My friend Saija posted this picture on her blog Thro' a Glass Darkly recently.
I've been tagged by several people asking me to list 25 random things about me! My question is, "who cares?". Fact is, I always enjoy reading these lists about other people so here goes...in no particular order. The list, of course, is by no means complete. Just a bunch of things that come into my head...and quickly leave. 
Today I rediscovered an incredible video clip by the late S. M. Lockridge (pictured). When I first heard it I was challenged and moved to tears. It's entitled "That's My King". Click here to watch and listen to this preacher's powerful proclamation. 
Last week I picked up a copy of Michael W. Smith's latest worship CD, A New Hallelujah, at our local Christian bookstore, Emmaus Family Books. Being a somewhat reticent and reluctant fan of Contemporary Christian Music there aren't too many artists or CD's that I really get taken up with. I've enjoyed MWS's earlier worship compilations though and this one didn't disappoint.
This morning I read the and concurred with following quote by Dr. Vernon Grounds concerning the activity of God in human lives:
The following article was written by Trevin Wax and appeared on his Kingdom People blog. Something to think about...That fact by itself made me glad as I watched Barack Obama sworn in as the 44th president of the United States yesterday. It gave me a great sense of satisfaction to think about how far our country has come from the days of separate water fountains and lynch mobs.
But the thrill of seeing an era of sinful racism put behind us has faded quickly, for me at least. I hate to be the one to pop the balloon of our collective national pride in this historic moment, but I sense that we as Americans are facing the rise of a new national sin – one that is more subtle and even deadlier than the sins of our past - one that is common to all other empires that have risen and fallen throughout the ages:
A smug sense of self-righteous superiority that usurps the rightful throne of God.
Watching the news over the past few days has been almost sickening. No, it’s not the average citizens fawning over Obama as if he were the Messiah. Or the over-hyped statements from reporters trying in some way to capture the “historic nature” of the events and speeches taking place. Annoying as the now blatantly subjective news coverage has been, that is not what has bothered me the most.
Instead, the truly troubling aspect of the new era we have just inaugurated is the underlying assumption among so many in our country that now, finally, we have truly arrived. A new age has dawned!
We are now above racism in our land. We have put behind us the terrible sins of our past and we are moving forward into a new world of hope and peace. We have recaptured the moral high ground in our world. We are unstoppable, unbeatable, unassailable!
We deceive ourselves. Our rhetoric reveals an imperalistic mindset grounded in smug self-righteousness and a false sense of superiority.
World, look at us now! We are the biggest. We are the best. And we are nice now. We are above racism. We are above the sins of our forefathers. We are above the notion of sin itself.
We are so enlightened that the writers of our newsweeklies can thumb their noses at six thousand years of human history (and almost every other civilization in the world today) and decide that same-sex marriage should be legalized.
We are so enlightened that we can eliminate whatever might stand in the way of our sexual exploits or prosperity-seeking, even if that means the sacrifice of another 50 million unborn children.
We are so enlightened that we can restore Science back in its proper place (meaning that it’s okay to create human life in order to destroy it, as long as we, the powerful, can benefit somehow).
We are the enlightened ones who bring justice and freedom and peace to the world.
You could hear it in Bush’s audacious speech after 9/11, in which he claimed that “we will eliminate evil from the world.”
You could hear it in John McCain’s claim at one of the 2008 debates that the “United States of America is the greatest force for good in the world.”
You can hear it even now in the speeches of Barack Obama: We are the world-changers.
Behind the clamor of the adoring media and the sight of swooning fans in Washington, D.C. – we can see that what truly unites us as a nation is a sense of superiority over the rest of the world, a belief in America as our savior, a naïve assumption that our cause is always right.
The Tower of Babel is going up right before our eyes.
But how many leaders have to come and go before we realize the truth that only Jesus Christ is Lord?
How many examples of government injustice have to take place before we realize that Christ’s Church is still the greatest force for good in the world?
How many towers have to fall before we realize the truth that his kingdom is the one that will never fail?
We live in a day when hope has dawned, yes. But not because we have elected a new president. Let the Church never forget:
Peace has broken out because of the cross - God’s resolution to our war against him. Hope has dawned because the tomb of a certain first-century Jew has been emptied of its contents. Justice will reign because of the Church who anticipates his return and dominion.
Nations rise and fall, but the Word of the Lord stands firm forever.
Back in 1970 a casual visit with R. Gordon Mitchell in Toronto led to a 15-year career as a Christian bookstore owner/operator.My father, knowing my desire to be involved in Christian bookselling, had arranged the get-together with Mr. Christian Books in Canada, Gordon Mitchell. After some discussion concerning the trade and my expression of interest, Mr. Mitchell posed the question, “why don’t you buy the bookstore in Peterborough?” We responded, “is it for sale?” When the answer was in the affirmative, the wheels started turning and I owned the Ambassador Bible Book Store in January 1971.
For fifteen years I lived on the edge, struggling to increase sales, satisfy customers, offer services beyond the norm and pay the bills. As I look back on that period of my life I recall only the fond memories. Lives transformed as customers came to know Christ. Friendships forged that continue to this day.
Since the business was sold in 1986 I’ve continued to be a bookseller at heart. Our local Christian bookstore is a favourite place to visit. When traveling, and I’ve been around, I always seek out the local Christian bookstore.
Last fall, the business that R. Gordon Mitchell founded many years ago, R. G. Mitchell Family Books, filed for bankruptcy. Fortunately the founder was not around to see the huge BANKRUPT sign draped over the front of the building. He’s in heaven! Mitchell’s was more than a retail outlet. They had a huge wholesale business and represented many of the major Christian publishers. I made many a visit to their Gordon Baker Rd. location during my 15 years in the book business to pick up supplies.
So what happened? What led to their demise? I can’t say for sure but I do know that a number of factors could have precipitated the events of the last few months.
Among them could be:
- The general downturn in the economy
- The proliferation of online suppliers of books…places like CBD (Christian Book Distributors, Amazon and Chapters/Indigo
- The availability of many of the bestsellers at greatly reduced prices at stores like WalMart, Costco and other big box stores
- The illegal pirating of music and videos
- Unwise business decisions
Whatever the cause, it was a sad day today when I dropped by for the liquidation auction. The retail sales area had been cleaned out of books, music, cards and the stock that was normally carried. Over the last few weeks the discounts had increased and books could be had for less than a dollar.
"What once was Zondervan, Cook and Revell...Today was Samsung, HP and Dell..."
Today the area was filled with electronic equipment, computers, printers, work stations, chairs, office equipment, telephones and other various and sundry items. Shelving, conveyor belts and other warehousing materials were available out back. As I entered the store, the sound of the auctioneer hawking his wares greeted me. It was not a welcoming voice or a pleasant smile. This was big business. Get the most you can for whatever is left. A sad day indeed!
Unfortunately Mitchells won’t be the only store that will have to close up shop. The Christian bookselling industry is struggling. Many mom and pop shops have had to liquidate and clear out. More will follow.
When I bought my store I picked up some helpful literature from our trade organization the Christian Booksellers Association. One item was a brief article entitled The Late Great Christian Bookstore. The title was a take-off on the popular bestseller at the time, The Late Great Planet Earth by Hal Lindsey. The article spoke of the struggles encountered by Christian bookstores and how they could be overcome. Sad to say, too many stores didn’t take heed.
So what can be done to help prevent these tragic store closings? I have a few suggestions for what they’re worth.
- Support your local Christian bookstore.
- Give them the majority of your business when possible. The price might be cheaper if you order online but how many phone clerks have prayed with customers, taken them for lunch or spoken a word of encouragement during a difficult time?
- Encourage others to patronize your local Christian bookstore.
- Don’t expect your store to carry every Christian book available. They can’t! The smaller the town, the fewer the titles that can be carried. Ask them to order the book.
- Drop by even if it’s just to speak a word of encouragement.
I’m committed to supporting the smaller, independent Christian booksellers.
I hope you'll do the same!
Note: If you're visiting Emmaus Family Books in Peterborough tell Jim Rose or any of his staff that you read this post on Pilgrim Scribblings. He'll be glad to hear from you and you never know what he might do. Just a hint...
One of the Christian leaders I respect the most is Dr. R. Albert Mohler (pictured). He has written the following prayer for America's new President, Barack Obama. Rather than criticizing Obama for his stance on abortion I'm praying that I will commit to intercede on his behalf, trusting that God will soften his heart and convince him of the sanctity of all human life.We know that you and you alone are sovereign; that you rule over all, and that you alone are able to keep and defend us. We know that our times are in your hands, and that "the king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord" [Proverbs 21:1]. Our confidence is in you and in you alone. We come before you as a people who acknowledge our constant need for your provision, wisdom, and protection.
Father, we pray today for Barack Obama as he takes office as President of the United States. We pray that you will show the glory of your name in our times and in these days, confounding the wisdom of the wise, thwarting the plans of the arrogant, and vindicating those who do justice and practi
ce righteousness.
Father, we pray with thanksgiving for the gift of government and the grace of civic order. Thank you for giving us rulers and for knowing our need for laws and ordered life together. Thank you for this nation and the blessings we know as its citizens. Thank you for freedoms unprecedented in human history. We understand that these freedoms come with unprecedented opportunities.
Lord, we pray with thanksgiving for the joy and celebration reflected on millions of faces who never expected to look to the President of the United States and see a person who looks like themselves. Father, thank you for preserving this nation to the moment when an African-American citizen will take the oath of office and become our President. Thank you for the hope this has given to so many, the pride emerging in hearts that had known no such hope, and the pride that comes to a people who have experienced such pain at the hands of fellow citizens, simply because of the color of their skin. Father, we rejoice in every elderly face that reflects such long-sought satisfaction and in every young face that expresses such unrestrained joy. May this become an open door for a vision of race and human dignity that reflects your glory in our differences, and not our corruption of your gift.
Father, protect this president, we pray. We pray that you will surround this president and his family, along with all our leaders, with your protection and sustenance. May he be protected from evil acts and evil intentions, and may his family be protected from all evil and harm.
We pray that the Obama family will be drawn together as they move into the White House, and that they will know great joy in their family life. We are thankful for the example Barack and Michelle Obama have set as parents. Father, protect those precious girls in every way -- including the protection of their hearts as they see their father often criticized and as he is away from them on business of state. May their years in the White House bring them all even closer together.
Father, we pray for the safety and security of this nation, even as our new president settles into his role as Commander in Chief. We know that you and you alone can be our defense. We do not place our trust in horses or chariots, and we pray that you will give this president wisdom as he fulfills this vital responsibility.
Father, grant him wisdom in every dimension of his vast responsibility. Grant him wisdom to deal with a global financial crisis and with the swirling complex of vexing problems and challenges at home and abroad. May he inspire this nation to a higher vision for our common life together, to a higher standard of justice, righteousness, unity, and the tasks of citizenship.
Father, we pray that you will change this president's heart and mind on issues of urgent concern. We are so thankful for his gifts and talents, for his intellect and power of influence. Father, bend his heart to see the dignity and sanctity of every single human life, from the moment of conception until natural death. Father, lead him to see abortion, not as a matter of misconstrued rights, but as a murderous violation of the right to life. May he come to see every aborted life as a violation of human dignity and every abortion as an abhorrent blight upon this nation's moral witness. May he pledge himself to protect every human life at every stage of development. He has declared himself as an energetic defender of abortion rights, and we fear that his election will lead directly to the deaths of countless unborn human beings. Protect us from this unspeakable evil, we pray. Most urgently, we pray that you will bring the reign of abortion to an end, even as you are the defender of the defenseless.
Father, may this new president see that human dignity is undermined when human embryos are destroyed in the name of medical progress, and may he see marriage as an institution that is vital to the very survival of civilization. May he protect all that is right and good. Father, change his heart where it must be changed, and give him resolve where his heart is right before you.
Father, when we face hard days ahead -- when we find ourselves required by conscience to oppose this president within the bounds of our roles as citizens -- may we be granted your guidance to do so with a proper spirit, with a proper demeanor, and with persuasive arguments. May we learn anew how to confront without demonizing, and to oppose without abandoning hope.
Father, we are aware that our future is in your hands, and we are fully aware that you and you alone will judge the nations. Much responsibility is now invested in President Barack Obama, and much will be required. May we, as Christian citizens, also fulfill what you would require of us. Even as we pray for you to protect this president and change his heart, we also pray that your church will be protected and that you will conform our hearts to your perfect will.
Father, we pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, the ever-reigning once and future King, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. He and he alone can save, and his kingdom is forever. Above all, may your great name be praised. Amen.
_________________________
Christians are, first of all, citizens of a heavenly kingdom. The followers of Christ know no allegiance of ultimate rank to any government or earthly authority. Yet, the Bible clearly teaches that God has given us the gifts of law, government, and ruling authorities for our good. We are instructed to pray for "rulers and all who have authority" and to be faithful in praying "so that we can have quiet and peaceful lives full of worship and respect for God" [1 Timothy 2:2].
As Barack Obama prepares to take the oath of office and become the 44th President of the United States, Christians should be thinking about how to pray for the new President. I offer this prayer as a place to start, as we observe the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States together.
Thursday's incredible saga of the survival of 155 people in the icy Hudson River is nothing short of amazing. A miracle!
My writer friend Vicki (Victoria Gaines) posted this excellent article on her blog Windows To My Soul and she captured my sentiments perfectly. Thanks, Vicki, for your honesty!
Read on...
"One week into the New Year and already folks have gone gang-busters trying to renovate their lives.
Wears me out just thinking about it.
I was in no mood to write about resolutions, goals, and changes until several folks invited me to read their take on the subject. Honestly, there's a lot of wonderful inspiration out there. But I can't do it. I can't push myself to do better. That's why I came to Christ in the first place.
Don't get me wrong. We need to make healthier choices. And January gives us pause because we know how bad we failed the year before. The realization hits us again and again because we won't stop magnifying our frail and failing flesh. Something needs to change alright. But willpower is not the answer.
Some have a lot of willpower; some do not. Many of my writerly friends run circles around me with their bookish productivity. It used to make me feel bad until I realized He's accomplishing things in my life that can't possibly be compared to theirs. I'll keep trusting Him.
But sometimes we catch ourselves praying the Lord will help us do more. What? Help our flesh? If our (human) righteousness is like filthy rags, like the bible says, then the Lord is not in the business of strengthening our flesh. Whether we have weak flesh, strong flesh - doesn't matter - nothing we do apart from Him will last. So it doesn't matter if we have an impressive "go-get-'em" temperament that seemingly accomplishes so much. What happens when our goals are blocked by circumstances or people? Who do we turn to then?
Ah, but dear folk who struggle like me - read on. We know our temperaments and willpower can't be trusted. We need Christ's enablement, not just day by day, but moment by moment. May I share with you my verse for 2009?
Did you catch all that? I didn't at first. After reading this beautiful verse many times, in different translations and paraphrases, it seems to me that God wants to relieve me from the burden of resolutions. He knows I don't fare well apart from His Spirit, and He takes responsibility for equipping me. The onus is on Him, I like to say. That way, I can stop wrestling with my flesh and start trusting His Spirit. It's not about willpower and enthusiasm; it's being rooted and established in Him. Believing this truth causes me to stop pleading for His help and start resting in His life."Now may the God of peace—
who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus,
the great Shepherd of the sheep,
and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood—
may he equip you with all you need
for doing his will.
May he produce in you,
through the power of Jesus Christ,
every good thing that is pleasing to him.
All glory to him forever and ever! Amen."~ Hebrews 13:20-21 (NLT) ~
NOTE: Back in 2005 I posted the following outline of a message I had presented on more than one occasion to professional sports teams. I believe it bears repeating. Each time I read this I'm challenged all over again. I trust that you will be too!
This list of suggestions was prepared early this afternoon for a group of Seniors who I meet with here in Peterborough on the 1st Sunday of every month. It was well received this afternoon as I presented it at the close of our chapel service at Royal Gardens.
Here's another gem from A. W. Tozer who writes: 
Here's another great quote from A. W. Tozer. What is our posture in relation to the King? Are we face down & listening?
This story is "old" but I didn't post anything earlier so I'll make a comment now.
"Every wise workman takes his tools away from the work from time to time that they may be ground and sharpened; so does the only-wise Jehovah take his ministers oftentimes away into darkness and loneliness and trouble that he may sharpen and prepare them for harder work in his service." 
Dr. David Jeremiah's suggested resolutions for the New Year:
David's disclaimer:
Here is a prayer taken from a favourite book of mine, The Valley of Vision, and some comments prefacing it from my friend Tim Challies' post:
