Scatter shooting while trying to find a cool place in Texas.
It’s so hot in Texas that people are telling hot jokes to cope. (The high today in Fort Worth will be 106.) Here’s one—It’s so hot; my dream home is any house in Alaska. If you’ve got a good “hot” joke, please send it. We are struggling to cope here in Texas.
Here’s a great piece from A. W. Tozer:
GLORIOUS CONTRADICTIONS
God has revealed so many glorious contradictions in the lives and conduct of genuine Christian believers that it is small wonder that we are such an amazement to this world. The Christian is dead and yet he lives forever. He died to himself and yet he lives in Christ. The Christian saves his own life by losing it and he is in danger of losing it by trying to save it. It is strange but true that the Christian is strongest when he is weakest and weakest when he is strongest. When he gets down on his knees thinking he is weak, he is always strong. The Christian is in least danger when he is fearful and trusting God and in the most danger when he feels the most self-confident. He is most sinless when he feels the most sinful and he is the most sinful when he feels the most sinless. The Christian actually has the most when he is giving away the most; and in all of these ways, the Christian is simply putting into daily practice the teachings and example of Jesus Christ, his Savior and Lord!
Dave Miller posted about Artificial Intelligence (AI) recently. I read an article about how AI is speeding up Bible translation. When I was a young missionary, decades ago, normally it took 20 years for Wycliffe Bible translators to translate the New Testament. The advent of laptop computers and translation software halved that time, and it took about ten years. Now, AI will speed the process even more. Also, the role of Bible translator missionaries has changed. In the old days, missionaries translated the Bible themselves, using local language speakers as informants. Now, it is more common for the missionaries to train local translators, and the missionaries serve as trainers and consultants.
1 Corinthians 15:51-52–“ Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” (ESV)
Someone asked how long is the “twinkling of any eye”? In Dallas/Fort Worth, that is the time that elapses between the traffic light turning green and the guy behind you honking his horn.
Here’s great news for me and my retired friends: Victoria Garfield of the University College of London published a study on daytime naps. She writes, “Our findings suggest that for some, short daytime naps may preserve the health of the brain as we get older.”
Here in northern Fort Worth, a new and growing area, we have lots of new churches. Here are some of their names: Venture, Destiny, Eternity, Milestone, The Well, The Met, Zadok, The Mount, and Generations. Last year, I spoke with a church planter who named his church Storied. I asked him to explain the name, but I confess that I found his explanation confusing. I understand they don’t want to name their church Northside Bible Tabernacle, but some of these names do not connect with the gospel or the Bible. I’m not impugning what they teach or preach. Honestly, I have no idea. Of course, the pastors/church planters would respond that they are not aiming for my age group (baby boomer). What do you think?
I miss big wooden pulpits. How about you? It seems the wooden pulpits were removed when churches started using praise bands.
My dear wife remains addicted to Starbucks. She gets excited on “double stars day.” If I understand correctly, if you buy 423 drinks, you get one free. Perhaps a Starbucks fan can enlighten me.
Last week, we moved from an apartment into a house. The temperature that day was 107. How about my skill at advanced planning?
