Gary Crocker's Blog

Apr

2011

The Message of Scripture

What I think God is trying to tell us in Scripture

My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways, (Isaiah 55:8)
but here’s what I want you to know:

I designed you
I planned you
I made you
I love you
I like you
I want you
I care about you
I bought you
I forgave you
I am with you
I have more for you
Trust me

Also,

I know what I am doing.
I can do anything.
I’m not trying to confuse you – that’s the devil.
I want you to have peace.
I want you to have joy.
My plan is from an eternal perspective.

It may involve pain,

But only enough to accomplish my purpose in you.

If that’s only to teach you something, the pain will end when you learn it.
If there is more, I’ll help you to endure it.

It may be to learn how to comfort someone else.

Please trust me.

That’s your only way to peace through all this.

BTW,

If you’re having a tough time – and accepting all this is difficult for you – please understand that it is all still true and applies to you.
But you also need to know that I don’t accept invitations to Pity Parties.

That’s why such get-togethers are so lonely,
And they only make things worse.

Mar

2011

As children of God and citizens of Heaven you are living for now in a foreign land as strangers and aliens. This world is not your home. It is not where your citizenship lies. Your citizenship is in Heaven and your true residence is securely established there.

You shouldn’t think it unusual or unexpected that you are being treated as illegals that don’t belong here.

While you are here, remember who you are and why you are here. Be holy – just like your heavenly Father is holy. While “in Rome” don’t act like the Romans.

Instead, live like the citizens of Heaven you really are – representing the social order of your own country – so that the native people of this land will see your example and might be brought to Christ.

This means that you are not to respond to their abuse as they expect: with malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy or slander. It affects how you interact with authority, whether that is government, a master, or a husband and how you treat those over whom you might have authority. Your goal should be to live your lives in such a way that they attract questions about your homeland and provide you with an opportunity to give a reason for the hope that is in you. So be prepared with answers.

…………. Key verses: (2:11-12) “Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against your souls. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.“

Aug

2010

Double Sunrise and Band of Brothers

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.)

Aug

2010

New Links

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.

Jun

2010

A god We Want, and the God Who Is

“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

Mar

2010

Growing?

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!

Jan

2010

Generations

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

Nov

2009

Paralyzing Introspection

While we need to strive for pure motives, we must be careful that our introspection doesn’t keep us from action. It is possible to be so concerned about untainted motives, so focused on why we would do something, that we fail to respond to God’s leading or delay until an opportunity is missed. When we are prompted to action we need to proceed, being careful not to let over-analysis of our motivation hold us back. If we use the excuse that we weren’t properly motivated, we can develop a sense of sinful pride – claiming that our restraint is actually good because we didn’t proceed for the wrong reasons. Or it may simply be an excuse for laziness.

Our concern should be for the needs of others, whether we feel the right to be blessed by what we do for them or not. When we have the capability to help and we don’t, simply because we don’t think we are properly motivated, we sin. We need to stop over-analyzing and just do it.

Oct

2009

Understanding Each Other

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.

Oct

2009

The Greetings of Paul

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!”

The Message of Scripture

1 Peter 1-3 in a Nutshell

Double Sunrise and Band of Brothers

New Links

A god We Want, and the God Who Is

Growing?

Generations

Paralyzing Introspection

Understanding Each Other

The Greetings of Paul

Recent Posts