Post 50-The Ballerina’s Letter and Psalm 112

                           

John began on Wed., Aug 8, 2017 at 8 PM

            Well Dana, it’s been over a year now that we’ve been writing the blog. Our introductory post focused on the letters, and then emails we had been writing to each other since Bible school.  http://foxholecowboysblog.blogspot.com/2016/07/introduction-1.html I know we didn’t have any time frame in mind that this would go, but it’s hard to believe it has been over a year.

            Speaking of letters....I’ve been carrying a letter in my Bible since November 2013. Ashley Rollinson, Director of the Christian ballet troupe, Light of the World, Ballet School and Company http://www.lightoftheworldballet.com/ sent it to me back then. We had seen her company minister in our church. (It was the first time I had seen dancing in a church, but it really ministered to us and the congregation.) One of the dances they performed was called Whisperers. Through ballet they showed how Satan can come and whisper to Christians, trying to get them to not listen to God or to even turn away in despair, but how God helps to defeat Satan. We were so impressed that we sent them a sizable donation.

            Her thank you letter was hand written. (When was the last time you received one or wrote one—emails not included?) It so ministered to me then, I kept it and tucked it in my Bible. Through the years, I have pulled it out time and again to reread it and be encouraged afresh. I’d like to share it with you.

 

            Mr. & Mrs. Calsin

                 We are overwhelmed by your generous hearts and encouraging words. Thank you for sowing into LWB (Light of the World). What faith you have!

                 We greatly appreciate you sharing your story & prayer needs.  While praying for you Psalm 112 came to heart. There’s a great reward for your labors. I am praying for breakthrough & promotion. Also, may this coming together of family be richly graced with God’s favor & peace. (I mentioned how all of Carol’s family was coming to the Shore for Thanksgiving week, and some needs associated with that.)

                 Thank you, thank you for your obedience! Blesswings of charity for what rests ahead & great refreshment & encouragement be upon you!!

                                                            In the Light of Jesus-

                                                            Ashley Rollinson & LWB

           

(Then she inserted a copy of Psalm 112 in entirety)

 

          Psalm 112 NLT

¹ Praise the Lord!

How joyful are those who fear the Lord
    and delight in obeying his commands.
² Their children will be successful everywhere;
    an entire generation of godly people will be blessed.
³ They themselves will be wealthy,
    and their good deeds will last forever.
⁴ Light shines in the darkness for the godly.
    They are generous, compassionate, and righteous.
⁵ Good comes to those who lend money generously
    and conduct their business fairly.
⁶ Such people will not be overcome by evil.
    Those who are righteous will be long remembered.
⁷ They do not fear bad news;
    they confidently trust the Lord to care for them.
⁸ They are confident and fearless
    and can face their foes triumphantly.
⁹ They share freely and give generously to those in need.
    Their good deeds will be remembered forever.
    They will have influence and honor.
¹⁰ The wicked will see this and be infuriated.
    They will grind their teeth in anger;
    they will slink away, their hopes thwarted

 

            While that Psalm was a word in season (A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. Pro 25:11 RSV) because it has also been appropriate to a number of things that have continued since 2013, it still ministers to me when I pull out Ashley’s card to remind myself of God’s care, concern, and provision over the years.  

            And speaking of years.... If you look at their web site, each year for the past ten years this ballet company has travelled worldwide to the following countries, many more than once: Peru, Burma, Israel, India, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, Philippines, China. (Me, I’ve been to New Jersey, Chicago and Wisconsin.) When I look at their itinerary and see the all  the foreign lands they have travelled to in order to minister the Gospel through ballet and dance, I shake my head in wonder at what God will use in the least likely of places (Burma. Other than this ballet company I don’t know anyone who has been to Burma.) to reach this lost and dying world. 

            Well, you have probably started the harvest by now so I hope you have some time to squeeze in a reply. Let me know if there are any specifics Carol and I can pray for as you get deeper into the harvest season. I know modern wineries don’t do it this way, but how many times have you been asked if grapes are processed the way Lucy (of “I Love Lucy” fame)  did it way back when?

Your foxhole friend

John

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Dana replied Fri, Aug 11, 2017 at 11:22 AM

Hey John,

     So, we’ve been at it a year already?  And, no death threats, angry mobs surrounding our houses, or letter bombs to boot.  God is good!

      Your recollection of the encouraging letter sparked a memory of when I got married right out of Bible College.  Brother Grazier sent us a check for $50.00 as a wedding present.  In the card he wrote, “$49.99 is for your wife.  You can have all the rest.” 

      To have a relationship with Brother Grazier, one had to have an appreciation for his style of humor…which I most certainly did.  For him to joke with someone, went beyond the mere humor of the message; it showed the depth of one’s relationship with him.  Though I was only allocated $0.01, it was of great encouragement, because it said that this man, for whom I had the most profound respect as a Biblical educator, and whose walk with God I wanted to emulate, could also be considered a true friend.  I miss him all the time, and so many times in my walk with God, I hear classic “Grazier-isms” in my head.

      Letters have also often played a crucial part of my own life. Many times an encouraging word from afar has been just the thing to get me over the hump of a perilous or disheartening time. One never knows how much something that was written and sent to another might be just the thing needed to get them through a rough patch of life.  Something written and sent (via mail or e-mail) says to the recipient that they were thought about, and that time and energy was spent on them.  So many people feel so all alone and so alienated from just about everything, and a kind word sent their way is often worth its weight in gold.

      And, while I’m not a huge fan of so much in our society and personal lives becoming “virtual,” I have to admit that the technology has provided almost instant and universal access to those about whom we care.  I haven’t figured out yet how to enjoy a virtual cup of coffee, but I do recognize that said technology has afforded us a means to keep up our own relationship, though years and miles have separated us, and for that I am grateful.  This blog would be a lot more labor intensive if we had to do it all on paper and mail our changes back and forth.  Distribution would be limited to printing copies and stapling them to telephone poles. 

     Speaking of which, with the explosive advent of cellular telephones, I wonder how long it will be before telephone poles go the way of the horse and buggy.  However I do not wonder about it too much, as it only serves to remind me that one day, I too, will go the way of the horse and buggy.  I remember the nihilistic tattoos somewhat more common in an earlier time, which were supposed, I suppose, to be an indication of one’s sense of self-menace that read, “Born To Die.”  If you had that on your arm or across your chest, it announced to the meek and mild of the world just how bad or tough you considered yourself.  These days I’m considering getting a tattoo which reads, “Born To Be An Old Fogey,” as it is a little more accurate.

      When I read the Psalm (112) sent to you by Ashley Rollinson, I was curious as to the translation of the Bible that was used.  The NLT or New Living Translation was something of which I was heretofore unaware, so I checked it out.  Here’s what the Bible Gateway website says about it, and I quote:

      “The goal of any Bible translation is to convey the meaning of the ancient Hebrew and Greek texts as accurately as possible to the modern reader. The New Living Translation is based on the most recent scholarship in the theory of translation. The challenge for the translators was to create a text that would make the same impact in the life of modern readers that the original text had for the original readers. In the New Living Translation, this is accomplished by translating entire thoughts (rather than just words) into natural, everyday English. The end result is a translation that is easy to read and understand and that accurately communicates the meaning of the original text.” Bible Gateway https://www.biblegateway.com/

      The sentence that really caught my eye was:

 

       “The challenge for the translators was to create a text that would make the same impact in the life of modern readers that the original text had for the original readers.”

 

      A couple of blogs ago, we were talking about reading the Bible in the context of the original recipients, as opposed to reading it through the colored lenses of modern schools of thought or theological systems. I intend to give this new translation a look and see if the description Bible Gateway gives it is accurate.  If so, that is a huge step in the right direction in my way of thinking. 

      There were immediate and important reasons and occasions and purposes for God inspiring the writers of Scripture to write what they wrote, and when and to whom they wrote it.  Those occasions and purposes surrounded very real events, in very real places concerning very real people…very real people who thought light years differently than the way we think today.  I couldn’t see it being a bad thing to read and understand the Scriptures from their point of view at the time they first encountered it.  There is so much we miss by reading and trying to understand the Bible through 21 century conventions only.

      That’s in no way implying that the Bible is only some ancient document that doesn’t have just as much relevance today as it had then.  It’s God’s Word; God’s living Word, that just as surely speaks to us in the modern world as it did our spiritual forefathers in the ancient world. 

     To that point, I previously mentioned in one of our blogs that often Biblical prophecy has more than one fulfillment.  There was often an immediate, or very soon to be fulfillment, and another reserved for a more future time. Case in point Jesus’ “Olivet Discourse” recorded in Matthew 24, Luke 21, and Mark 13.  Jesus prophesies the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD, which would be accomplished in many of the disciples’ lifetimes (immediate) and also of His coming at the end of the age (later fulfillment.)  The Bible works like that.

     So I’m cautiously optimistic regarding this new translation, but do intend to check it out.  I really like the English Standard Version, and I still love the King James Version as well.  It is helpful, I find, when studying a passage, to read it in several different translations.  That can often serve to bring clarity to a verse or passage that when first read, might seem obscure or difficult to comprehend. If I find this new translation helpful, perhaps down the road we can discuss it. 

Until then, I remain your friend and brother,

Dana 

 

           

 

 

 

 

 

Post 49-The Cost of a Pair of Jeans and the Great Depression

 

On Sat., Jul 29, 2017 at 2:00PM John began

Hello Dana

            Do you know how many pairs of jeans are sold in America each year? 450,000,000, that’s MILLION!

            Do you know what the population of America is? 323 million.

            While I tried to find the average price of a pair of jeans, I wasn’t able to. But prices range from around $20.00 to over $600.00. The last pair I bought from one of my favorite stores, LL Bean, was around $45.00.

            American owns seven pair of jeans The average. I own five: one cut off due to excessive holes due to age and not design, two with so many holes I could sell them for designer jeans, one pair of flannel lined for winter (they’re great by the way on a cold windy day) and one brand new pair. The four that are not new, are at a minimum of 15 years old, and at least one pair is as old as my marriage, 25 years.

            While I couldn’t find the following statistic (average price of a pair of jeans) I did come up with a very approximate number of about $50.00 a pair for women’s jeans.

            What got me interested in this was listening to a radio program on my way out of Philadelphia today after dropping off some used items at a church yard sale. Our suburban church helps support an inner city, poor neighborhood church. (God is doing a great work through that inner city ministry.) 

            Jeans are worn at all levels of society. I’ve seen business men show up for very important meetings in jeans with a blue blazer.  Around an airport, you’d think it was the specified uniform for travelers.  Now that I own a new pair that isn’t faded (although they’re the best kind) and thread bare, I’d wear that new pair to a party at someone’s home whom I had never before met. Or, I’ve worn jeans to church and for special occasions.

            Now, where I am going with this? If we use my very approximate average price of a pair of women’s jeans, $50.00, and $30.00 for a pair of men’s jeans, take that average $40.00 x 450,000,000 = (if I did the math correctly on my calculator) $1,800,000,000.00. That’s almost two billion (with a B) dollars.

 

            NO, wait, that’s wrong! It can’t be! Is it really supposed to be $18 Billion dollars?!@! You’ve got to be kidding me! NO WAY!!!

 

            In Schuyler Velasco’s June 16, 2015 article in The Christian Science Monitor titled “Charitable giving sets new record, but why are religious donations waning?” (https://www.csmonitor.com/Business/2015/0616/Charitable-giving-sets-new-record-but-why-are-religious-donations-waning )  based on a 2014 report, he writes that an estimated $354.4 billion was given by Americans to charity. While religion accounts for the largest percentage of giving, according to Velasco’s article, “But religious giving ‘is continuing its 30-year dramatic downward slide,’ Mr. King notes (chairman of the group who did the report). ‘In fact, it has dropped from 53 percent of all donations in 1987 to 32 percent of the total in 2014.’” 

            It might be worth your time to read Velasco’s entire article. Just one more quote. He has a paragraph devoted to the drop in the number of people who in America claim to be Christians. He ends that paragraph with this statement, “The trend is even more pronounced among Millennial adults; those with no religious affiliation outnumber both mainline Protestants and Catholics in that age group.” What this means is that most of the giving is done by older Christians—the dying generation. While the future church  generation is shrinking—meaning fewer people in church as time goes by. While this will of course impact giving totals, it means more Americans will not be hearing a Gospel message.

            Just one other big number paragraph, and I’ll bring this down to where we live. We recently got the 2016 annual report from Joyce Meyer Ministries, with a focus on Hand of Hope outreach. Through the years we have contributed significantly to this ministry and outreach. They have a number of various ministries but I’ll just list three and quote from her report:

Feeding Programs—More than 80,000 children around the world don't have to worry about where their next meal will come from, thanks to our partners. At over 725 feeding sites in over 30 countries children receive a nutritious meal, help with schoolwork and the opportunity to learn about Christ.

Human Trafficking Rescue—We are working to rescue women and children in the United States, Australia, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Greece, India, Netherlands, Norway, South Africa, Thailand, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. We offer love, housing, schooling, job skill training, and biblical counseling to help rebuild and restore their lives.

Water Relief—We've been able to provide clean drinking water to families across India and more than 20 other countries through wells and water tanks. To date, more than 900 well projects are working to provide safe water.

 

Joyce Meyer Ministries total revenue (according to the 2016 Annual Report) was $107,318,320.00. Yes, that is 107 million. Her largest expense, other than the costs of her radio and television ministry, was missions and outreach. That expense was $29,605,140.00.  This means that over 30% of her ministry income is going to missions and outreaches.

            Now I know Dana that you are not in favor of big ministries or big churches, and television ministries may stick in your esophagus, but before I go back to the jeans, let me ask you how many individuals or churches are you aware of that give 30% of their income, or even 10% to God’s work? I remember the great faith of Brother Carr, but he also used to say, “You can’t buy jelly beans without money.” (Which was why he took a month to teach on money in his churches and an entire week of chapel services to teach the future church leaders.) We know, according to Share Faith Magazine’s article of 12/21/15 titled  “The Truth About Christians Tithing In The U.S.”

http://www.sharefaith.com/blog/2015/12/facts-christians-tithing/ that the average Christian only gives

 

It’s alarming that Christians now give less per capita than during the Great Depression. (the bolding is mine) When we finally look at those in church, at best 25% of the congregation give. That’s at best. If you have that level of participation, you’re not in the norm, according to other research, which says only about 3-5% actually tithe in most cases. And, it’s not the wealthy who always tithe. The statistics suggest that if you make less than $20k, you’re eight times more likely to give than someone who makes more than $75k.

 

So according to this, church giving and church goer giving, in the words of the Paul Simon 1977 song, are “slip sliding away.”

            So in my mind, small is not better. Yes there are problems with larger churches and ministries but there are as many failures and problems in small churches as in larger. (You and I both know this from firsthand experience.) The larger ones just make bigger  headlines.  Taking Jesus words at face value in John 14:12-14 NKJV

 

¹² “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. ¹³ And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

 

I believe it, that we will do greater works than Jesus. This is why I keep hoping and praying for revival, to see greater works. And if 3000 and 5000 were saved at one time as in Acts 2:41 and Acts 4:4 respectively, there is no Biblical reason why I can’t see it today!

            Still can’t believe the numbers on the jeans, however.

 John

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Dana’s Reply on Mon, Jul 31, 2017 at 12:43 PM

     You’re absolutely right John, I’m not a fan of the big church, and I believe it causes more problems than it fixes.  Financial pragmatism, to me, just doesn’t justify the many ills that have been spawned from them.  Without this degenerating into an argument, I’ll only say, like I’ve said before, a man can preach to a thousand people, but he cannot pastor a thousand people, and it’s much easier for vital personal accountability to get lost in big crowds, so the purpose of churches and pastors is threatened by their very existence. 

      But I’ve given up trying to convince anyone, when so many have “Christian” stars in their eyes.  Bigger is always better when it comes to worshipping a God of whom it was said, He “…had no place to lay His head.” As far as I’m concerned, pop culture Christianity has destroyed the evangelical church in America, and without a genuine miracle of God, I’m not optimistic that our American Christian heritage can be restored. And that’s all I’ve got to say on that.

      As to jeans, I’m not in a position to throw stones, as that’s pretty much the entire lower half of my wardrobe, as I no longer own a suit. The former wardrobe comment isn’t a complaint, merely an observation.  I have old some ragged jeans that I wear for working, and a couple of pair of newer (or nicer ones—no holes) that I wear to church, or other social functions, and a pair of black jeans that I reserve for weddings and funerals. Dressing to impress has never been part of my M.O. I did what I was required to do in Bible College, but soon got over it, and never looked back.

      Another aspect of the jeans phenomena I witnessed during the time my father pastored the AG Church in Wyncote, PA.  There were several members of that church who were from the former Soviet Union, back when it was very much still the Soviet Union.  They organized a trip to the USSR to network with persecuted Christians, and my parents went along.

      Someone suggested that they try and smuggle Bibles and religious literature behind the Iron Curtain.  Instead they opted to bring in as many pairs of jeans that they could carry.  Bibles and Christian literature would most surely be confiscated at any border crossing, but jeans were not a threat to the totalitarian government.  The idea was that the Christians could sell the jeans on the black market for a huge mark up on what they cost in the US, and with the money, Bibles and religious materials could be purchased (also on the black market.)  Who knows how many pairs of jeans sold, end up providing money for the underground church, even today?  Granted, the old USSR is no longer the force it used to be, but the underground church is still a reality in places around the globe.

    The problem is two-fold. In the first place, people (and Christian people too) erroneously believe that the money they earn, inherit, find, beg, steal or borrow is actually theirs.  The concept that everything on this planet belongs to its Creator is at best, today, a novelty.  10% of a Christian’s income (or wealth) isn’t the only portion which God owns.  He owns it all. We are simply stewards—those who safeguard it until He directs its use.

 

     In Matthew 6:21, Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  (ESV)

 

       Which brings us to part two of the problem, namely material goods have replaced our love for God.  If God were truly our (all Christians’) treasure, there would be no impetus for your choice of topics, unless you just have an affinity for heavy cotton cloth. Perhaps if we’re all reduced to nothing, as many of our brothers and sisters who kept the faith under the iron boot heel of the Soviet Union found themselves, then we’ll realize that there is nothing but Christ that’s worth anything.  As my late Mother used to say, “You never see a Brinks truck following a hearse.”  Come to think of it, I never have….

Dana

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John came back on Aug 2, 2016 at 11:00

Hey Dana

            Before I close, I’m sure someone will think I’m being legalistic. I’m trying not to be.  I do understand some people having jeans as their basic wardrobe for any number of reasons. I think my consternation over the jeans statistics is it equates to a lot of money. Speaking of “a lot of money,’ I don’t begrudge people who have a lot of it. (For example, while some may argue with this, but John D. Rockefeller, Sr. one of the richest men on the planet in his time, is reported to have been a Christian.) The Bible doesn’t excoriate those who are rich. It just warns them, as in 1 Tim 6:17-19 for example, to, among other things, share with those less fortunate, not to be arrogant, nor to put their hope in wealth.

            While we both know (and I’m sure many of our readers know) that one does not get into heaven by our works (Eph 2:8-9) once our salvation is secure, Godly works should follow (James 1:22-24). Now, whether you agree with the following or not, I’m sure you’ve heard at various times in the past a minister or evangelist say, “If God does not have your wallet, He does not have you.”  Another thing I’ve heard said is, “If you had to hand God your wallet when you stand before Him, would He let you in?”

            In the past, I believe I have written about Randy Alcorn’s little gem of a book, The Treasure Principle, Unlocking the Secret of Joyful Giving. Alcorn, on pages 8 and 9, tells what Jesus felt about money, “The parable of hidden treasure (Matthew 13:44)  is one of many references and illustrations Jesus made about money and possessions. In fact, 15% of everything Christ said relates to this topic—more than His teachings on heaven and hell combined.”

            Alcorn then asks, “Why did Jesus put such an emphasis on money and possessions?” I think Alcorn’s answer is at the crux of my consternation over the jeans statistics and the money spent on them, and the declining giving by Christians. He says, “Because there’s a fundamental connection between our spiritual lives and how we think about and handle money.”

            Here is one more observation from Alcorn’s book, just one page over on page 10. He reminds us about Zacchaeus and what he said to Jesus in Luke 19:1-9, especially verse 8

 

19 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. ² A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. ³ He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. ⁴ So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

⁵ When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” ⁶ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

⁷ All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

⁸ But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” (Italics mine)

⁹ Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.

 

When God got a hold of Zacchaeus’ heart, He got a hold of his wallet also.  

             For our readers who all ready have a number of pairs of jeans, I would only ask that the next time you go to buy another pair, ask yourself if they are really needed, or might God have a better use for that money?

 

Yours for the Harvest

John