The “Oregon Standard”

Posted on 22 October, 2013 by Jon Gleason

Since the start of the 2010 season in American college football, the University of Oregon Ducks have won more games than any other team.  Growing up in Oregon I heard radio broadcasts of the horrible teams of the 1970s and early 1980s.  I remember this awful game.  It is fun to see them actually be good.  In a YouTube age, even here I can watch games a few days later.  (I just learned that the pastor doing my son’s wedding is an Alabama fan.  I thought he was a friend, but you just never know what secrets people have, do you?  Perhaps as a true son of Oregon I should skip the wedding? :))

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Ruled by….

Posted on 21 October, 2013 by Jon Gleason

Some people are ruled by their head.

But you don’t know everything and don’t always process rightly what you do know.

So that doesn’t always turn out well.

Some people are ruled by their heart.

But your feelings can be confused and unreliable.

So that often doesn’t turn out well.

Some people are ruled by their hurt.

That never turns out well.

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Principles of Biblical Counselling

Posted on 19 October, 2013 by Jon Gleason

Occasionally, people in conflict (or who have had past conflicts) will ask a pastor for help in resolving the situation.  These encounters are often called “counselling” — but that term brings with it some baggage.

Lots of things pass for “counselling” in the world today.  People may simply be looking for someone to lend a sympathetic ear or to validate their behaviour.  Sometimes, people view counselling as their opportunity to air grievances about another person.  Ideally, they want a counsellor to pass judgment on the other person.  Certainly, a counsellor won’t question their side of the story, or suggest any substantive change in their own behaviour!

This post is not intended to be a complete discussion of Biblical counselling.  It is simply a brief discussion that can be useful to help keep a right focus in any counselling on conflict (past or present).

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Holding Hands

Posted on 18 October, 2013 by Jon Gleason

Together with the Lord, in life and in death.  If you only have time to read one thing on the Internet today, make it this:  ‘They were always together.’

See also:  True Love — The Story of Floyd & Margaret

(the post I’d planned for today can wait until tomorrow)

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Sin is NEVER Mandatory

Posted on 17 October, 2013 by Jon Gleason

I Corinthians 10:13

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Not “my situation is different.”  God says it is common.

Not “God let me down.”  He is faithful.

Not “the temptation was too strong for me.”  God doesn’t allow that.

Not “I had no way out.”  God always makes a way, if we have the integrity to look for it.

No excuses.  Sin is never mandatory.  You never have to do it.

(Based on something in tomorrow’s post, thought it worth making into its own post.)

 

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Ten Laws of Excellent Speech

Posted on 16 October, 2013 by Jon Gleason

Someone gave this to me years ago, I don’t recall where I saw it first.  I’ve never seen the book to which it is attributed, so I hope it is cited accurately.  In any event, it is worthwhile, and if it is representative of the book, it might be a good investment.

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The “Heretical” Pharaoh of Amarna

Posted on 15 October, 2013 by Jon Gleason

The Bible in the British Museum

Akhenaten face

© Trustees of the British Museum

Amenhotep IV came to power in the 14th century BC, about 90 years after Moses led Israel out of Egypt (as described in Exodus 1-14).   He may have been co-regent with his father for a time, but by the fifth year of his reign, he was certainly ruling alone — and he was making changes.

In his fifth year as Pharaoh, Amenhotep abandoned traditional Egyptian religion.  The result was buried treasure in the desert, buried treasure for Egyptologists and for Biblical scholars, at a place now known as el-Amarna.

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