I am at the point in my life when I don’t want to hear anyone else tell me that thus-and-such is a great investment methodology.  If that someone isn’t willing to tell me about the great methodology and then explicitly describe how they have fared following that course for at least a decade, I’m just not interested!

·        I KNOW Warren Buffet is great.  I don’t need anyone to tell me that he is great and that Benjamin Graham and he have a lock on value-based investment strategy.  Give me your exact returns for the past decade (at least) so I can see how you’ve measured up using these great insights.

·        I also know that Peter Lynch was great.  My first investing experience was investing in Magellan when he was at the helm.  I have read his books and have heard him talked about for years.  What I what to see is this:  You are touting Lynch, show me your specific returns for the past decade so I can see how you have personally used this wonderful data.

·        Burton Malkiel and Charles Ellis champion index investing for everyone, including themselves.  They give this caveat:  “…one of us has a major commitment to the stock of a single company—an unusual company called Berkshire Hathaway.  He has owned it for 35 years and has no intention to sell” (The Elements of Investing, p. 49).

o   Say no more!  Index, index, index, and do whatever else you want to do with a percentage of your investing monies.  I appreciate people who tell you what they do and why, and aren't ashamed to tell how they've fared.  You index, you make market (less a bit, of course).

·        I appreciate Jim Cramer for his entertainment value (much in the same way that I like Rush Limbaugh, et.al.).  (Though if I want real entertainment I can always look at the latest wisdom of Paul Krugman). Can you find where he provides his annual investment returns for you to compare to the market (or anything else)?  Of course not!  He is in the entertainment business.  As long as he doesn’t claim particular investing wisdom I am fine with Mr. Cramer doing what he does best—entertaining people who are donating to the wealth funds of various brokers.

o   I did a quick search for his personal record and couldn’t find one.  Anecdotal evidence doesn’t convince me one way or the other.

·        Look, I know what return I made last year and know how it compared to a stock market benchmark.  It’s not that hard with software.  The proof is in the pudding.  Put up the data or shut up!!!

We prayed for Saeed Abedini to be released from prison in Iran.  His crime is believing in Jesus as the salvation for the world.
We also prayed for Meriam Ibrahim who has been sentenced to death in Sudan for the crime of believing that Jesus redeemed her through His sacrifice on the cross.

We were thankful for the following truth:
     Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk        not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 
     Rom 8:2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin        and death.

We were also thankful for those those died for our freedoms and for those who fought and continue to fight for them.
We are thankful for what Jesus did for us:
       Rom 8:33  Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 
       Rom 8:34  Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died--more than that, who was              raised--who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 

This song (or the chorus of this song) has been on my heart for several days:

       Living, He loved me, dying, He save me
       Buried, He carried my sins far away
       Rising, He justified freely forever
       One day He's coming, oh, glorious day.

Nice day for reflection.  Finally got a bit of rain, which cooled us off significantly.

When at home I can look out my window and see my neighbor's trellis.  Five or six or seven years ago my brother gave them a couple of clematises.  Billy decided to plant them on the side of the house facing my window, so it's always a pleasure to look out and see them blooming in the Spring.

Seeing them also brings back a good bit of earthly pain.  Our neighbor, Billy, passed away a few months ago, prior to his 70th birthday due to complications from early-onset Alzheimer's.  Simply a great neighbor and a man you would love to emulate.  Always giving to others without any expectation of return.  Went on many a mission trip to Mexico, mostly to help build stuff.  He was the kind of guy who could measure your room for crown molding, go out and cut it, and it would fit.  That's the opposite of me:  Measure three times, cut it long, and then trim it 'till it fits.

Also, about three years ago, my brother had a bleeding blood vessel in his brain stem.  He passed away about a week later.  He wasn't even 60.

So, I'm sitting here at my computer, looking out the window, and feeling pretty melancholy.  A bit teary-eyed.  I miss both Billy and my brother, but, just like that clematis blooms every Spring, I believe that Billy and my brother have "bloomed" into a better life with the Lord. Pretty hokey analogy, I know!

I guess I shouldn't sit here and play songs on my computer that reminds me of those who have gone on beforehand.

We're All in This Together

Ok, I'm fifty-eight years old.  Doesn't seem that old to me.  Guess it does to some younger folk.

I had this happen while waiting in line at Walmart for some medicine:

"Mike, who's sick at your house?" asked Melody.  "Nobody's sick at our house, I'm just picking up some medicine," I replied.  Melody then said, "Guess that happens when you're getting old!"

Thank goodness I believe that Jesus is going to give me a new body some day.  That body will be much better than this one.  I look forward to that day, but don't think I'm due right now, unless the Lord calls me home.  It's on his time table, not mine.  One thing I do know is this:  God loves me and gave His Son for me.
Amen!

One lesson that I have learned over the past several years is that the Lord loves us.  Really loves us.  Probably make some theologian angry, but I perceive that as His primary characteristic.  God loves the world and he loves me.  There's knowing and then there's knowing, isn't there?  Hard times come, hard times go, hard times return, the constant: God loves us and sent His Son to die for us...amazing grace!

Inexplicably lost my brother to a bleeding brain stem (inoperable) about 2 1/2 years ago.  Came home to find out that our middle son was arrested for "selling" drugs in a drug-free zone.  He passed away on our couch the next year one week before Christmas (at age 21) due to "an overdose of pain medication."  Colin was in and out of rehab prior to his death and asked for my forgiveness (and the Lord's)on our last trip home from a rehab center.  If the fellow from 1 Corinthians 5 repented, then I believe that my son did so as well.

When I look at Jesus in the Bible, I see Someone who demonstrated His love for everyone He came in contact with, even with His enemies.  He agonized over Jerusalem.  He forgave the thief on the cross, while He was going through extreme agony and was soon to be separated from the Father for the first time in eternity.  Many of those who cried "crucify Him" were reborn on Pentecost when  Peter preached His forgiveness.  Yes, His wrath must be satisfied; but, He did His part because He loves us.

Going to compare Nicodemus to the "woman at the well" this morning.  The best and the brightest in Israel, one of the ruling Sanhedrin to the lowest of the low, a Samaritan and woman to boot.  Jesus loved them both.  At the time, Nicodemus didn't get the blatantly plain message that Jesus was teaching him, but the woman did.  "...Jesus loves them all...Every color...They are precious in His site...Jesus loves..."

The "woman at the well" went forth, not knowing she needed a theology degree to tell the gospel (tongue firmly implanted in cheek).  You probably know a bit more of the Good News than she does.  What are you doing to tell the love of Jesus?

It's a new day

Php 1:27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents.

Satan is extremely clever. He would prefer that we be disunified, no matter the means. Since our battle is not against flesh and blood, we need to be careful to lift up our ministry with prayer. Prayer is where the battle will be won. It may look like the battle is enjoined on the field, but it takes place in the heavenly places.

Prayer for the Body of Christ

9:42am

We are a small fellowship--a bit over 20 people (some Sundays) including children. If you think about it, that is plenty of people to consistently pray over! I know, I know...there are systematic ways to "pray" for people in larger bodies; however, you probably are often praying for strangers and faces, rather than people you know and/or care for.

If you are a leader in a Body then it's your responsibility to pray and watch over those in the flock. (The head of the flock, is Jesus, not you or anyone else.) I have a hard enough time consistently praying over 20 people that I know and care about (not including specific children in our AWANA ministry) much alone praying for strangers. I do pray for a few people that I have "met" over the Internet and for friends who are elsewhere.

My specific help is a prayer document that I can access on my computer when I do my quiet time. I have everyone listed with their specific requests so that I can come back and put in answers/partial answers to those prayers. Having a list also enables me to generally pray for them and (hopefully) listen to what the Holy Spirit wants me to pray for them.

I firmly believe that God answers prayer. I also firmly believe that He is sovereign in His decisions how and when to answer prayers. I also believe that He has a better grasp on things than do I.

Prayer, it's what's for breakfast!

Death comes a knockin'

7:50am

Please read this article about Elena Kagan, the Supreme Court justice nominee, from World Magazine:

http://online.worldmag.com/2010/07/09/kagan-doesnt-shudder/

Economics

8:39am

I am reading through a book titled, The Battle, by Arthur C. Brooks. The subtitle ingeniously tells the theme in a nutshell: How the Fight Between FREE ENTERPRISE and BIG GOVERNMENT Will Shape America's Future. Mr. Brooks argues that one of the causes of our financial collapse is government policy and intervention. His argument is iron clad and irrefutable. I recommend the book to anyone who is concerned about the move to socialism/one-world government that was ramped up under the Republican administration of Bush 43 and now by the policies of President Obama and his Democratic regime.

My ongoing concern, however, is about the real BATTLE that is raging across the universe--the war for the souls of men. The fight that began in the Garden and will end by the power of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ (AMEN!).

Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

As Christians, our primary concern should be the souls of men and the Word of God, two of the things that we know are eternal. As strangers and aliens in this world, our main emphasis should be on the Kingdom of God and battling against the gates of hell through the power of our Lord. As Francis Schaeffer so aptly predicted in many of his works, modern America will willingly sell her freedoms for the promise of personal peace and prosperity. Frankly, I don't see a return to the good old days because both political parties are in control for power, not for the benefit of the American people.

It seems that we are willing to pray for peace but not for the right reasons. Hear what the apostle Paul tells his missionary associate, Timothy, in 1 Timothy:

1Ti 2:1 I exhort therefore, that first of all supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men;

1Ti 2:2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

1Ti 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior;

1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

The peaceable life that Paul has Timothy prays for is for the primary purpose of the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is not for the personal peace and prosperity that many prominent heretics propose to their congregations here in the US and around the world.

We can fight for free enterprise over socialism as long as we are fighting for the freedom to further the kingdom of God. Some day, as all of us know, this life will end. Will we have spent our time on the things that are really important?

1Pe 1:24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and its flower falleth away:

1Pe 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached to you.

Dentist

8:29am

Well...you learn something new all the time it seems. I found out this morning that the canal inside your tooth can calcify over time when you have a large filling (from my childhood). I found out that my regular dentist (great brother named Wes) would prefer that my root canal be done by an endodontic specialist.

What bothers me is that it wasn't even a (stinkin') cavity! Ahh...the sins of my childhood are coming back to haunt me.

I will have to drive about 90 miles for my "consultation." Then, they will set up an appointment for the procedure. Luckily, they had an opening for a consultation in six days :)

Maranatha

7:04am

Before heading out to see the dentist this morning, I wanted to make a comment on the encouragement of having a prayer list. A list that you can add to and highlight the answered prayers. I know that I need encouragement (more than I think) and the prayer list reminds me that God answers prayer.

I have a numbered list, with bullets, of prayer requests for individual families inside (and outside) our fellowship. Whenever God answers a specific request I "color" and "bold" the answer so that the answers jump out when I open the prayer document.

One of the things that I have been encouraged to do as a result of the list is to be more specific in my prayers for individuals. For example, instead of just asking for repentance for a brother, I am specifically asking the Lord to bring him back to our fellowship. Repentance is tops, but I also really would like to have him back with us.

Also, as I have prayed for us, God has answered prayers in ways that I didn't ask. Certainly, in ways that are better than my specific requests.

Got to go get a "bad" tooth looked at this morning. I hope, err pray that Wes can take care of it ASAP.

Doctor's Visit

8:37am

After coming home from a doctor's visit yesterday (routine once-a-year), I commented to my wife that I was the youngest person in the office for a while. There was one young lady with two children who left before I got called back to see my doctor. I am 54 years old and felt like a spring chicken compared to most of the folks there. The conversations were interesting to hear, besides the one older gentleman whose snoring would send a Grizzly back up the mountainside. In retrospect, it was, quite frankly, Medicare brinkmanship.

Person A: "How are you doing?"

Person B: "Just glad to be able to get up and eat my breakfast!"

Person A: "I was happy to get up with my walker this morning. Now I'm down to using my cane."

Person B: "It's just one day at a time for me. Some good and some bad."

Person A: "At least you're not in a nursing home like my wife is."

The next conversation centered around who's getting the bigger shaft when it comes to medication.

Scripture says, "Where your heart is, there your treasure will be."

The oneupmanship really didn't bother me. You see, whenever we see someone doing something stupid we need to ask the question, "What am I doing that's even more stupid than what they're doing?" NOT "Why are they doing something stupid?"

The things that regularly come out of our mouths generally are the things that has got the attention of our heart (because those are the things that we are engaging in or thinking about). Am I ensnared by the things of the world to the point whereby they are treasured in my heart and consequently come out in my speech? Brother Andy taught us on Sunday that "...friendship with the world is enmity (to be an enemy of) with God" (James 4:4). Am I a friend of the world or a friend of God?

Things

Mortimer Adler, in his classic, How To Read A Book, tells his readers that they must come to terms with an author (Ch 8). That is, you must understand the important words that the author uses in his/her writing to give you a greater understanding of a subject. How do you know what the important words are, you might ask? They, typically, are the words that you have difficulty with, words that you don't immediately understand in the context of the writing.

To understand a portion of the epistle of James you must come to terms with his specific usage of the word justification. He uses the same examples that Paul uses when talking about salvation, but uses the word justification in a different way. Without an understanding of how James uses the word, you might think that he believes in a works-based salvation (which he does not!).

In 1 Timothy, you must come to terms with the word faith. Paul uses the word faith in different ways according to the context in the letter. Paul sometimes uses the faith to mean a set of beliefs that constitutes orthodox belief, in opposition to a false set of beliefs that comes from believing false doctrine and living according to that false set of beliefs. For a further study on the word faith in the New Testament I recommend you begin by looking at Vines Expository Dictionary.

In Chapter 6 of 1 Timothy, Paul warns believers that the love of money is the root of all sorts of evil. That love has the potential to draw a believer away from the faith into a false set of beliefs and, therefore, into false ways of viewing and living life. None of us, in our culture, are immune to the lure of the love of money and the false sets of beliefs that it imposes. You provide the context for the following statements:

• I can't have a child, we can't afford one right now.
• I'm too old to have children.
• I would love to do missionary work, but can't afford it.
• That's good for you, but I'm not as capable as you of doing that.
• We can't help with that, we have a house payment, two car payments, and credit card debt on all of our expensive toys.
• That's the job of the paid staff, I have to work for a living.
• Those people would be worse off if they didn't work for slave wages to provide cheap goods for us to buy.

Our present false set of teachings on materialism is termed the Health, Wealth, and Prosperity gospel. It is a tacit acceptance that the love of money is not the root of all sorts of evil. It is a heretical teaching and has consequently caused many to err from the faith...in their beliefs and in the way that they live. We need to come to terms with the fact that none of us are immune to the siren's call in our culture to have more and more and more...We then baptize it by believing that our worthless junk is a visible symbol of the blessing of God on us.

Heresy, a false set of beliefs, causes us to err from orthodox living. Things do not give us lasting satisfaction. They do give us a temporary fix (the passing pleasures of sin). We tend to need more and more. Let us use our possessions for the glory of God, for the furthering of His Kingdom, that we might take hold of that which is life indeed.

Fellowship

We had fellowship last evening with some fellow believers from Central Mexico. We found commonality in the fact that the gospel is of prime importance to all of us. We found commonality in the fact that we all strongly desire for our families to be saved and be present with the Lord.

One story: Our female visitor (I heard her name several times but am not sure how to spell it) has a 95 year old father who is on his last legs (death is imminent). She has prayed that he would not die until he taste of the goodness of the Lord. Her belief is that the Lord has kept him alive thus far to answer her prayer before he dies. May it be so!

May each of us pray for the assurance of our family's salvation until He comes or takes us home.

Turtle Release

We headed out to Riverside Park and released our friend back into the wild (Pecan Bayou). After a few bubbles and without a "Thank You!" the turtle was back where it belonged.

Surprise Visitor

I noticed a Visitor in our side yard this morning (about 8:00am) as I went out to check the water. A turtle had made it into our neighborhood and was attracted to our sprinkler. We plan on taking it out to a local river in a bit.

Josh offers it coffee (though it didn't take any)!

You never know what you are going to see in the City, do you? I have had to stop for deer crossing the road just on the outskirts of town and Kathy and I saw two brown foxes less than a mile from out house while out riding bicycles.

Discipline

9:46am

A few excerpts from The Deliberate Church –Mark Devers

(Quotes from the book are in italics)

Neglecting corrective discipline can be deadly for a church.

Most of us can think of at least one church whose corporate testimony has been tarnished by neglecting to properly discipline an unrepentant member who has sinned in publically scandalous way.

There are several bad things that happen when unrepentant sin is overlooked:

1) The cancer eats at the Body and inevitably damages the innocent

2) The public testimony of the Body is harmed

3) Those caught in the wake of the sinner can be harmed for years

4) Children who are old enough to understand the problem can be impaired for service

5) The sinner remains unrepentant, continuing to damage both himself, his family, those in the Body, and those outside the Body

Sin needs darkness to grow—it needs isolation disguised as “privacy,” and prideful self-sufficiency disguised as “strength.”

The church needs to be a web of meaningful spiritual relationships in which people are engaging each other in casual conversation, spiritual conversation, mutually encouraging and sanctifying discipling relationships, mutual accountability and small groups.

Gardening

2:43pm

Two things for certain here in Central Texas: (1) Gonna have some fire ants and (2) 20% vinegar will work fast and furious as a weed-killer when it's hot!

Well, my vinegar supplier has been out of the stuff this week so I bought some of the 5% kind at the grocery store this morning. Will let you know if it feeds the weeds or gets rid of them :-)

Trivia fact: Did you know when you let a 2 1/2' x 3' settin' of carrots go to seed you will get two overflowing wheel-barrows full of plants?

Pray that your gardening is as much of a blessing to you as it is to us.

9:00am

One of the things that I am praying for our Fellowship is that we would be faithful to the gospel. We want others to hear the unadulterated truth about Jesus Christ. We want them to realize that repentance and faith in Jesus is the only way to the Father. Many of the things that they might have done earlier will not save them: Praying a prayer, walking the aisle, a mountain-top experience, etc. will not save the unsaved.

As we are faithful, I am asking the Lord to bring increase, if that is His will.

Work

Since I am a college professor, I have some "free time" in the summer. Besides being a teacher I am also a homeschooling father and an elder in a local church. Thus the parentheses around free time.

Our two youngest children are 15 and 17 years old. We are trying to teach them the value of hard work this summer. It is already quite hot here in Central Texas (mid-90's) so the boys are doing their outside work in the morning and their "schooling" in the afternoon.

They have been learning how to paint this summer. They are in the process of scraping, priming, and painting the exterior of our house. All skills that they can use in the future. One thing that I am trying to teach them is that "the job isn't done until the site is clean and all the tools are put up!" I want them to learn the value of a job well done. Also, that work done unto the Lord is glorifying to His name.

Work is a blessing and a gift from the Lord. With it we provide not only for ourselves, but for others less fortunate than ourselves (widows and orphans in their distress). The first-fruits of our labor should, of course, go back to the Lord. All that we have is a gift from Him in the first place. My brother and my wife's older brother are both out of (full-time) work. They are both hard-working individuals. Both of them understand the value of work, currently not having enough of it.

If you have enough work, you should be thankful. If you have "free time" as I do this summer, you should use it to prepare others to do their work heartily unto the Lord. You should also consider doing mission work, whether in your community or around the world.