

What began in June ended today. By God's grace, I've reached my desired body fat goal. 

If you're wanting to get leaner, it will take work. Heavy people aren't likely to be physically active or, if they are, are not exercising with enough consistency to make a real difference. They are also probably eating and drinking whatever they want, whenever they want it. The biggest change is in the incorporation of strength training (weight lifting) 3 times a week, as I did today. 

Your workouts will not just make a visible impact, they will increase your body's metabolism so that you are able to burn more calories at rest. Nutrition, however, will likely make the biggest difference as always. Caloric deficit + nutritious diet + regular exercise + sufficient rest = fat loss.

Just sharing some thoughts. Hope this can help you in your own health and fitness journey! 

Break from Lifting

A little b-ball ain't never hurt nobody. 

Dallas, Here We Come!

Just bought my tickets to Dallas to visit mom in December. She'll be 93 years old. Can't wait to see her again. 

Jesus on Anger (Matt. 5:22)

Did Jesus prohibit all anger or only "causeless" anger? My answer here. 

Have a Good Day!

Always remember that you're only one prayer away from having a better day. 

The Goal Is NOT Knowledge (Merely)

Educators know that a well-stated objective describes what a person will DO once they achieve the intended outcome. The objective of all my teaching is to help my students ask the right questions of the biblical text, explain what a passage means, and then describe practical ways to USE what they've learned in real life.

Just wanted to clarify that. 😎

For the Love of Flour

Who else can vividly remember the first time you discovered that the "100% whole wheat bread" you bought had 25 ingredients? 

In Non-Essentials, Liberty

You've got convictions about non-essentials. I've got convictions about non-essentials. Not one of these is stated as a sin in the Scriptures. That's what makes them non-essentials. When someone says, "The ESV is a corrupt translation; it's a sin to read it," or "It's a sin to give your child a KJV because it's unintelligible to them," watch out. Convictions are drawn from personal time with the Lord and the searching of one's own heart where you feel freedom in an area or no freedom in an area. These do not become a list you give to anyone else. That's legalism. A reading of Romans 14 will help us to walk in greater freedom. Equally important, it will help us set other people free and we won't feel the need to be their conscience or to be the Holy Spirit in their lives. The Holy Spirit is able to guide each of us in the way we should go. He doesn't need anyone else to push at us. He will convict us and lead us into the paths that please our God. 

You'll Get There

Mindset is everything. 

Day by day. Brick by brick. 

As long as you keep going, you'll get there. 

Upcoming Talk at Liberty University (FYI)

Don't Ignore Textual Criticism

Greek Permits, But Doesn't Necessarily Require

Guess what? Today we're introducing the Greek "indefinite pronoun" -- "someone," "anyone," "anything," and the like. The form tis functions for both the masculine and the feminine -- meaning either "any man" or "any woman." (It can also be gender-neutral: "anyone"). In 1 Tim 3:1, Paul uses tis. 

Please note it's not the gender of tis that shows that an overseer must be male. The gender is unclear apart from the broader context. Every adjective used in Paul's list of qualifications is masculine. Moreover, the use of the expression "husband of one wife" in verse 2 proves that men are being referred to. In addition, we find no female elders in the New Testament. 

Once again, here's an instance where Greek grammar per se doesn't necessarily require a particular interpretation.  As I like to say to my students, "Greek doesn't require; it permits." The context must never be ignored.

Do the Basics -- Repeatedly!

This applies to studying Greek too! 

"Why Do the Nations Snort and Stomp?" (Acts 4:25)

This morning's message was from Acts 4-5. You know me. I always listen to a sermon like a sleuth. I assume the role of a biblical detective. Just as Sherlock Holmes could sometimes be found on his hands and knees inspecting the floor for footprints, a biblical exegete will often be found searching for clues as to the meaning of the text.

I didn't have to search very far this morning before I found a real gem. In Acts 4:25, we read "Why do the nations rage?" The Greek term for "rage" struck me as highly unusual. It's found only here in the entire New Testament. The verb is phruassō. 

This term was originally applied to the ferocity or excitement of an untamed or high-spirited horse. We might render Luke's words, "Why do the nations snort and stomp?" 

This got me thinking about my own horses. I happened to prefer what are known as hot-blooded breeds, namely Arabians and Thoroughbreds. On more occasions than not, before riding my horses I would have to settle them down by lunging them. Here's someone lunging their Arabian. 

Both Cody and Traveler were highly excitable animals. You couldn't ride them unless they were able to burn off some energy before being mounted. I suppose some people thought they were being insolent and unruly. But it's too easy to personify horses and hold them to our human standards. They can be great partners when they feel respected and cared for. 

I was really lucky with my horses. I was blessed to have such amazing friends. 

A lot of what is labeled as disrespect or insolence can just as well be miscommunication. All horses really want from us is kindness, understanding, and patience. Wrong behaviors in horses are easy to correct with patience, consistency, and persistence. I always talked lovingly to my horses. Occasionally they would flick their tail at me, which I assumed to be slightly aggressive. Sometimes they would nudge me with their bodies to try and make me back up. When that happened I simply put my hand up and said "Stop" or "Back up." I always tried to be cautious yet firm to get their cooperation and assert that I am in charge. My Arabian would put his head up when I went to bridle him but he wasn't being disrespectful. He probably learned that behavior from his previous owner. 

Like people, horses communicate very subtly with body language and many times we don't notice until they're almost shouting at us. It's important to remember that the horse is probably not being naughty but just having trouble doing what you're asking. With time and patience you are able to show more domination, in a respectful way, so that they understand that you aren't a bug to be scraped off their back but a friend and in charge of the situation. Many people punish a horse when they should watch the horse and figure out what they're trying to communicate to them. Many of their behaviors are caused by human handlers. We are the ones who are often the issue. Watch and listen to your horse. Don't just react and retaliate like so many handlers do. A horse not trusting paints a far different picture than a horse not respecting. The goal is to find ways to allow individual behavior where both you and your horse are comfortable, safe, and happy. 

I guess if you're not a horse person you're not all that interested in what I just said. That's okay! 

Have a wonderful week! 

Today's Memory Verse

Wo kommst du her? Ich komme von Christus.

Wo gehst du hin? Ich gehe zu Christus.

Was ist das Sinn deines Lebens? Ich lebe für Christus. 

Das ist das Sinn meines Lebens. 

Just Do It

 

Paying Attention to Details When Reading the Bible

Sometimes one word can make a huge difference when we read the Bible. For example, let's compare the ESV and the CSB in Gal. 5:16:

ESV: "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh."

CSB: "I say, then, walk in the Spirit, and you will certainly not carry out your selfish desires."

There's a big difference between "not" and "certainly not." The latter is called emphatic negation by grammarians. It's based on a Greek construction that uses not one but TWO words meaning "not." This is one of the strongest ways you can say, "This is NEVER going to happen." Why some English versions should overlook this powerful negation is a mystery to me. The Legacy Standard Bible does the same thing. Note what Richard Longenecker has to say in his Galatians commentary:

The promise of the gospel, as Paul proclaims it, is that life in the Spirit negates life controlled by the flesh. In fact, that promise is stated emphatically by the use of the double negative ou mē ("no never") with the aorist subjunctive telesēte.

Dear friend, when you read your Bible and notice a small detail like the one we're discussing here, celebrate! This means your attention to detail is improving. Developing a strong attention to detail makes you a more effective Bible student. Focus on being present in your reading to notice small details. Imagine you have a microscope in front of you. Think about paying attention to detail as a lens through which to view what you're reading. This is known as active reading or close reading. Active reading is a method that requires you to focus on every detail in a text and operate on the assumption that no detail is there by accident. Essentially, you're not just looking at what a text says but how it says it. I find it helpful if I take notes and mark the text up with a highlighter or a pen. 

Would you like to see Scripture with eyes like that? I'd like to help you gain that skill. If you're interested, you can go to my Greek Portal for more information. Remember, in reading the Bible, your initial concern is "What do I see?" Pay special attention to terms and grammatical structure. Use a pen or pencil to record your observations in and around the text. See if you can find any significant details that you've overlooked in the past. The moment you come to a passage of Scripture and say, "Oh, I know this one already," you're in deep trouble. Instead, try to come to every verse as if you've never read it before in your life. That's quite a discipline. But it's perfectly achievable. 

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! 

The 9-5 Fitness Plan

Jewish Evangelism

I just love it when Messianic Jews use the Tanakh (the Hebrew Old Testament) to witness to their countrymen! 

At the end of this video a Jewish person reads Matt. 1:1 and says, "This sounds so Jewish." Well, it is! (Pardon my lousy pronunciation.) 

That's the very first verse of the NEW Testament! 

God has used his Peters, Jameses, and Johns as well as his Billy Grahams and Chuck Swindolls to reach the lost. I thank him for such gifted people and the impact God has privileged them to make. But their ministry depends on the faithfulness of common foot soldiers like the witnesses in this video. The fields are white, and you and I have been drafted. Your faith in your co-laborer -- God -- is what enables you to do effective evangelism. 

Praise Yeshua! 

How I Study the Bible (and a Surprising Twist on Rom. 16:22)

In case anyone is interested, when I study the Bible I work over the words like a dog gnawing on a bone. I go over the entire verse word by word, I read the verse aloud, I read it in other versions and other languages, I observe the words the author uses and put synonyms in their place, I examine any textual variants that might exist in the verse -- this is the exact process I use. In addition to that, I also keep you in mind, knowing that later on I might share the results of my study on my blog. Furthermore, I almost always produce my own translation of the verse I'm studying. This forces me to make exegetical decisions about things like word meanings, grammar, and the like. 

An example is a verse my Greek students translated in class last week -- Rom. 16:22. 

The CSB reads as follows:

"I, Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord."

Here's the Greek text.

And this highlights where the prepositional phrase "in the Lord" appears in the verse: 

You'll notice that the nearest verb to "in the Lord" is NOT "greet" but "wrote." Hence my rendering:

"I greet you -- I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter in the Lord."

We could paraphrase the verse as follows:

"Let me add my greetings -- I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter under the direction of the Lord, with his strength, and for his glory alone."

Tertius was probably a resident of Corinth whose pen Paul used to write down his epistle. He seems to have been an Italian with whom Paul's readers in Rome would be well acquainted. His work was both modest and humble. It was certainly subordinate to the work of the great apostle. Still, it was as much a work "in the Lord" as was Paul's dictation. In fact, it is to Tertius that we owe our possession of the letter. 

I'm reminded of watching the performance of Holst's The Planets by the North Carolina Symphony last Sunday. Every instrument, right down to the triangle, was necessary. No doubt Tertius knew his work to be less important than Paul's. But he also knew it was needful. He undoubtedly put his best effort into it. He did it in the Lord's name, borne along by his Spirit, and conscious of his partnership with Paul. He was far more than a mere scribe. He was Paul's co-worker. Note that Paul could have referred to him in the third person:

"Tertius, who wrote down this letter ... sends you his greetings."

But to Paul, Tertius was not a mere dictation machine. He was a fellow Christian and a fellow servant -- a fact that Paul was eager to acknowledge. 

True partners in the gospel. 

I love that!

Why I Prefer Gravel Trails

Hello friends.

Different runners prefer different running surfaces. I rarely run on paved roads because of the traffic. I've always enjoyed running on hard dirt trails. It slows you down a bit but it's easier on the joints. I like crushed gravel rail trails the best -- which is why my favorite trail on the planet is the High Bridge Trail in Farmville. 

It's easy on the joints plus it's always in nice scenery. My gravel trail running experience is that it engages your muscles differently. You have to be attentive to terrain and foot placement. You can't always expect that the spot ahead of you will be safe to step on. If the gravel is too fine you can't get a good push off. I sometimes run on the local high school track. It's not particularly well-groomed (holes, weeds growing on it). And so it's usually gravel trails for me. Level gravel is basically the same as the street for me. 

Today I got in 8 miles on the HBT. 

It was hot and humid. 

One thing I've come to accept about running in high humidity is just to accept it for what it is and not beat yourself up over distance and time. You have to hydrate proactively -- before you even feel thirsty. Don't worry much, if at all, about pace. Listen to your body. Maximize exposed skin to encourage evaporation. Make sure you have a good running hat to soak up the sweat before it drips into your eyes.

Enjoy your evening! 

Another Boring Gym Report

Today I was super busy so I couldn't get to the gym before this evening. I loved every moment of it. 

Yes, I do the same exercises over and over again because I'm into ruts. 

My gym is never crowded, which kinda annoys me. I am annoyed that people I saw in January were gone by February. If you're part of the 5 percent (I just made up that number) that keeps your New Year's resolutions, you are to be congratulated. There is something magical about taking small steps every week in the direction you want to go with your body. A gym can help us do that.

My own conquer-the-gym advice would be: SHOW UP. Get it done before you find an excuse to stay home. When I notice any "non-regular" at my gym who first shows up in Not-January, I am far more likely to see that individual 3 months later. 

Anyhow, thanks for putting up with yet another gym report from a guy who's just a crouton on a very large salad  -- a complete non-professional. It's been great hanging out with you all this evening. I actually do have a more substantive blog post for you (a radical new way of translating Rom. 16:22 -- do I have your attention?), but it's getting late.

Much peace and happiness from our home to yours -- regardless of who you voted for. 

When Self Doubt Messes with You

Do you believe the things people tell you about yourself? Do you believe the things you tell you about yourself? Today I stumbled upon this meme:

Any idiot can run a marathon. It takes a special kind of idiot to run an ultramarathon.

Now THAT's "encouraging" in light of my upcoming ultra. To say I'm filled with self doubt would be a gross understatement. Doubt starts as a whisper then grows louder and louder. "You are NOT good enough," I say to myself. "Why do you even try?" 

As an educator, I don't think we're born with self doubt. It's something we learn. When I first started lifting, a guy at the gym laughed at me when I tried (and failed) to do a pull up. I felt foolish and defeated. I began to believe the naysayers. You stop standing up for yourself. You let the negativity mess with your head. 

Self doubt can affect everything you do. I am not a strong enough lifter. I am not a fast enough runner. I am not a good enough teacher. I am a terrible parent. I'm too old. I'm not smart enough. Before we know it, our goose is cooked.

Thankfully, it doesn't have to be this way. No one HAS to operate out of self doubt. When I was in college, I dropped out of my first Greek class after only 3 weeks. I almost talked myself out of trying it again. Then I said, "Self, you are out of line. You don't know what you're talking about. God has called me to study Greek so of course I can do this." I kicked self doubt to the curb. The rest, as they say, is history.

All of us have some degree of healthy self doubt. That's why we need to learn how to filter not only what others are saying about us, but what we're saying about ourselves. Your biggest challenge in life isn't someone else. It's the voice inside you that shouts "You can't!" Nonsense. You can do ANYTHING God calls you to do. That's one of the reasons I do ultramarathons. They make me realize I'm stronger than I thought and can achieve things I never thought possible. 

Will I succeed in my next ultra? I honestly don't know. There's always the chance of getting a DNF. But last place, first place, or no place, the point is that we tried. That we weren't afraid of failure. That we did what we said we were going to do. 

If you don't believe in yourself, who will?

The Best Evidence for Creation

God's word gives us the basis for science. Rejection of God's word is a rejection of the foundation for science. Jesus, the Creator, is the Chief Scientist. Design is apparent but naturalism can't accept what God did. I see this in language itself. As a Greek teacher, I refuse to teach Greek grammar in a way that is less than scientific. That's because Greek has mathematical and scientific precision, as do all languages. Even the so-called "exceptions" to the rules have their own rules. Grassmann's Law is an example. And yet secular linguists leave God out of the equation. 

The best evidence for creation is the creation. It's our choice. Light or darkness. 

"No Pain No Gain"?

"No pain no gain" is pure nonsense. Many people can gain so much more when they ENJOY the exercise instead of crossing their psychological boundaries, especially when so many people are already chronically overstressed. Pushing yourself is not typically comfortable, but pain is a sign you should stop. 

Wait for the Lord to Act

I've spent a lot of time in prayer this morning, remembering especially people I know who are in a situation that's beyond their ability to change or fix. They're learning to lean on the Lord to change it or to give them endurance through it. He knows what's coming,. They don't. He's at work even though they can't audibly hear his voice or visually see his face. Friend, quit trying to worry your way out of this. Wait on the Lord. Don't rush ahead. Wait patiently for him to act. It's his move. 

One Arm Overhead Dumbbell Press

One of the best shoulder exercises I know is a form of the overhead press done with a single dumbbell, one arm at a time. 

This allows you to press a little heavier weight than is normal and is definitely a help if you have weaker shoulders. When you lift this way, you can keep what it called "stacking" in place, with your wrists stacked over your elbow, which in turn is stacked over your shoulder, thus keeping your arm closer to your center of gravity. 

My son in law also suggested I try the Arnold Press, which looks like this. Eager to give it a go the next time I'm in the gym.

Have a wonderful day everyone! 

My First Bible

This was my first Bible. 

I still read the KJV today (despite its archaisms). 😎

Die Gute Nachricht

I love, love, LOVE this German New Testament! 

You can carry it in your pocket literally wherever you go! It's very readable, by the way. Here's how 1 John opens:

Wir schreiben euch über das lebenschaffende Wort, das von Anfang an da war. Wir haben es gehört und mit eigenen Augen gesehen. 

How awesome is that! 

Thanks for reading! 

There Shall Be No More Night

My daughter flies home tomorrow. 

I'm exhausted in every way possible after experiencing the entire gamut of emotions, but I need to write while it's all still fresh in my mind. There are thousands of stories to be told from today, hundreds I could tell you myself, but here are the ones I can't stop thinking about. 

My daughter's visit meant visiting the grave, where we read Psalm 90 and sang "In Christ Alone." 

Attending an All Saints Day service came next. The Word tells us to focus upward. 

A glad acceptance of hard things opens the way for glory and resurrection.

Today also meant a visit to North Carolina State University for a concert by the North Carolina Symphony. 

The Planets went off like flashes of lightning and peals of thunder. 

It was an amazing performance. 

It was day of Scripture, prayer, praise, worship, and music. "All I care is to know Christ, to experience the power of his resurrection, and to share his sufferings, in growing conformity with his death" (Phil. 3:10). The miracle will come. We do not know the day or the hour. But "his servants shall worship him; they shall see him face to face, and bear his name on their foreheads. There shall be no more night, nor will they need the light of lamp or sun. For the Lord God will give them light. And they shall reign forevermore" (Rev. 22:3-5). 

The fragrance of the balm of Gilead permeated our day. In the story of Lazarus, men and women in sorrow and helplessness have found solace and peace. Let us then go gently with the Shepherd through the Valley of the Shadow. For the best fruit is always what is produced by the best-pruned branch. 

Celebrating God's Goodness

Ethiopian food last night.

Today we have church and then the concert. We'll also stop by the graveside. So many good, God things to celebrate. 

P.S.. Our view when we got back to Virginia last night.

Spain Relief

Help needed.

Last Tuesday, Spain suffered a natural tragedy when massive rain storms flooded thousands of villages, including the city of Valencia. The killed number well over 200 at this time. Missing are over 500. No food, no potable water, no electricity, no communications. The muddy streets are becoming unhealthy to walk or even breath. The armed forces are on scene bringing relief and clean up. 

I am donating 100% of my book royalties from this quarter. Any help is appreciated. NGOs such as the Red Cross and Caritas are prepared to distribute food and clothes. 

Thank you so, so much. 

He's Been There (Heb. 4:14-16)

Suffering is part of God's curriculum for his children. There's no way we can follow Christ and not have a time of suffering in our lives. Dietrich Bonhoeffer put it like this:

The disciple is not above his master. Discipleship means allegiance to the suffering Christ. It is therefore not surprising that Christians should be called to suffer.

This morning I was in Heb. 4:14-16. 

Here the writer says, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one having been tempted in all respects in likeness to us, apart from sin." The negative way in which this truth is asserted suggests that a rebuttal is being made to an objection. Perhaps someone had been saying that a high priest in heaven is a poor substitute for an earthly priest we can see and touch. At any rate, the author's point is clear: because Christ, the God-man who is fully acquainted with human suffering, has passed through the heavens, he is in the most advantageous place to help us. Therefore, when we crave a special touch of God's mercy and grace, we can find our access to him through Christ and receive the timely help that is tailored to our particular need.

Today I'm rehearsing one of those difficult, soul-searching times in my own life, in fact one of the most extreme situations I've found myself in. I could say a lot about it, but one thing is certain: it was a time when God showed himself strong. All I needed to do was acknowledge it, to realize it. Today you may be facing a similar desperate hardship in your own life. I hope you won't forget that God is involved in your situation, painful though it is. No suffering is easy. But it's necessary if we are to reach maturity as believers. Always, God is at work, even in the whirlwind and the storm. Somehow he will have his way in our lives. It will be for our good and his glory. But we are NEVER on our own. He is there with us, in us, and for us, showing himself strong. He may do this in the shadows, behind the scenes. He may not be all that evident, or at least not as visible. But he's at work. He is there, and he is not silent. 

We cannot go anywhere he has not already been. 

Being a Faithful Friend

Did you know that the only sermon in Acts addressed to believers is the one recorded in Acts 14:22? And that it's only one sentence?

More about that in a second.

This morning I've been thinking about friendship. There's nothing quite like a faithful friend to help you through those times when you can't quite make it on your own. Every place I've ever lived -- Hawaii, California, North Carolina, and Virginia -- I've had such friends. Not many, but always some. And that's okay. It's the quality of our friendships that matters, not the quantity. I think fondly of the pastor of the International Baptist Church in Honolulu who took me under his wings and mentored me during my high school years. I think of a colleague at Biola who was literally closer to me than a brother. I think of many others, including Becky and my children. Each of them proved to be faithful friends. 

It's been said that there are always three traits that are associated with faithful friends: reliability, loyalty, and consistency. A faithful friend is someone on whom you can always ("consistency") depend ("reliability") to be there for you ("loyalty"). You can count on them. When an emergency arises, you can call them and they will drop everything to be with you. Back in 2020, when I could barely stand up due to an as-yet undiagnosed B12 deficiency, my daughter and grandson drove 600 miles to help me through that difficult time. A faithful friend is someone you can always lean on. You can be confident that they'll be there. They're loyal. Consistently so. Even when we can't return their kindness, they still show kindness. They truly care about our situation. They listen. At times they even anticipate a need and step in to fill it. 

Now let's get back to Acts 14:22. Here's Paul's "encouraging message" to the believers in Asia Minor:

"It is through many tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of God."

That word "through" (dia) is descriptive of the results. As believers, we don't just experience tribulations. God intends for us to go through them. And he often uses friends to accomplish this. In 2 Cor. 7:6, Paul writes "But God, who encourages the downhearted, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus." That word "arrival" (parousia) is often used for the Second Coming of Christ. The mere presence of a faithful friend brings comfort. "Friendship," wrote Dolly Madison, "doubles our joys and halves our grief." George Elliot put it this way: "Oh the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but to pour them out."

I am by no measure a wise man. But I feel like I'm beginning to understand a deeper truth. A truth that tells me that people who weather loss well are those who learn to live in community. That having is not as important as giving. That if we can learn to be faithful friends, deeply and without reservation, everything else will fall into place. That is why I'm so excited about my daughter's visit tomorrow on a weekend that memorializes Becky's homegoing. Because I am, more than ever, convinced that the mere presence of a faithful friend "doubles our joys and halves our grief." 

Amen. 

Lifting and Latin

Lifting and Latin -- that seems to be today's theme. 

As I worked out, I listened to Philippians (in Latin), to some great Gabrieli music (again, all in Latin), then I finished my workout with this amazing work about the incarnation by Morten Lauridsen called "O Magnum Mysterium" (O Great Mystery). 

If he had not written anything else, this alone would have made Mr. Lauridsen immortal. I am well aware of the work's many challenges, but I can say with confidence that this is far and away the finest performance I have ever heard of this lovely piece. I always get choked up upon hearing it no matter how hard I try not to. This creation is what I need in my ears when I skip from the visceral back to the spirit. The music defies all written words. Please note what happens at 3:45 when the piece progresses into a minor key. Listen for the word virgo ("virgin"). Lauridsen's shift to a minor key symbolizes the virgin Mary's prophesied grief when Jesus would be crucified (Luke 2:35). 

This piece is a pure gift to me. There is always an ominous dimension to love and marriage. Our increased capacity for love only makes us feel greater sorrow when suffering strikes. The testimony of the virgin inspires me to keep serving a world that languishes under such misery. Becky lives in a reality I long to enter in God's good time. On that day, Jesus himself will welcome me into the eternal peace of the kingdom and wipe away the tears from my eyes and heal my brokenness. That scene from the book of Revelation reminds me that Jesus, that "Great Mystery" as the God-man, restores all those who suffer. Heaven, after all, is our only real home.