FALL-ing Back into Greek!

Great to be back on campus. It's been weeks! Eager for the fall semester to begin!!

Harvest Time!

The German Who Taught Me Contentment

In Philippians 4, Paul talks about how he learned a thing called contentment. He explains that contentment isn't something we're born with. It's an acquired skill. He emphasizes that he had learned contentment in every circumstance -- whether he was in severe need or facing abundance. Paul was equally content when he was hungry and when he was full. His sense of contentment did not fluctuate with worldly success or hardship. He was content in the limelight and in the shadows, whether he got the credit or watched another get the credit. 

You know who I learned contentment from? His name was Paul Mittmann. Here's the backstory. 

In the early 1980s, Becky and I had the great joy and privilege of studying at the University of Basel. This ancient and historic city is located on a bend of the Rhine River where Germany, France, and Switzerland meet. 

Notable residents included Calvin, Erasmus, and Karl Barth. It was in this building -- the "Theological Seminar" -- where I spent most of my waking hours in those days, researching and writing my doctoral dissertation. 

But life was much more than books. Bec and I had an unshakable goal when we moved to Basel, and that was to integrate as much as we possibly could into everyday Swiss life. Basel is a highly walkable city. It seemed to combine the amenities of a major city with the charms of a rural village. 

We would often pop over to Germany for groceries or into France for baguettes. The city's amazing tram network made travel easy, though we almost always walked everywhere we went. Most of our close friends were not Americans but Swiss. This included the friends we made at the "Basel Baptist Church." 

There is nothing quite like the warm relief in finding a home church. We were always greeted with genuine smiles and instantly felt a connection. Those were the days of Magnum PI on TV, and yours truly was, if you can believe it, said to be Tom Selleck's twin brother more than once. What a hoot. 

Now in all honesty, none of this would have been possible without this man named Paul Mittmann. 

Paul and I met in Anaheim, California, where he was pastoring a small German-speaking Lutheran Brethren Church. "Anaheim," of course, is a German word. Seems that after WWII, a number of German expats settled there. This included Paul and his wife Margaret. 

Paul had served in the German army during the war. He'd seen combat in France, Italy, and, at the end of the war, Northern Germany, where he was captured by the American army in May of 1945. Upon his release, he and his wife lived (quite literally) under an overturned army truck in Schleswig-Holstein for a year before emigrating to the U.S. 

Paul was the one who taught me how to read and speak German. In fact, being originally from East Prussia, he spoke what many would have described as impeccable High German. What a help he was! Learning German from a native speaker gives you a natural, intuitive grasp of pronunciation, diction, and everyday idioms that textbooks just can't reproduce. Plus, when yours truly was asked by his mentor to preach at his church, you have no choice but to accept his gracious invitation. This happened, as I recall, on five different occasions. What I scared? I was frightened to death. But speaking is undoubtedly the very best and most effective way to reach fluency because it forces you into active practice. 

I remember the evening Becky and I invited Paul and Margaret to dine with us in our home in La Mirada. Becky pulled out all the stops, I tell you. She curated the atmosphere with background music and warm lighting. She prepared and served a delectable meal. And the dessert? Black Forest cake that she baked herself. As the meal drew to a close, I sort of nonchalantly leaned over and asked Paul, "So, what did you think of your meal?" His reply sort of surprised me. He thought for a minute and then said, "Well, I thought it was pretty good." Pretty good?? I thought it was fabulous. Then Paul added, "You know, after the war we were penniless for about a year. We had very little to eat. In fact, often Margaret would serve me "bread soup" for dinner. This was boiled water with a few bread crumbs tossed in. Of course, today we're enjoying the comforts of living in the U.S., where food is plentiful. But you know, I don't get too excited when I have plenty and when I have nothing. I'm content either way." 

I was dumbfounded. Here was a man who seemed completely satisfied in any and all circumstances. Unlike me. The perks of living in the U.S. offer immense daily comfort. They can also breed a sense of entitlement. Our lifestyle shapes everything we do, from the way we shop and eat to the way we so easily develop a sense of discontentment. Yet Paul (both the apostle Paul and Paul Mittmann) had learned the "secret" to being completely satisfied in any circumstance. Contentment is not found in wealth or even health. It is a learned mindset that trusts in God' provision. It is having an attitude of satisfaction and is "great gain" (1 Tim.6:6-8). It is a life free from the love of stuff. It is finding strength in Jesus regardless of whether you have plenty or little. 

Contentment and gratitude always seem to go hand in hand. Instead of focusing on what's missing, intentionally acknowledge all the good that is in your life. Keep a journal where you can highlight those small, everyday blessings God brings into your life. When the temptation to complain comes up, actively replace it with one thing you are grateful for.

I, for one, am forever grateful for a humble pastor named Paul Mittmann. Without his help and tutelage, I would have been severely handicapped when I began my studies in a German-speaking university. And without his life experiences, I may have never been exposed to such an unforgettable example of what godliness with contentment looks like. Praise be to God. 

Christ Our Healer

We should always distinguish between the "gospel" and the "Gospels." One is God's message of salvation to us. The other refers to the four books in which this gospel is set forth. Never forget this distinction.

The earliest church did not talk about the "Four Gospels." It talked about the "Fourfold Gospel." It recognized a very important fact. The four Gospels all set forth one and the same gospel. Hence the view of synoptic origins I espouse is known as "The Fourfold Gospel Hypothesis." 

This position affirms that, from the earliest days of the church, there have been four, and only four, recognized Gospels. The first three Gospels are often taken as a group, while the last supplements the others. In spite of allegations to the contrary, no real contradictions between these Gospels have ever been proven to exist. In all cases, an honest attempt to seek solutions and to harmonize is exactly the proper exegetical procedure. 

For example, in Matt. 9:18-26, we have a double miracle performed by Christ -- the restoration to life of a ruler's daughter, and the healing of a woman with a flow of blood for 12 years. (I can't even begin to imagine having an issue of blood for 12 weeks, let alone 12 months or 12 years!) Matthew's account is extremely brief (9 verses), whereas Luke's is longer (17 verses) and Mark's longer still (25 verses). Mark reports that the woman had "suffered much from many physicians, had spent all she had, and had not been improved but had rather grown worse." Luke, on the other hand -- Doctor Luke! -- writes that the woman "could not be healed" by any physician. Neither account contradicts the other. The doctors didn't heal the woman because her illness was, humanly speaking, incurable! Later, when Jesus is asked by the ruler to lay his hand on his child, Jesus goes a step further and takes her by the hand, at which point Mark adds, "Talitha cumi" (Little girl, arise). This is a transliteration of an Aramaic phrase. Aramaic was the everyday language in Israel at the time. "Talitha" is a term of endearment. Jesus' taking the girl by the hand provides a wonderful image of a compassionate and gentle Savior. At Jesus' word, the little girl arises.

The message of both healing stories is identical. The same Jesus who miraculously healed Jairus's daughter and the woman with a flow of blood is the one we look to today for physical healing. Our Savior is both powerful and compassionate, gentle and strong. These miracles not only demonstrate Jesus' authority over sickness but also serve as a foreshadowing of his own resurrection and the hope of resurrection for all who believe in him. They underscore the Christian doctrine that Jesus is the source of all life and healing and has dominion over illness and death. They are a wonderful reminder that we are not alone in our health struggles. Christ is there to lift us up and breathe new life into our hopes and dreams.

Remember:

God is able, I am not.

God knows what is best, I do not.

God sees the end from the beginning, I cannot.

God should have his way in this, I should not. 

God is in control of every aspect of our lives, including our health. He knows about it, he understands it, and he is responsible for it. None of it is a surprise to him. Our lives are all planned, all arranged, all put together so that we see his hand in every detail of our lives -- the good, the bad, and everything in between. He's in it all. Our health is not ruled by chance or fate or luck or coincidence. His plan is perfectly designed to shape each of us into the image of his Son. 

And so every morning we can say, "My health is in your hands, Lord. This is your day, whatever it may hold or include. Whatever I may experience, all of it is unfolding according to your plan. And it will work together for good, just as you arranged it. You know the way I take. You have planned for me what pleases you. I will accept it, embrace it, and conduct my life confident that at the conclusion of this trial I can look back and say I am more like Christ than ever before."

Amen. 

The Discipline of Checking for Details in Bible Study

I once preached a message from the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1. When I begin my sermon preparation, I always consult my Greek New Testament of course. I pay careful attention to key words and take note of significant syntactical constructions. Some of us were taught in seminary to parse every verb and diagram every sentence. I may or may not do that. I tend to reserve my time for those words and constructions that seem to me unusual or masked in most English translations. When I was reading Matt. 1:16, for example, I noticed an interesting pronoun. 

Here the KJV reads: "And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ." The ESV is similar. But please note the pronoun "whom." It's both singular and feminine in Greek, meaning that Matthew is employing highly specific language to indicate that Jesus was the biological son of Mary and Mary alone. That's information I'll definitely pass on to my audience. 

Some languages (like German) seem a bit better suited than English to convey such nuances of grammar. Here's Luther's rendering: "Jakob zeugte Joseph, den Mann Marias, von welcher ist geboren Jesus, der da heisst Christus." This is beautiful! The word "welcher" is clearly a feminine pronoun, meaning that a German-speaker would instantly see the point that Matthew is making! What does the Spanish do here? "Jacob engendró a José, el marido de María, de la cual nació Jesús, llamado el Cristo." "La cual" is -- you guessed it -- feminine! As for the French, how about we click on LSG? "Jacób eut pour descendent Joseph, l'époux de Marie, de laquelle est né Jésus, appelé Christ." Once again, the grammatical gender -- "laquelle" -- asserts that Jesus was the son of Mary.

Now let's check out the Hungarian. (Kidding.) 

Because English lacks grammatical gender, nouns do not have masculine, feminine, and neuter forms as seen in many other languages. Instead, it primarily uses "natural" gender for pronouns related to people and animals. I'm speaking, of course, only of Modern English. Old English had a grammatical gender system very similar to Modern German with three genders. 

English nouns and their modifiers would change forms based on gender. By Middle English, grammatical gender began to decline, leading to the simplified structure of Modern English. Thankfully, the internet can be of great help here. Here's an example from the Bible Hub website. Here the pronoun  "whom" in Matt. 1:17 is parsed as "RelPro-GFS," meaning "relative pronoun genitive feminine singular." What an exceptional treat this is! 

The discipline of checking for grammatical details like this is worth all the effort. Digging really does pay off! 

Hawaii Kine Ting

 Raise your hand if you know every inch of this beach. 😁

Too Proud to Speak Imperfect Spanish in Public?

Never, ever be afraid to practice your Spanish at a Mexican restaurant. Your server will appreciate your attempt to speak his language, believe me. Don't be embarrassed when you make mistakes, as I'm sure I did in this conversation I had today in Farmville. 

Mistakes are a normal part of learning. If you get stuck, switch back to English. That's perfectly okay! 

Imposter Syndrome ... and Me

Most of us in our years of walking with the Lord know that he blesses times of great weakness with great favor. This includes our doubts -- those times when we second guess God about his will for our lives. If you've ever carried out his will and his work in your life in the midst of great weakness and self-doubt, you've seen him come through in amazing ways.

Sometimes this kind of self-doubt is called "imposter syndrome." Imposter syndrome is an experience when people doubt their skills and accomplishments. They feel like a fraud despite evidence of their competence. The result can be a persistent sense of self-doubt. You feel like an imposter even though you're achieving real success.

Some of you reading this know what it's like to suffer from self-doubt. I do too. I was a terrible student in high school. I used to blame that on the school system. Not anymore. I was simply a teen without any academic drive who'd rather ride waves than wrestle with English, algebra, or biology. When I began my studies at Biola and Talbot, I felt it was only a matter of time before the school would weed out a lazy and inept student like me. Nothing came "naturally" to me, including foreign languages. Today I might be able to speak a handful of them, but it's not because I have any level of language aptitude. I've simply been blessed with a fairly good memory. When, at the age of 24, I was asked to teach Greek at Biola, it came as a total and complete surprise. "I'm sorry? You talking to me?" For some crazy reason I said yes. I knew, if nothing else, it would be a magnificent opportunity to sit under the tutelage of a truly great Christian man and Greek scholar named Harry Sturz, a man who knew his craft backwards and forwards and knew how to teach it to others. For a long time I had respected him from a distance, but now I would get to know him face to face. I have to tell you, it was the turning point of my life. 

As a teacher, I've always been my own harshest critic, even when others had a much more positive view. At some point I had to honestly decide for myself if I was going to be happy for the rest of my life, day in and day out, for years to come, teaching Greek. Thankfully, God graciously showed me that I was in the right place, doing the right thing. That was a wake up call. I remember sitting for my orals in Basel at the end of my doctoral studies. To this day I shudder when I realize that these men could have shredded me. But they were full of grace. After the exam, I can recall them shaking my hand and one by one heartily congratulating me and wishing me a happy career as a Greek professor. I'm still pinching myself. 

Richard Halverson left his longtime pastorate of Fourth Street Presbyterian Church in Bethesda, Maryland, to become the chaplain of the U.S. Senate. 

In his words, he felt completely inadequate. He felt like he was a nobody among the members of congress. He said he felt like a "mascot" to some of the most powerful political leaders in the world. He wondered, "What in the world am I doing here?" One evening he was reading the words of Jesus, "All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.... Surely I am with you each and every day until the end of the age." He says that as he meditated on those words, he realized that he was a garment that Jesus wore everyday to do what he wanted to do in the United States Senate. "I don't need power," said Halverson. "My weakness is an asset. If Christ is in me, what more do I need?"

I hope, by the grace of God, the Lord will allow me many more years to do what I love. That's in his hands. Meanwhile, I want all of you who have taken me for Greek, whether in person or via my Youtube videos, to know that the greatest privilege of my life has been to be your teacher. The greatest privilege. 

When to Take Time Out from College

I often talk about the need to hang in there -- to stay at it, to tough it out. I've never regretted the times when I didn't quit. That said, I believe there are times when it's not only okay to stop what you're doing, but that's the best possible thing you can do. 

After a couple of pretty intense years at Biola, my studies had begun to take a toll on me. The transition from a public high school in Hawaii to a private college in California was a gigantic leap. Plus, I was receiving an academic scholarship (a full tuition ride) based on my GPA. The pressure was getting to me. That's when I made a decision that changed my whole direction as a student. I took a semester and a summer off and returned to Hawaii. I lived, worked, and surfed in Waikiki for 8 months.

It was exactly what I needed. Surfing all day replenished my emotional tank. Working at night in a restaurant at this hotel, the Princess Kaiulani, replenished my pocketbook. 

When I finally flew back to college, I was a changed man. That break -- that "hiatus" if you will -- enabled me to complete my Bachelor's degree, then my Master's, then my Doctorate without needing another break. That's a total of 10 years of uninterrupted study that were absolutely enjoyable and satisfying.

A hiatus from college can do a lot of things. It can provide an opportunity to refocus and recharge. It can help you avoid or recover from academic burnout. It helped me to clarify my career goals as well as save up some money. Timing is everything. Make your break too quick, and you minimize your recovery. Make it too long, and it can lead to loss of academic momentum. The bottom line is this: It's okay to take a break from school. For many of us it's a strategic decision to step away if we're dealing with burnout or financial strain. From personal reflection to spiritual growth, there are many benefits of taking a hiatus. 

To My Fellow Retirees

Need to retire? Fine. But don't stop living. Don't need to be employed? Great. But stay engaged. 

Age means nothing. My favorite example of this is Benjamin Ririe (also spelled Ryrie) of the China Inland Mission. At the age of 80 he decided to learn New Testament Greek. At 90 he took a refresher course in Greek at Toronto Theological Seminary. When he was 100 he still traveled with his pocket Greek lexicon to keep up with the language. 

Is there anything more exciting than an older man or an older woman forgetting their age and focusing on their goals? Find something productive to do with your life and you will find that age doesn't matter at all.

Virtues of Great Writing

Ever wonder how Chuck Swindoll got involved in publishing? I mean, he's a fantastic writer. Plus, he's published over 70 books. Chuck became an author by --get this -- adapting his Sunday sermons into books. This is pure genius. It's like killing two birds with the same stone. And why not? After all, all the research and work you put into preaching is the perfect foundation for a lifetime of publishing. Likewise, I think transforming your lectures into books is a great strategy. I've used it a bit myself. I mean, your lectures are already structured and packed with your core ideas. This gives you a massive head start when it comes to publishing. I'd say about half of my books originated in this manner. I would simply take the things I'd been saying in the classroom for years and then author a book based on the pre-existing content. The books Chuck wrote like this include his fabulous The Grace Awakening and Strengthening Your Grip. 

I recall it was in the 1980s when I was approached by a publisher to write for them a beginning Greek grammar. By that time I had been teaching Greek at Biola for a number of years. When the publisher contacted me, my initial response was something like, "Are you serious? We teachers need a new beginning Greek grammar like a hole in the head." They said, "Understood. But would you pray about it?" I said yes, and 5 months later they received my completed manuscript. It really wasn't all that hard to do. After all, I'd been teaching this material for many years. Besides, by then I was beginning to adopt what later became I suppose my hallmark as a writer -- keeping things simple without (hopefully) being simplistic. The last thing I wanted to come across as was just another arrogant egghead in academia. The church doesn't need gimmicks to attract people. It needs subject matter that is taught clearly and lived out passionately. I am committed that Learn to Read New Testament Greek will not someday become Learn to Show Off New Testament Greek from the Pulpit. This is a great time to remind ourselves that the Bible was not given for our information. It was given for our transformation. This is true of your English Bible as much as it is true of the Greek New Testament (and Hebrew Old Testament). Teaching Greek to people strips away the veil of translation. Not only that, it equips and empowers them to evaluate secondary sources independently. This inspires, not interpretive pride, but interpretive confidence. 

At any rate, I can tell you from experience that writing a book can be incredibly surreal. It is a milestone that people reach at all stages of life. Writing a beginning grammar was one of the most delightful experiences of my career. The ultimate joy comes from the thrill of finally getting a tool out into the world that might turn an isolated hobby into a shared human experience. With editions in English, Spanish, and Mandarin -- the world's three most widely-spoken languages -- it blows my mind to think that 40 percent of the world's population now has access to the language of the New Testament if they are willing to put in the work. 

Chuck Swindoll's book are loved because they make complex biblical truth intensely practical and relatable. No one can strip away academic dryness like he can. His writing style and passion for simplicity are great virtues in an often overly complicated world. 

The Multigenerational Vision

Grandparent-grandchildren relationships are truly magical. It's about fun, making memories, and unconditional love. My youngest grandsons are all over me. They can't wait for me to arrive, and they can't bear it when I have to leave. They're literally all over me. They run to me. They want to hold my hand when we walk. They love to horseplay with their Papa B. Last night one of them grabbed my cap and sunglasses and, well, a picture is worth a thousand words. 

The other night when we were watching fireworks in town, one of them sat down on my lawn chair a little bit too, let's say, eagerly, and broke the mesh. Who cared? I sat down, and when my bottom hit the ground beneath the chair with a thruuuump, everyone got a good laugh out of it, me included. Gave me a good opportunity to tell the grandkids that when we took our own kids camping every summer I invariable broke at least one camp chair on the trip. So you've got a busted chair. You can always get a new chair. You can't get a new grandkid. The funniest part is when it's time for me to go. They'll think of any excuse to keep me from leaving. They will resort to hilarious, tactical, and always exaggerated methods to block the exit. Love it!

There are two things I'm trying to teach my grandkids whenever I visit with them. Number one: Papa B loves you just the way you are. And number two, I want to be a good role model to them of what Jesus is like. I can just see kids walking all over Jesus' sandals while picking their noses and doing what kids do. The disciples see this and begin rebuking the parents to get their kids out of here. "This is the King of the Universe! Don't yank on his robe! Don't get sand on him! And for crying out loud, stop picking your noses!" They shoved the kids away. But Jesus called them back and said, "Leave the kids alone. Don't get between me and these children. They are the kingdom's pride and joy." 

Jesus turned societal norms upside down. 

He welcomed children and blessed them. He always treated them with profound gentleness and love.

God delights when we approach him with simplicity and absolute dependence on his goodness. When we mess up, he never sends us away. He is eager to forgive and eager to give us rest. He invites us to come to him anytime, anyplace, just as we are, with complete confidence that we will be accepted. He is the perfect Father! 

And So Endeth the Day

If Your Office Door Could Speak

Today we're taking a journey back a couple of years ago to when I officially retired from fulltime teaching. A bunch of my faculty colleagues wanted to get together for an informal Q & A session with me to pick my brain about any topic they were curious about. I gladly agreed to do it. I recall one particularly interesting question. It went something like this: "Dave, you've had a pretty prolific writing career. How did you manage to publish so many books in view of a heavy teaching load and travel schedule, not to mention the farming you do?" Well, "prolific" is a subjective term I guess. I know of other New Testament professors whose publishing records far exceed mine. Be that as it may, I said something like this in response: "I think the Lord enabled me to write the books I did largely because I had my priorities right as a teacher. My office door was never closed unless I already had a student meeting with me." I added, "The students were always my top priority, not my publishing. They did not exist for me. I existed for them. They did not exist to make my life easier. I existed to make theirs easier. In fact, they were the very reason our school even existed. So my door was always open. I never felt I had to zealously guard my writing time. I never considered a visit from a student as an interruption. It was a divinely arranged encounter meant for their growth and benefit. And the amazing thing was, I never once lacked time to write, nor did I ever miss a publisher's deadline." 

I think this is so important. The only way the person who doesn't know you can read you is from face to face time with you. Do they see "Welcome, come on in" or do they see "Stay away"? I think one of the most attractive things about Jesus was his availability. I believe he transformed those twelve to begin with largely by winning them to himself. Why else would they have left their occupations behind? You see, in those days the religious leaders were standoffish. They could care less about the am ha-aretz -- the so-called "people of the land," meaning the riffraff of society. Their bony fingers were long as they poked them against people's sternums. You and I live in a world surrounded by Pharisees. That's exactly what made Jesus' ministry so winsome and attractive. Regular people weren't turned off by him. John, in fact, says that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. And we beheld his glory, full of -- get this -- grace and truth. Not just truth. But grace and truth. Not just a lecture. But a life. 

When I was a student at Biola and Talbot, I didn't see many office doors that were open. The professors were good, godly men. But their closed doors said, "Stay away." And those whose doors said "Come in," I did just that. We became close and even became friends in some instances after I joined the faculty. Remember, at the incarnation Deity became a human being. God stooped to be with us. John ate with him. Slept beside him. Watched him. Studied him. Observed him -- full of grace and truth. What a balanced combination. What a magnificent model. No one ever drew others into his life like he did.

In short, that day I encouraged my friends to connect with their students. To embrace a life of availability and then to demonstrate it. Pour out your love to others whom you serve. I'm not saying you never put up legitimate boundaries. And yes, you have responsibilities. Nor will I have the audacity to think that you've got to live just like I live in order to be pleasing to Christ as a teacher. All I know is that a gracious professor is absolutely contagious. That's the message of grace. That's the gift of friendship and the beauty of sharing our lives with our students. I truly believe that the more you grow in grace, the more effective a writer you will be. You'll be discerning, but you will not be possessive.

Speakers Up!

Faithful Unto Death (Lottie Moon)

153 years ago today, the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board appointed Charlotte "Lottie" Moon as a missionary to China. 

Moon would spend the next 40 years serving the Chinese people. Through her letters home, she encouraged churches to pray and send more missionaries. An annual Christmas offering now bears her name. Her life was a testimony of what a true follower of Christ should look like. Thank you Lottie for your service as a woman. You've set an excellent example of what it means to surrender to the cause of global missions. 

P.S. Lottie Moon's grave is in Crewe, VA, an hour's drive from my farm. 

No One Comforts More Than Christ

Over the course of the years I've experienced terrible disappoints and hurts in life, as you have. An especially dark passage occurred in early 2020, the year everyone was hearing about Covid-19 for the first time. I felt like I was drowning in a sea of perplexity, wave after wave crashing over me as though I had just wiped out at Pipeline. I felt the waves would never stop. There was no net that could catch me. At my lowest point, no one could say anything that could bring thanksgiving out of my mouth. 

That March I got extremely sick. It seemed my lungs were failing me. I was having great difficulty breathing and swallowing. I began to lose all sense of balance. Walking was a real challenge. It felt like my body was shutting down. And while Covid was ruled out as the cause, doctors had no idea how to treat whatever it was I had. After months of suffering, I finally went to an old doctor friend of mine down in Carolina who suggested that I check my B12. Sure enough, he hit the nail on the head. During the years I spent running marathons, my body had completely lost its ability to absorb this vitamin that's essential for producing healthy, functioning red blood cells. So I was started on B12 injections daily, then 3 times a week, then once a week. For the past few years I've received an injection bi-weekly and my health is completely back to normal. 

Needless to say, 2020 was one of the toughest years of my life. Hands down. Had it not been for my family and a few close friends, I could never have pushed through it. I recall my daughter and my grandson flying in from Alabama to care for me. Then there was the time a group of men I am very close to drove 4 hours to sit with me and pray over me. During the times I was alone, I found my time in the word became for me a refuge, a way forward through the darkness. Prayer became essential, though I must tell you in all honesty that not even that helped sometimes. Prayer won't necessarily bring you the relief you are so desperate for. What it will do is remind you that no one comforts more than Christ. No one sees the depths of our suffering clearer than he does. 

This morning I prayed that the Lord would bring just one person to read this blog post who needs to hear this. If you're that person, you're an answer to prayer. All of our struggles and resistance notwithstanding, I am so thankful that God takes us through whatever we're facing in life. If nothing else, we learn we can't trust in ourselves. We're forced to surrender. Even if he doesn't remove the test, he holds us close to himself. 

So Wooden It Could Have Been the Horse

Just watched a Youtube clip introducing the new Matt Damon movie The Odyssey. First time ever I walked out on a trailer. And I say that as someone who's read tons of ancient Greek mythology. As one reviewer put it, "Not even Altas can carry this movie." 

Poor Homer. Must be rolling in his grave. 

Female American Rower Sets New Record

Huge shout out to Kelsey Pfendler. She is now in the history books as the first American woman, youngest woman, and fastest woman to complete the more-than 2,400-mile journey from California solo to Hawaii in a rowboat. 

She smashed both the women's and men's records. Hundreds showed up to cheer her on as she pulled into Honolulu Harbor after nearly a month and a half at sea. "Think about trying your own own big, hard, scary thing," she said. "You might not think that you are strong enough to finish it right now, but you're definitely strong enough to start it, and you'll find everything else along the way." Women are proving themselves superior in ultra endurance everything. I LOVE her message and I applaud her achievement. Women and girls all over the world will be inspired by her example. 

BRAVO!

Journey to Joy (1 Thess. 5:16-18)

Today I want to introduce you to a word you've probably never heard or seen before. The word is asyndeton. It refers to the omission of conjunctions from a construction that would normally have them. A well-known example is, "I came, I saw, I conquered." Well, in 1 Thess. 5:16-18, we find Paul writing three sentences that have no formal grammatical connections between them:

Always rejoice.

Pray without ceasing.

In everything give thanks.

No conjunctions are present here (obviously), but that doesn't mean that there are no logical connections going on. Let me explain.

"Always rejoice." Paul is referring to genuine joy. There is nothing more pleasant than to see a Christian who is contagiously happy. This is more than mere human optimism. It is a Spirit-enabled life lived above circumstances rather than succumbing to the gloomy, grim drag of existence. Someone has said that joy is the surest sign of God's presence. I believe it. 

Now let's move on to verse 17. Remember, all these commands are joined together like links in a chain. Verse 17 gives us the path to joy. Paul says the only way to have a head of joy is to have a heart free of burdens. And how do we release our burdens? It's simple. We pray. Prayer is simply communication with God. It involves many things, but among them is a regular release of the load to the Lord. It never fails. When I pray, I say to the Father, "Lord, help me. I can't carry this burden any longer. So I release it to you." When I do this, it's like being freed from a heavy anchor dragging me down.

Finally, observe verse 18: "In everything give thanks." When we rejoice in the Lord because we've released our burdens to him in prayer, the result is gratitude.

Clear?

Now I want you to see how Paul develops this exact pattern of thought in one of his other letters. In Phil. 4:4-6, Paul writes (NLT):

"Alway be full of joy. I say it again -- rejoice. Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon." That's the "Always rejoice" of 1 Thess. 5:16!

"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything." That's the "Pray without ceasing" of 1 Thess. 5:17!

"Tell God what you need, and don't forget to thank him for his answers." That's the "In everything give thanks" of 1 Thess. 5:18!

Isn't that fantastic? 

You probably know that my mission in the past 50 years has been to help my fellow believers to become spiritually self-sustaining. At the very heart of Bible study are 3 steps that anyone can do -- not just seminarians, but you and me:

1. Observation: "What does the text say?"

2. Interpretation: "What does the text mean?"

3. Application: "How does the text relate to my daily walk with God?"

When you open your Bible and begin to read a passage like 1 Thess. 5:16-18, I suggest that you read the verses as if you're reading them for the very first time. Read thoughtfully. Read carefully. Notice details like what is said (conjunctions) and what is not said (asyndeton). Go over the text again and again. You'll be amazed by what you see that you missed the first time you read the passage. Immerse yourself in the context of Scripture. That's essential for understanding and applying the meaning.

Remember, Bible study is for everyone. There are no bench players in Christianity. God calls all of us to actively participate and become totally committed to careful, deep Bible study. If you're not there yet, it's time to get off the bench and into the game! 

Robert Sloan Has Died

Baptist educator and New Testament scholar Robert Sloan died yesterday at the age of 77 following an unexpected stroke. What a sad loss for us all. 

He was a visionary leader and a great friend to many, myself included. We both studied under the same major professor at the University of Basel. I last saw him in his office at Houston Christian University when I was asked to speak in one of their New Testament classes. He was a wonderful human being and an outstanding educator. He leaves a great legacy on this earth. My deepest condolences and prayers for the family. 

Well done, good and faithful servant.

Hawaii No Ka Oi (Hawaii Is the Best)

Lord willing, I leave for Hawaii in exactly one month. Sometimes you just need some Vitamin Sea time. 

A Waikiki Fourth

Of course, this can't even begin to compare with the fireworks during Chinese New Year! 

Happy 250th Birthday America!

Thankful to be an American. God bless America. 

Normal Is Just a Setting on a Dryer

Nothing's normal about our family, that's for sure. We're a zany bunch of oddballs who love chaos. 

Off to the Fourth of July fireworks in town -- with ice cream sandwiches, of course. 😋

Exercise: From Belief to Action

As you know, I'm a pretty big fan of physical exercise. A major goal of this website is to move people out of the realm of passivity into the realm of action. Sometimes people turn from spectator to participant in a matter of days. Often it takes them years, if at all. Reminds me of a story I once heard. It's one of the most famous fishing jokes of all time. Seems there was a fisherman named Pete. At the end of the day he almost always had two or three stringers full of fish. Other fishermen may have caught only two or three, but not Pete. He always seemed to be loaded with fish. There was no limit on number, only size, and all of Pete's fish were big enough to bring home.

The curiosity of the fish and game warden finally made him corner Pete and ask him, "What's your secret?" Pete said, "Meet me here tomorrow morning and I'll show you." The next morning Pete and the warden boated to a secluded part of the lake. When Pete stopped the motor, everything was as still as could be. Pete reached into his tackle box, pulled out a stick of dynamite, lit it, tossed it in the air, and when it it was about to hit the lake there was an enormous explosion. Fishes of all size began to float to the surface. Without a word, Pete made his way over and with his net picked up the largest fish and strung them. At this, the fish and game warden flipped out. "Why, you can't do that! I'll have you arrested! You're going to get fined on top of everything else!" About that time, Pete reached into his tackle box, pulled out another stick of dynamite, lit it, tossed it into the warden's lap, and said, "You going just sit there all day watching? Or are you going to fish?"

Don't worry. I'm not going to drop a stick of dynamite in your lap today, though I would light the fuse in a second if by doing so I could get you as involved as I believe all of us could be and should be in the matter of physical fitness. I imagine there's not a person reading this who doesn't believe in these things. But somehow getting it into our experience seems impossible. My desire is not to increase your guilt. My desire is to remind you that there awaits you a dynamic power from Christ that only you can tap into. My hope is that one day after reading this blog a few more people would become engaged in this thing called "temple care" instead of simply folding their arms and watching other people do it. 

Have a wonderful evening!

Navigating the Valley of Disappointment

When, 163 years ago yesterday, the Confederates reached their "high water mark" during Pickett's Charge, Meade's reputation died too. Lincoln (and many others) wondered why he didn't order an immediate counterattack at Gettysburg. He was too cautious and slow -- another McClellan. This is a case of "What if?" that would never be resolved completely. Vigorously pursue the Army of Northern Virginia? Maybe you destroy their entire army. Attack before you are ready? You make the Army of the Potomac vulnerable to a Confederate counterattack. In his great book Retreat from Gettysburg, which I purchased last year, author Kent Masterson Brown writes, "Although he was being severely criticized in Washington and by some in the army for his failure to attack Lee at Williamsport, there was nothing that could have been done to prevent Lee from winning the race to the Williamsport defense line or building it."

In the final analysis, the war would not end in Pennsylvania or in Maryland for that matter. It was back to the killing fields of Virginia. Meade's gold, meanwhile, had been significantly tarnished.

Isn't it interesting how so many of our "victories" in life are almost immediately followed by catastrophes? When Becky and I were living in Basel, we decided to take a two week vacation to Greece. This would be our very first visit to this amazing country. After we arrived, I was in paradise. I mean, a Greek teacher in a place where everything was written in Greek? In addition, we were thrilled when we visited the Parthenon in Athens or the bema seat in Corinth or the famous Corinthian Canal, a sight that's almost indescribable. 

Suddenly, Becky's right knee exploded. She had suffered from rheumatoid arthritis since she was a teenager. Thankfully the disease had been successfully managed through steroid medications. Not this time. Her knee resembled a giant grapefruit. Immediately I arranged for an emergency flight to take us back to Basel, where Becky was admitted to the hospital. There she had her knee aspirated by a doctor who had no idea what he was doing. As he inserted the needle into her knee cap she screamed at the top of her lungs. I will never forget that. She ended up having to be hospitalized for a month as she recovered from the procedure. So much for a nice, quiet trip to Greece.

Then, I was asked to give a 3-day lectureship at a Bible school in eastern Switzerland near Lake Constance. 

I worked feverishly on my talks. Not only was the subject matter a bit challenging -- New Testament textual criticism -- but I was planning on delivering my lectures in German. The day finally came for me to board my train for St. Gallen when I came down with a bad case of -- you guessed it -- laryngitis. I could barely let out a croak let alone speak to an audience of students. Needless to say, I never gave those lectures. Instead, I spent those days meeting individually with students to give them encouragement and advice in their studies -- in a whisper.

My final example comes from when I lived in Hawaii. It was summer, and my friends and I were surfing Waikiki every day. The waves were big, the wind conditions perfect. One day I had to miss the action to have my wisdom teeth removed. Well, a major infection ensued such that I couldn't even swallow, my throat was so painful. I was sent to Kaiser Hospital to be fed intravenously for a week. But for me, the hardest part was watching the waves from my 6th story hospital room that overlooked Waikiki. That was pure torture. 

Navigating the valley just after a mountaintop experience is never easy. Meade's reputation as the "victor of Gettysburg" never did recover fully after he let Lee escape back into Virginia. He spent the rest of the war in the shadow of Grant. Even today he's been called the "Rodney Dangerfield" of Civil War generals -- getting no respect. 

The fact is, it's very normal to experience low points in our walk with Christ. Really, it is only after coming down from the mountain that we realize we were on the mountaintop to begin with. I wonder if that makes us pray harder. I wonder if that makes us lean into the Lord harder. I wonder if this is where the deepest work of grace begins to happen in our lives.

When we experience something extraordinary or profound, let's not forget that this could lead to a greater sense of our dependence on the one who said, "My strength is made perfect in weakness." 

Civil War Army Organization: Still Confused?

Having a hard time remembering which is larger -- a regiment or a brigade? I'm here to help. Here are the groupings of an army during the Civil War (from biggest to smallest): 

Army 

Corps

Division

Brigade

Regiment

And here's how you're going to remember them:

"A Cloudy Day Brings Rain." 

Now you know! 

How Beautiful!

God's creation is amazing. I will never be able to get over its beauty. 

Disaster Relief

What's the greatest feeling in life? Years ago my answer would have been: a sense of achievement. Any other Type A achievers out there? You know what I'm talking about. Now that I'm older, my answer has changed. Today my answer would be: relief. Relief brings a cool breeze, a deliverance from those awful days and nights worrying about something.

Peter says we are to cast all our anxiety upon the Lord, because he cares for us (1 Pet. 5:7). We are to literally heave it over, throw it upon him. It's like taking a pack and letting it fall from your back. If you've ever carried a pack in mountain climbing, you know there is nothing quite like the feeling when you peel it off your shoulders and you release the burden. It's the feeling I had after I climbed to the top of a mountain near Zermatt a few years ago. 

What a relief it was to finish the climb. 

Such relief feels better than achievement or even happiness. Relief is that time in your life when:

The flight was delayed but not cancelled. 

You met the deadline -- barely.

The accident didn't happen.

The test came back negative. 

You didn't lose your job after all. 

The battle you unexpectedly won.

Let me illustrate what I'm saying from this day in history. 163 years ago today, a silence descended over the fields of Gettysburg after a great 2 hour bombardment. Confederate soldiers began emerging from the broad woods in front of Seminary Ridge. They numbered 13,000 men, 15,000 by some counts. A long gray line stretched for a mile across the fields. The veterans of both armies never forgot the sight.

That was the beginning of Pickett's Charge. The Confederates advanced across the field. Their ranks began to thin as Union soldiers poured destructive fire into their flanks. A few of the Federals broke ranks and dashed to the rear. For long minutes, the battle hung in the balance.

Meade, the head of the Army of the Potomac, encountered some of his staff, including his son, whose horse had just been killed. "Hello, George," his father said, "Is that you? I am glad you are here. You must stick by me now, you are the only officer left." Meade asked Lt. John Egar of the First Regiment of U.S. Artillery if the attack had been repulsed. Egar replied that General Hays had captured one of their flags. "I don't care for their flags," Meade replied impatiently. "Have they turned?" Egar said yes. Lt. Frank Haskell also encountered Meade at that time. Meade asked him, "How's it going here?" The young lieutenant replied, "I believe, General, the enemy's attack is repulsed." "What? Is the attack already repulsed?" Meade asked. "It is, sir."

When Meade reached the crest of Cemetery Ridge -- the same spot where his statue stands today -- he finally saw with his own eyes that the enemy was in full flight. His face lit up. "Thank God," he said. Then he waved his hand and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Hurrah!" The Union army had finally defeated Robert. E. Lee.

Scientists call this "counterfactual relief." Something you thought would happen didn't happen after all. The worse the imagined outcome, the more powerful the relief. Your heart rate drops, your muscles relax. In contrast to the feeling preceding it, you're almost euphoric. Often it's the waiting that's the worst. Complete certainty is less stressful than not knowing. You feel stuck in limbo. But when the moment of certainty arrives, even if it's not the best news, the waiting is over. You finally know. You take the breath you've been holding.

Every person reading this blog post is going through some kind of battle. I can assure you I am. And most are plural, not just one, and I know that you and yours are plenty too. There is no one who can tell you to your complete satisfaction all the reasons why you have to go through such hard times. That's precisely when we have to accept the mystery of hardship and suffering and know for sure that God will protect us by his power from now through eternity. We know so little of why things happen and why things end as they do. But all of this only deepens our confidence in the Lord and his will. Friend, he has promised you spiritual strength even if your suffering goes unrelieved for now. He is with you, ministering to you through his Spirit and through members of his body whom he's commissioned to bear us up and help relieve our suffering. 

Never forget that. 

Lord, I pray for those who read these words today going through a very painful time in their lives. I pray that you would remind them that you are at work and the trial has a purpose and your plan is unfolding. Bring them a sense of reassurance and trust, yes, even relief, while going through it all.  I pray this in the name of Jesus and for his sake alone. Amen. 

Today's Real Feel Is 108!!

Thank the Lord for coolers and Gatorade! 

The Wentz's of Gettysburg

Around midnight of July 1, 1863, George Meade arrived in Gettysburg. 

Not long afterward he rode his lines, which were arranged in the shape of an inverted fish hook. He still had no idea how the next day's battle would shape up. Not so the Confederate commander.

On the morning of July 2, Lee decided to send Longstreet on a movement to turn the Federal left. His troops would swing around the Union army and then push up the Emmitsburg Road. The problem was, Lee had no exact idea where the enemy's left was. It extended much farther south than he had thought. Eventually, the Confederates attacked the Federal III Corps and came perilously close to the main Union line on Cemetery Ridge. There was vicious fighting in the Peach Orchard and Wheatfield, two places, like Antietam's Cornfield, that earned the right of capitalization that day.

Near the Wheatfield was a farm owned by John and Mary Wentz, who lived in a modest one-and-a-half-story log cabin standing at the intersection of the Emmitsburg and (what is now) Wheatfield Roads. 

The couple had two children. Susan was from John's previous  marriage. Henry, their son, had been disowned by his father after he decided to enlist in the Confederate army in April, 1861. Henry had joined an artillery battery formed in Berkeley County, West Virginia. Residents of Gettysburg lived just 10 miles from the Mason-Dixon line, so it was not unusual for families to be torn apart by conflicting political loyalties. 

At the time of the battle of Gettysburg, John Wentz was 73, Mary 74, and Susan 27. When fighting began on July 2, the family decided to flee while John went and hid in the cellar. His decision brought him within a few hundred yards of his son's artillery battery. It is one of the greatest ironies of the Civil War. The incident led to several, ultimately debunked, stories about Henry's supposed reunion with his father the night after Pickett's Charge. Finding his father asleep in the cellar, Henry pinned a note to his father's lapel that read, "Good-by and God bless you!" If only it were true. 

Henry was eventually captured on April 6, 1865, near Farmville, Virginia. He was subsequently released after taking his oath of allegiance on June 21. By default, the Wentz homestead passed on to him after the death of his father and mother.

What I've just recounted should remind us of two things: First, falsified representations of war, including the "Wentz Myth," are unfortunately alive and well even today. Second, rifts between family members were quite common, especially for those living on the border between Pennsylvania and Maryland. Do we not see similar things happening in Christianity? The "apocryphal gospels" are a collection of non-biblical early texts that claimed to have apostolic authority but had nothing of the kind. 

And as far as households being divided goes, Jesus himself had promised as much (Luke 12:49-53). The division is not created by Jesus. Division is the natural outcome of people making different decisions about whether to follow Christ or not. The cross is the great dividing event of history. The gospel can bring conflict in churches, communities, workplaces, even within the family home. This is all part of discipleship. 

P.S. For more myths about the battle of Gettysburg, go here. 

What Gettysburg Teaches Us About Unexpected Trials

The morning of July 1, 1863, in the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, was a scene of wild excitement as two great armies came face to face for what was about to become the best-known battle of the American Civil War. The Federal cavalry under John Buford had arrived in Gettysburg the day before. Upon spotting advanced troops of Confederate General Henry Heth, the Federal troops rode out to meet them. The Southern troops, with specific instructions from Lee not to bring on a general engagement, returned to Cashtown. But a clash the next day was inevitable.

Military historians call the battle a "meeting engagement." A meeting engagement is a collision between two opposing forces more or less unprepared for battle. The Battle of Gettysburg is the classic example of a meeting engagement. It was in fact a chance encounter between a Confederate brigade foraging for supplies and a Union cavalry division reconnoitering a town of no particular strategic importance. Both sides felt the need to reinforce rather than withdraw, and soon sides began to commit their entire strength to the battle.

Let's see if we can apply all this to our own battles in life, shall we? In my own life and ministry, I think the most difficult trials I've faced are those unexpected ones. Out of the blue, with no time to prepare, you're hit with an unexpected test. Sure, you expect a major trial from time to time. But now, Lord? This, Lord? Yes, now. Yes, this.

Maybe you're the same way. I don't know what you're going through today, but God does. He not only knows where you are, he knows where all this is heading. You don't. But none of that affects God's will. His plan is unfolding regardless of our limited perspective. None of us sees and knows the future. God does both. There are no surprises, no "meeting engagements," with him. Though we are often baffled, God is fulfilling his plan. He's carrying out his will. God is at work through it all even when we can't understand it and can't explain it. When we think God's timing is way off, in fact it's spot on. And it's all for his glory and our good.

When my wife passed away 13 years ago, I would sometimes say, "Becky struggled for 4 years before cancer finally took her home." Wrong. God took her home and he used cancer to do it. On other occasions, I might refer to Becky's death as "premature." "She died far too young." Wrong again. No death is ever premature from God's perspective. We mustn't ever think that because a death is unexpected it is therefore unacceptable. No one dies prematurely. God plans both life and death. If he doesn't, he's not sovereign. 

I love how the Living Bible renders Psalm 139:16: "You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe." The day of your birth was marked out by God for a reason and for a purpose. So is the day of your death. This truth will comfort you when you lose a loved one, maybe someone younger than you, maybe your very own child or a dear parent you've loved all your life. When it's time for us to go, it's time. 13 years ago the Lord said, "It's time Becky. Come home, precious daughter, come home." 

Our entire lives are in God's hands. He is the potter, we are the clay. He is God, we are not. Embrace that truth. Teach it to your children and your grandchildren. Our times are in God's hand.