Ephesians 4:17-32

Paul begins this section with a indictment of the carnal lifestyle previously practiced by the Ephesian converts. In verse 20 he pivots with a sharp contrast using putting on and putting off language. The believers must put off their old way of life and put on the new way in Christ. This illustrates the partnership of God with the believers. He is the Senior partner and does what only He can do. We also have a responsibility to do our part, although we absolutely need His help and grace to do it. Beginning in verse 25 Paul gives practical examples of our part. We must speak the truth, do honest work, speak graciously and get rid of evils such as bitterness and slander. Finally we must forgive as God has forgiven us.

Flow or Go

The following is my opinion based on a lifetime of experience. I don't anticipate agreement. In the many situations in which we find ourselves whether work, school, church, interacting with government or other institutions we are faced with a basic choice. We either accept the situation as it is or we go elsewhere, voluntarily or involuntarily. Rarely can we effect any meaningful change as an individual. Things are the way they are because the leadership wants it that way and the people acquiesce to it. Leaders typically are not interested in ideas, suggestions or recommendations. They just want people who will fit into their own plan or agenda. I believe this results from the insecurity, sometimes desperate, of most leaders. This leads to any number of people who won't fit in anywhere. It is only very rare people who can initiate and sustain something new. Jesus was one of those people.

Musings on Mortality

Paul the apostle writes in Philippians 1:21 that to live is Christ abd to die is gain. In verse 23 he says it is far better to go and be with Christ. Earlier this morning I learned that a man I had known during the Jesus People Movement of the 1970s, several years older than I had passed into glory. In recent years I had fellowship with him several times when he visited. At the same time both another brother several years younget than I, and a woman my daughter's age are also critically ill. By God's grace I enjoy good health and am still able to do active physical work. As I look back upon my life, now in its eighth decade, I see God's hand. Had I been born a few hours earlier I would have been,drafted into the military and probably sent to Vietnam. Instead God saved me through Jesus Christ in my 18th year. He has allowed me to minister in various ways to His people over time including this blog. I was astonished yesterday by over 5,000 page views in a single day where the previous high was 2,772. I am thankful for those who have faithfully ministered to me, some for decades. May God be glorified through Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit in my life. And as Paul writes in 2 Timothy 4:18 may God bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom.

200,000 page views

Overnight life time recorded page views exceeded 200,000. Just under a year ago the 100,000 mark was reached. As I have mentioned several times the vast majority come from international readers in countries where I have never been and don't know anyone. As I am not famous and don't advertise, the only explanation is God leads people to the blog. Certainly Tychicus, who is mentioned 5 times in the New Testament, is not a well known figure. So today and every day I thank God that He uses my humble entries for His glory. Yesterday I took my first day off this year except for a week in late April to travel to Texas. In recent days I thank God for the opportunity to pray for the birth of a friend's son and for a very ill daughter of another friend. I also thank Him for my friend Gary who suggested I write this blog back in 2009.

KK

Today I had lunch with a young man whom I am getting to know whose initials are KK. Sometime ago we shared our personal testimonies with one another. He came from a difficult childhood but God had mercy upon him and saved him in his early teen years. He participated in youth camps where I live and work. More recently he has become a counselor for younger boys. This year he had the privilege of doing daily Bible teaching for high schoolers. KK has given back by helping the camp with plumbing related issues. He has several years of experience in that trade. During this year's camp I learned he is taking online courses from a seminary in upstate New York. This is the normal American church path for fervent young men who want to become pastors. We have spoken about memorizing Bible verses and,a little about discipleship. He is being discipled by a local pastor. He has a quirky sense of humor introducing me today to our waitress as his grandfather. I don't have that privilege. I made an appeal to him to remember our eternal brotherhood with Christ.

Summer Camp

In my advancing age God has given me what I refer to as a retirement job, a part time role at a Christian conference and retreat center primarily as a janitor. Normally our active season goes from mid May to mid November. Our slow season goes through the winter and early spring from mid November to mid May. Our very busiest time is five or six weeks of summer camp for kids where the campus is essentially invaded and overwhelmed by one hundred and fifty to two hundred children and counselors. The anarchy is everywhere and continual. I am thankful if they don't burn the place down. This summer we experienced an additional challenge with the appearance of a new town fire marshal who decided that numerous changes were required. We are coming to the end of the first 3 weeks of kids camp. By the grace of God we have a week off to put things in order before the next 3 weeks begin. May God help our aging, underpaid and under staffed work force.

Fire Watch etc.

The camp where I live and work is experiencing a brutal heat wave with high humidity which makes it difficult to do anything other than sweat. Yet as a conference and retreat center this is the busiest time of the year. We are in our 2nd week of kids camp which overwhelms our under staffed and aged facility. Thankfully our director thrives in crisis. At the same time as all this is going on we have a new fire marshal in town so we have been working to rectify the many issues that were unaddressed for many years. As a result our best dorm, with 58 beds, requires a fire watch during the night because its fire alarm system is defunct. Someone has to be awake all night, make the rounds every half hour and make appropriate notations in a log to insure that if there was a fire that everyone would leave safely. Several of our senior residents, all military veterans, volunteered to help. Unfortunately they have serious health issues so I filled in the gaps. Finally we were so sleep deprived that the camp hired a young man who volunteers with a local fire department to do the fire watches. At some point our electrical contractor will install a new system.