Gary Crocker’s Blog

I saw the sunrise twice this morning!
How did you manage that, you ask? No, I wasn’t in a plane; I didn’t pass through a time warp; It was a clear morning. I was on my way to Band of Brothers in Irvine, CA.

Before I explain how I experienced this priviledge let me share a few of the quotables from this morning’s Band of Brothers:

A visiting missionary to Muslims said: “Many people know we are Christians, but few know why we are Christians.”

Sam Parsons, in his prayer: “You are Lord and we are not. It’s taken some of us a long time to figure that out.”

Pete McKenzie:
“We live in a honkin-at-your-own-tail-lights culture.”
“‘Hanging in there’ is good theology.”
“Lord, help yourself to my life.”
“Winners take responsibility. Losers blame others.”
“The bad thing about a pity party is that God doesn’t show up.”
“When the crisis comes and courage is required, God expects His men to have such confidence in Him that they will be the dependable ones.” (Oswald Chambers)

OK – the Double Sunrise: Traveling south down the 405 freeway, passing by John Wayne Airport I noticed the sun rising just to the north of the Saddleback mountains (Santiago and Trabuco Peaks). From my perspective as I continued south, the sun set behind Saddleback, rising a second time along the south edge of Trabuco Peak. So I got to experience the sunrise twice this morning. Cool, huh? (Well I think so.)

I’ve just added a new category for Men’s Ministry with links to two sources of discipleship ministries for men.
Patrick Morley, (Man in the Mirror), has a weekly Bible Study that is broadcast every Friday morning. Past videos and audio files are available through the link.
Band of Brothers is a Friday morning gathering of men who meet for fellowship, worship and a message from Pete McKenzie. If you are a man living near Irvine, California and are available on Friday mornings between 7 and 8, I would like to encourage you to join us. Directions are available on the website.

I’ve posted a link to the Band of Brothers site (Influencers West) as well as a direct link to an index of messages given by Pete.

“There is a God we want, and there is a God who is and they are not the same God. The turning point of our lives is when we stop seeking the God we want and start seeking the God who is.” – - Patrick Morley

Ray Kroc, as he was building the McDonald’s empire, is quoted as using the slogan, “As long as you’re green you’re growing. As soon as you ripen you start to rot.”

Lord, keep me fresh and green!

Young people: Yours is not the first generation in whom the Holy Spirit has worked.
Seniors: Ours is not the last.

Last evening Lynda and I had the privilege of hearing Ryan Longnecker, (intern working with Bethany’s high schoolers) speak on post-modernism and the emerging church. One of several significant points he made was a quote from his room-mate’s dad.

You can’t even say you disagree with someone unless you can state their side in terms they agree with.

What a simple, yet profoundly important statement! All too often we insist on our own definitions of what others think – as if we are better qualified to tell them what they are “really” thinking and what they believe than they are. But then it actually takes work to listen without latching onto part of a statement and occupying our mind at building a rebuttal rather than hearing the rest of what is being said. We want to be ready to jump in at a pause to speak our mind – not ready to let what has been said sink in. Silence in a conversation? Egad! How scary! We may never get a chance to express the most important side (ours). We need to get away from the fear of silence in a conversation and train ourselves, individually and as groups, to allow time to consider and digest what has been said so that we make sure we are understanding it. But we are not comfortable with silence. We feel that something is wrong – that everyone is at a loss for words, and we have to fill the time with something. We need, we must, get over that and really think about what is being said! We need to be sure we accurately understand before we let our minds work the pros and cons.

Romans – “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!”
1 Corinthians – “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!”
2 Corinthians – “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!”
Galatians – “Grace and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Ephesians – “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!”
Philippians – “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!”
Colossians – “Grace and peace to you from God our Father!
1 Thessalonians – “Grace and peace to you!”
2 Thessalonians – “Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!”
1 Timothy – “Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord!”
2 Timothy – “Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord!”
Titus – “Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior!”
Philemon – “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!”

We’ve been reading through the Gospel of John in short segments at breakfast each weekday. This morning we found ourselves outside the empty tomb where Jesus tells Mary Magdalene to go tell His disciples that He was about to go to the Father. How He said that had never struck me like it did this morning – the Friday before Father’s Day. He didn’t refer to the Father as His Father alone, but as “… My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.”

Wow!
We (His disciples) are His brothers & sisters in God’s Family! Selah (Think about that!) A family relationship with the Creator of the universe!
Did I say Wow?

“I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God. Joint heirs with Jesus …”

Happy Father’s Day God!
Help me to act like your son. Glorify yourself in your use of me.

With kudos to our President, and a laugh at PETA, I’m reminded of a poem I found years ago. (author unknown)

Don’t be discouraged, poor little fly,
You’ll be a chipmunk by and by.
Ages later, I can see, you’ll be a full grown chimpanzee.
Next, I see you with prophet’s pen,
Taking your place in the ranks of men.
And then, in the great sweet by and by
We’ll be angels – you and I.
So why should I swat you, poor little fly,
Prospective chum of my home on high?
That’s what some folks say.
Not I.
SWAT!

(No, I don’t believe anyone is suggesting this as a path of evolution, but the actual suggestions are not much better.)

Shortly before crossing the Kidron Valley to the Garden of Gethsemane, where He would be betrayed, Jesus prayed for His disciples and all who would believe through their testimony. His prayer is recorded in John 17 and in it He shares His heart. He prays that we will be one just as He and the Father are one. In fact He wants us to be one in Them. He has invited us into intimate fellowship with the Godhead – the kind of fellowship enjoyed by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit since eternity past (Jn 17: 21).

In verse 23, He says that the Father has loved us just as He has loved Him (Jn 17:23-24). Can it be that the Father loves us as much as He does His Son? That seems to be what Jesus is saying and it explains the cross (John 3:16 & 1 John 3:16).

He wants us to demonstrate the same kind of love, not only to God, but to each other. In fact, this is how the world is supposed to be able to believe the Gospel message – as they observe our love and relationship with one another.

The day after this prayer Jesus modeled this great love on the cross and made such a relationship with God and each other really possible.

Suggested Study: Read and meditate on John 17 every day for a week.