With Eagles Wings

Moving...

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Jackson) — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 18:38:00 +0000

I'm moving the blog over to Wordpress. The new address is http://adamrjackson.wordpress.com/ Hope to see you there!

THE GOSPEL IN “UNDERCOVER BOSS”

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Jackson) — Fri, 14 May 2010 18:20:00 +0000

This post originally appeared in a newspaper article I wrote in April.

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One of the new spring shows that I’ve enjoyed watching is “Undercover Boss”. If you are unfamiliar with the show, it’s about a CEO of a company who steps down from his position for a week and experiences first-hand the various positions of his company. He works alongside his own employees, doing jobs he’s never done all while the employees are not aware of his true identity. Some jobs are more difficult than others. At times the CEO has been fired by his own people. The conclusion of each episode is the CEO being revealed to the employees for who he really is and the praise or criticism that is due.

It reminds me of the story of Jesus. John 1:10 says “He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.” The employees featured on “Undercover Boss” do not recognize the CEO because the understanding is that he is in some corporate office. Somewhere far away. There is never a thought that the person they are working with is the one who runs the company.

Jesus laid aside the glory that was his in heaven and amazingly the Creator of the universe entered our planet through a birth canal. He lived the life of a servant and died the death of a criminal. Philippians 2:6 says that Christ “though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

As shocking as it may seem to see a CEO of a large waste management company cleaning out port a potty’s at a fairground, it’s even more unfathomable to think of the God of the universe taking on human flesh and ultimately dying the horrific death of the most heinous of criminals. And here is one of the most amazing things of it all: He did it not to be just an example, but to be a substitute. It was our sin that majorly messed things up. It’s the reason life is broken with all its pain. Sin destroys. The only way to make things right was for the Creator of the universe to fix it. He not only got his hands dirty but extremely bloody. It was our place he took.

Now think of any large company whose name is rocked by scandal or controversy. There are going to be firings to protect the name of the company. God could have done that. He could have just “fired” all of us. But for the sake of his name he provided a way by which his name would be upheld and glorified and we can be saved. That way is only through Christ. Do you recognize him? Are you ready to face him?

11 Years

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Jackson) — Sat, 30 May 2009 04:24:00 +0000

Tomorrow I celebrate being married to my bride for 11 years. In ways it's hard to believe. We have packed in so much in that time. Three states, five houses and four beautiful girls. There have been seasons of joy and times of great difficulty. We have seen God work through difficult circumstances and seen how He's grown us through it.

I'm so glad that after 11 years, my wife brings out in me the desire to be a better man for her. She is my faithful support, sounding board, companion and prayer warrior. I've seen her be open to what God has for her and follow his leading. I've seen her influence on others grow. I'm so proud of her.

I've seen how marriage can humble me, propel me to my knees and cause me to be dependent on God's work in me to be the husband he desires me to be. Because in myself I'm selfish, arrogant and proud. I've seen the benefit of seeing marriage not as a vehicle for happiness, although there is incredible joy in it, but holiness, as Gary Thomas puts it in "Sacred Marriage"(which I highly recommend).

Marriage has been an incredible personal reminder of Christ's intense love for his bride - the church. Knowing that he is always faithful, ever true. That he is patient and keeps his promises. That his grace and forgiveness covers all her sins, my sin. That he gave himself sacrificially. That he desires me to love my wife the same way, laying aside my rights to serve her. That my marriage should be a living declaration of Christ's relationship to his bride. Knowing what Christ has done for me, what would limit me from expressing the same to my wife? Selfishness. Complacency. Pride. I need God. It's impossible in myself to love like that, yet through him all things are possible. If he is the one who is at work in my life, then his fragrance is going to flow out of my life. His presence will be evident. My wife will experience his love through me with the love that he has given me. I can't take credit for it, but I can take blame if it doesn't happen.

Whether single or married, experiencing great joy or difficulty, it's about knowing the love of Christ and responding in surrender,a lifestyle of worship. He is our greatest need at any and every point in life. It's not always easy, but there is incredible joy in it.

So after eleven years of this part of my journey...

To my beautiful bride...Happy 11th Anniversary. I love you.

To my beautiful Lord...Thank you. I love you.

Current favorite worship song...

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Jackson) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:45:00 +0000

God Provides

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Jackson) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:46:00 +0000

This past weekend I had the opportunity to speak on Matthew 6:13, where Jesus taught us to pray "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil". What an important prayer to have on our lips! Because through every trial comes a temptation. But not only through trial, good times as well. I am so glad to know the promise that God sets those restrictions on the intensity of the temptation. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so you can endure."

I am reminded of this in a story told by Ravi Zacharias, a Christian apologist. He tells the story how in Vietnam in 1971 he met a young Christian man named Hien Pham. Hien served as a volunteer translator for the American military as well as for missionaries. During that time Hien and Ravi became close friends. They parted ways four years later after their experiences in Vietnam. Ravi hadn't heard from Hien again until an unexpected phone call in 1988.

In that phone call, Ravi heard the shocking things that had happened to Hien since the fall of Vietnam. I quote Ravi below:

***
"Shortly after Vietnam fell to the Communists, Hien was arrested. Accused of aiding and abetting the Americans he was in and out of prison for several years. During on long jail term, the sole purpose of his jailers was to indoctrinate him against the West-and especially against democratic ideals and the Christian faith. He was cut off from reading anything in English and restriced to communist propaganda in French and Vietnamese. This daily overdose of the writings of Marx and Engels began to take its toll on him. One of the books he was given to read pictured the communist man as a bird in the ironclad cage of capitalism, throwing itself against the bars of "capitalist oppression" and bloodying itself in the process. Yet still it continued to struggle in its quest for freedom.

Hien began to buckle under the onslaught. Maybe, he thought, I have been lied to. Maybe God does not exist. Maybe my whole life has been governed by lies. Maybe the West has deceived me. The more he thought, the more he moved toward a decision. Finally, he made up his mind. He determined that when he awakened the next day, he would not pray anymore or even think of his Christian faith again.

The next morning, he was assigned to clean the latrines of the prison. It was the most dreaded chore, shunned by everyone, and so with much distress he began his awful task. As he cleaned out a tin can filled to overflowing with toilet paper, his eye caught what he thought was English printed on one piece of paper. He hurriedly washed it off and slipped it into his hip pocket, planning to read it at night. Not having seen anything in English for such a long time, he anxiously waited for a free moment. Under his mosquito net that night after his roommates had fallen asleep, he pulled out a small flashlight and shining it on the damp piece of paper he read at the top corner, "Romans, Chapter 8." Literally trembling with shock he began to read:

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have

been called according to his purpose...

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He

who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up fro us all-how will he not also, along with him,

graciously give us all things?...

...Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution

or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?...No, in all these things we are more than

conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life,

neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither

height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love

of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:28, 31, 32, 35, 37-39)

Hien wept. He knew his Bible, and he had not seen one for so long. Not only that, he knew there was not a more relevant passage of conviction and strength for on on the verge os surrendering to the threat of evil. He cried out to God, asking for forgiveness, for this was to have been the first day in years that he had determined not to pray. Evidently the Lord had other plans.

The next day, Hien asked the camp commander if he could clean the latrine again. He continued with this chore on a regular basis, because he had discovered that some official in the camp was using a Bible as toilet paper. Each day Hien picked up a portion of Scripture, cleaned it off, and added it to his nightly devotional reading. In this way he retrieved a significant portion of the Bible."

***

Hien was later released from prison and he escaped from the country through a miraculous story as well. What an awesome reminder of God's faithfulness! In the midst of suffering He is there! Stay faithful in midst of everything - trial, temptation, suffering, blessing! Father, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil!

Jars of Clay

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Jackson) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 18:01:00 +0000

One of my favorite Bible teachers today is James MacDonald from Harvest Bible Chapel outside Chicago. He has a great way of communicating in a no nonsense, straight forward, non-apologetic, biblical sort of way. I respect that. I aim to be that kind of man. He has a great radio ministry called Walk In The Word, which can also heard through podcast. I highly recommend it! Recently James was diagnosed with prostate cancer. His courage, faith and testimony through this and his treatments is such an example to me.

Each of us are probably going through "stuff". May we cling ever tighter to the One who offers peace and hope in the midst of all of life's situations. May we show that He is supremely valuable in our lives and worthy of everything we are regardless of our level of comfort.

⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. ⁸ We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; ¹⁰ always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. ¹¹ For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

2 Co 4:7-11

History Lessons From Hannah

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Jackson) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 01:43:00 +0000

I just saw my daughter's papers that she wrote for school. They cracked me up. Spelling and grammar is as she wrote it:

Martin Luther King Jr is special because: "he said that no matter what your skin color is you can all go to school together. No matter what your skin color is you can all eat together. No matter what your skin color is you can all play together. No matter what your skin color is you can all watch TV together."

Abraham Lincoln was: "the presidet. He like to learn every day. He was nice. He got shot and dide. He was tall. He was the 16 presidet. His mom dide. He was cool."

What will history, or a future 7 year old, say about you?

Challenge From An Atheist

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Jackson) — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 20:57:00 +0000

I heard about this video today and have now seen it for myself. It's by self described atheist Penn Jillette from the comedy duo "Penn & Teller". While I'm not a fan, this video clip is a challenge and also an encouragement to living out authentic Christianity. The quote that sticks out in my mind is "How much do you have to hate someone to not proselytize?" What a reminder that we are salt and light! Check it out...

Using What You've Got

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Jackson) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 22:04:00 +0000

The following comes from an article I wrote for a local paper.

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Fifteen years ago I bought a guitar. I purchased everything necessary - the pick, the extra strings, the case, even the 5 year warranty. Unfortunately, I never learned how to play. In that time I have spent more experience with umbilical cords than guitar chords (I have 4 daughters). While I have all that is necessary to play, to my chagrin I cannot.
As I was thinking about that old guitar, I thought how similar that scenario is to many peoples’ experiences. Maybe you’ve found yourself in the same kind of situation. We can laugh about the running shoes that just sit in the closet or the fitness club membership that never gets used. We may have the tools necessary to make things happen, but we’re not doing anything with them. There’s no benefit.

That’s a lot like how many people treat their Bibles. Maybe it was a gift given as a child. Maybe it’s just something to sit on the coffee table or on the shelf. That’s the problem. It just sits. It was never meant to just sit. Hebrews 4:12-13 says “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.”

Instead of just being a book, the Bible is God’s Word to us. It’s what he wanted us to know about him. It shows us how we’ve blown it and how he has provided the means of salvation through Christ. It tells us what God desires of us. It has the capacity of showing us who we really are and leaves us with nothing to hide behind. That’s powerful stuff and yet the risk of being exposed can be kind of unsettling. However, it’s in this exposure that God dresses us with what we truly need.

Not only that, but 2 Timothy 3 says “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” It is God’s means of shaping and refining us. It was never meant to be suggestions or just a means of being moral citizens. It is the power of God to change your life! We don’t have the option of choosing which parts to accept and which ones to reject. We are accountable to all of it. God desires to be known and desires to be known by you. God can be known! We need to take him at his word found in his Word.

Fifteen years later, I may not be able to play “Stairway To Heaven”, but through God’s Word, I know the way there. Do you?

Merry Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Jackson) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 17:38:00 +0000

One of my favorite worship leaders...

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Jackson) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 22:26:00 +0000

God is Good

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Jackson) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:40:00 +0000

All the time! What a necessary reminder! He is faithful!

Mondays...

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Jackson) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 05:37:00 +0000

Mondays are great days! While most people dread Mondays because they are going back to work, I get to enjoy my day off with my family. The last few weeks, Stacey and I have been having a blast with just the twins as their older sisters are in school. A couple weeks ago we went to a special burger place that Stacey and I hadn't gone to in years. Then we enjoyed our first Pumpkin Spice Lattes of the season at Peet's. Last week we enjoyed the zoo and a special buffet at Sweet Tomatos. This week we went to our library and fed the ducks (& some very loud geese). The girls got so excited and it was exciting to their daddy and mommy to watch them. After only one throw of a piece of bread we had every bird from the pond right in front of us. Amazing! I'm so grateful for a wife who cherishes special family times and making memories. In fact, she is in the process of planning our first "Welcome Autumn" party complete with homemade hot cocoa and cider as well as a bunch of other great things. That's a blog for another day though.

Post Its Help You Remember

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Jackson) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:50:00 +0000

This morning I opened my door to go to work and followed the trail to my "Post It" car. I interrogated the usual suspects but so far the culprit is still at large. Be on the look out for someone(s, definitely s) with paper cuts on their hands along with sticky residue. Also check closely on their hands because there should be a lot of time on them. To the culprits: Whoever you are, the post it notes will not let me forget!

Check it out:

Why Did Christ Die?

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Jackson) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 18:22:00 +0000

I would like to make a quick comment on Donald Miller's prayer at the Democratic National Convention Monday night. There are some that question why he prayed there, but that is not the purpose of this post. I think it's important that we look at the theology contained in the closing lines of his prayer. "I make these requests in the name of your son, Jesus, who gave his own life against the forces of injustice."

Some would think it unfair to look at a prayer and make judgment calls. In that case, those people would have a problem with Jesus who told us how to pray (and also how not to) in Matthew 6:5-13. However, the point I'm making is not the prayer as much as it is the understanding of the Gospel presented in the prayer. The Gospel, after all, is the power of God for salvation (Romans 1:16). Therefore, our understanding of the Gospel is of utmost importance. For to dilute the message of the Gospel is to mess with God's saving plan through Christ.

What did Jesus die for? Was it to fight against the forces of injustice? To answer that we have to look at whose wrath Jesus' death appeased. His sacrifice wasn't a payment to Satan for the souls of men. On the other hand, it wasn't injustice that God was saving us from. He would have been totally just in all of us facing the eternal penalty for our sin. He is a perfect God and will not tolerate rebellion. No injustice there. Our problem without Christ is not Satan, our problem is with God. We have fallen short of His standard. At the cross, through Christ, we see God's grace, love, wrath, justice and mercy. That was my penalty Christ bore. He wasn't fighting injustice, He was taking God's justice upon Himself in my place so that through Him I could experience God's grace, forgiveness and love. Fair? No. Just? Yes.

The Gospel of Christ is so much more than "let's make the world a better place". Jesus is not just our example, He is our Savior! To lose sight of the true message of the Gospel is to lose it's uniqueness, it's power and ultimately it's good news. The result being that the church just becomes another organization, another voice, trying to change the world. The power of the Gospel is not in changing the world, it's in saving it. Not through social means but by "trusting in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me."

Paul told the Galatians in chapter 2 "We wanted to preserve the truth of the gospel message for you." Evidence that truth is something to be preserved, not changed or redefined. May we keep ourselves purely hungering for the Gospel, clearly presenting it's truth and trusting in the power of God to save.

Here are some more verses to think about. These verses are not presented in a stance against Donald Miller, but in reference to keeping the Gospel the Gospel.

I hope you will put up with a little more of my foolishness. Please bear with me. 2 For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. I promised you as a pure bride to one husband—Christ. 3 But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent. 4 You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed. 2 Corinthians 11:1-4

6 I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News 7 but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ. 8 Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. 9 I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed. 10 Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant. Galatians 1:6-10

SOLA SCRIPTURA!

Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Jackson) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:47:00 +0000

This is a follow up to my last post. World magazine has posted an interview with the author of The Shack. Check it out and be aware! Click here What a sad commentary to this man's life and yet not fully finding the answers. In it the author says that the institutional church "doesn't work for those of us who are hurt and those of us who are damaged." All of us are damaged goods because of sin, yet through Christ we have hope. Be careful not to take a pragmatic approach to God's plan! It's not about how we feel about God's Word, His plan, or His church...it's about surrendering to Him because He is true, right and His bride is the church. We are not giving the option to dismiss these things. Pain is a result of sin's curse. We cannot escape it but we can find refuge in Him who bore our sin.

3 He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.
4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins!
5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.
6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.
7 He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.
8 Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants,
that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people.
9 He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave.
10 But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands.
11 When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous,
for he will bear all their sins. -Isaiah 53:3-11

Aren't you glad that despite what Christ "felt" He stayed the course to what was true and what was the will of the Father? May we have the hearts that would say, "God, if possible take this cup from me, yet not my will but yours be done." Or like Job who said "The Lord gave me what I had and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!" Feeling does not determine truth! Pain is difficult and never pleasant, but God is our Healer! It is better to go through great pain trusting God than to try to avoid pain by trusting ourselves or our own experience. I heard a great definition of surrender recently that said, "Surrendering is hearing what God has to say, disagreeing, but then humbling yourself, changing your mind and agreeing with it." Again, be discerning!

18 The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. 19 As the Scriptures say,“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.”20 So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. 21 Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. 22 It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. 23 So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense.24 But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength. -1 Corinthians 1:18-25

Some Things Were Never Meant To Be Eaten

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Jackson) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:59:00 +0000

WARNING: Stacey, you may not want to read this first paragraph. That's because she hates this story, but it serves a point in this post. One time I was invited to a family's home for a meal. As I was eating, I looked down at my plate to see a long dark hair in my food. Now, normally I would be able to just discreetly pull a hair out of my meal without being noticed, but that wasn't possible with this one. It was a small table and the husband was on my left and his wife was on my right. For a while I tried to eat around the hair, until that was no longer possible. I was a the point that I had to make a decision. Do I noticably pull the hair out of my food and risk the embarrassment of this family who had graciously invited me over for the afternoon, or do I do something more drastic? In that moment, I went with what was more drastic. I plunged my fork into that hairy pile and proceeded to put it in my mouth. I don't remember how many times I chewed, but I do know that I was able to swallow it without gagging. That was a feat unto itself. I don't remember what was on the menu that day, but I do remember "The Hair".

-----------
OK STACEY, YOU CAN START HERE

It reminds me of where some people are at in the church today. In the desire to have something new, something different, they have begun to eat things that never should have been eaten. Except this is much more dangerous than a hair. They have traded in what God says about Himself with what people say about God. This new "spirituality" questions or redefines everything that is foundational to the Christian faith and in so doing loses the power of the Gospel.

One of the examples of this is the book "The Shack". It is currently #3 on the Amazon bestseller list. Heralded by Eugene Peterson and Michael W. Smith, this book attempts to explain God through a fictional account. People are divided over this book and rightfully so. If only all Christians were more discerning. Just because someone claims to explain God, or have a Christian title slapped on, doesn't mean that it is good. Christians need to have a stronger gag reflex for when this kind of stuff comes out. The gag reflex prevents from swallowing.

Everyone has their favorite recipes or restaurants. When trying something new, how many times have you said, "It's not as good as so and so's." That could be your mom's, it could be your wife's (definitely your wife's), or your favorite dinery. You have a standard for that dish that you compare everything else to.

The problem in the church is that people have lost that standard. The standard seems old. The standard seems outdated and it needs revitalized in order for people to really get excited about it. However, the power of the standard is not in how it is received, but by who it was given. Since God is the giver of the standard, it can be trusted and it needs to be followed. When we know His standard, we know when something else just doesn't mesh with it, even when it claims to.

Please watch what you eat!

For a great review of The Shack, go HERE

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Jackson) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:57:00 +0000

Lately that's the truth. Not much longer though...the next few days are going to be great! Sunny and low 70's!

God is Enough

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Jackson) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 21:40:00 +0000

I enjoy John Piper. He tells it like it is. I read his quote that "God is most glorified in you when you are most satisfied in him" years ago and have come back to it again and again. This video is such a good reminder that we not "Americanize" the gospel. Watch the video and be challenged. God is enough.

10 YEARS!

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Jackson) — Fri, 30 May 2008 00:33:00 +0000

On May 30, Stacey and I celebrate 10 years of marriage! I am so thankful for her and the gift that God has given me in her. In many ways I feel like a slow learner to this husband thing, but am glad for God's grace (and Stacey's patience) in continually showing me what it means to love as Christ loves the church. Happy Anniversary babe! I love you!

Here's our engagement photo:

First Day at the Beach 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Jackson) — Sat, 24 May 2008 18:01:00 +0000

It was in the mid 90's, but we had a great time! Unfortunately I forgot about putting sunscreen on the "corners" of my forehead (forgot I don't have hair there anymore). It made for quite the look. (For the slideshow, hit the "+" to make it speed up.)

Got Her!

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Jackson) — Sun, 04 May 2008 02:08:00 +0000

Today I attempted to do something that I've never done...throw a surprise party for my wife! And it worked according to plan - she was surprised! She has never had a surprise party in her life, but with the help of a friend and about 15 friends to share the day with, she had a blast!

Check out the reaction on her face!

Happy 31st Birthday Stace! I love you! And to all our friends who helped make the day special, "thank you"!

Happy Easter!

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Jackson) — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 05:13:00 +0000

He lives!

Velvet Elvis Review

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Jackson) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 17:37:00 +0000

I had heard a lot about Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell. Going into it, I wanted to like it. My passion is to go beyond doing church to really being the church. That church isn't within the walls of a building, it's the people of God who have been grafted together into one body, a temple of the Holy Spirit built on Christ our cornerstone. The idea of challenging the church intrigued me. I wanted to like this book based on what I had heard. I didn't.

Rob Bell thinks it's our role to "take responsibility for who the church is going to be for a new generation. It is our turn to redefine and reshape and dream it all up again." Is it really? Last I knew, the church wasn't man's idea. It wasn't dreamed up by man, defined by him or a byproduct of his relationship with God. The church is God's design - His bride. He loves her, cherishes her and sacrificed for her. We don't need to make the church relevent to make her significant. She is significant because of who she belongs to. The church is relevent as she lives out what God has already said. We don't have to redefine it. We need to live out the "one anothers" in the New Testament.

We live in a culture that is looking for the next big thing. We need an experience. We need to feel the rush. We need something new that will somehow push the boundaries. When that happens in the church, is it really about God or an experience? Why are we asking to redefine what God has said? Can we somehow do better?

I believe that as the church we can continually be learning what it means to live surrendered lives to God. As we truly learn what that means and live accordingly, our lives are changed more and more. That's not a redefinition though. That's sanctification - being set apart from sin and for God. I didn't agree with his views of the church or the purpose of the church, holiness, heaven....and probably more.

There were a lot of statements I just didn't like and caused a reaction within me. I just want to mention one more. At one point he said, "Oftentimes the Christian community has sent the message that we love people and build relationships in order to convert them to the Christian faith. So there is an agenda. And when there is an agenda, it isn't really love, is it?" So God didn't have an agenda in sending Jesus? He sent His Son to die to save sinners. That flowed out of His love. His character, His love dictates what He does. His agenda, His plan, His work flows out of who He is. I think if we really loved people, it would be our desire to see them come to Christ. A love for Christ and love for people compels us to share Him with others, even if we may not be heavily invested in their lives.

I don't agree with so much in this book. When man thinks that he can redefine what God has already said, he leaves himself open to foolish ideas. The book featured redefinitions of what a Christian is. I didn't agree with them.

It is so important to think biblically...with what God has said. Not someone's redefinition of what God has said. What a reminder and a warning that just because something is popular in "Christian" culture, doesn't mean that it's good.

If you've read the book and liked it/didn't like it, I'd appreciate your thoughts. In fact, I'd like to hear your thoughts even if you didn't read the book.

It's A Sad Day for Green Bay Fans

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Jackson) — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 19:05:00 +0000

Brett Favre is retiring after 17 years. Thanks for the memories Brett!

(No sarcastic comments people...you know who you are...)