ANAHEIM HILLS — A small group from Life Baptist church met during the week, but the members have no memory of seeing each other because they were staring at their smartphones the entire time.

“I thought everyone else was keeping up the discussion,” says one woman who successfully ‘Liked’ fifty-five posts and finished two games of Words With Friends during the 90-minute gathering. “I guess no one was.”

Members were so engrossed in texting, posting and Tweeting that it did not occur to them that nobody was talking, let alone leading the meeting. Silence descended on the room as members sat tapping screens, occasionally giggling and typing messages.

“I went into the kitchen at one point to get snacks, and it did seem awfully quiet,” says one man. “Everyone had their heads down. I thought we were praying.”

One man had just bought a new app and was eager to try it out.

“I was tearing it up on Tiny Wings and thought everyone would understand,” he says. “I remember walking into a door, but I’m not sure what building it was — maybe small group or Bed, Bath and Beyond. I don’t have a visual for it anymore.”

Some people even texted and messaged each other while in the same room.“I was having a great conversation with Karen on Facebook and didn’t notice that she was sitting three feet away from me,” says one woman. “She messaged me, ‘Oh, I’m in small group,’ and I messaged her back, ‘Really? Me too!’”

Only later did members confirm that a meeting had taken place by piecing together tweets, texts and Facebook posts.

“It says on Facebook that I checked in at their house, so I must have been there,” says one woman. “Facebook doesn’t lie.”

Others looked at their timelines and Twitter feeds and saw posts like “Heading to small group” and “Picking up chips and salsa” at around the same time. But none have any memory of what happened after that.

“I think I ate a plate of something, but I was pretty engrossed in Fruit Ninja, so I didn’t really notice,” says one man. “It may have been brownie bites.”

One woman and her husband arrived home afterward, sat in their garage, looked at each other and said, “Did we just go to small group?”

“It was a little eerie,” says the wife. “The only thing I can recall is seeing my iPhone screen. Which, by the way, have you checked out this app?”

Members group-texted each other afterward and pledged to actually look at each other next time they meet.

“We felt kind of bad,” says one man. “I told them if I forget to pay attention next time, just Facetime me.”

—via LarkNews.com
H/T to @DrKPrather on Twitter

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*Rolling on the floor laughing

Sheep, right?

While it serves the motif of “Green Pastures” well, it’s what you cannot see in the frame that tells the bigger story. I’m going to “page-break” here and make you work a little–just a tad–to find out the, uh, rest…of…the…story.

There. At the bottom, veiled a bit in shadow and standing at the edge of a cliff, is a dog. Perhaps a sheep-dog. Maybe a wolf. This post will work either way.

Let’s suppose, just for now, it’s a herding canine. He stands braced at cliff’s edge, rear heels dug in, eyes locked on to the herd. He is NOT about to let a single sheep wander near, much less fall off into the dark abyss. How comforting it is to know that our Lord surrounds and steers us in much the same way. Surely goodness and mercy follow us all the days of our life.

That scenario works, right?

Comforting, no?

But here’s another angle, the one I alluded to a moment ago. Let’s just say the dog is a savage wolf. We know where this is going right? Say he’s coaxing the animals to the edge, maybe even sizing them up. Which one will he lunge for?

The sheep in the front, closest to the drama, look skittish. One even huddles closer to his neighbor, even if it means he has to press his face into the other’s rear end. He’s wishing he was on the back row right about now.

Then notice how many have their backs turned, seemingly unimpressed by the danger or, worse, totally oblivious to it. That seems to be a check-mark against the church these days. Either stuck in fear or dumb with apathy.

But look yonder, toward the back of the pack. You see some trailing off, just a few, but wanderers still. It’s like they’re so far from the action they have forgotten they are part of something bigger than themselves, so they mosey off in search of some other stimulation or significance.

Now. Zero in on something I cannot wait to show you. I’ll bet a few of you spotted him. Or her. Let’s say her. Just for the egalitarians among us.

Let your eyes move from front to just past the middle of the herd. There. Right…there. Whether the canine is wolf or friend, the picture works. While everyone is doing their thing, trembling with fright, pretending everything’s okay or searching for greener pastures, she, just feet away and in full view of the…dog, is simply and beautifully lying down.

Resting. She’s not worrying that she’ll be eaten for she enjoys her Great Shepherd. She’s not worrying she’ll be led off the cliff because the One who watches over her and the rest of His own, is committed to keep them from stumbling. Or falling. She knows she’s in safe pastures.

That’s what I wanted you to see, so whenever you happen by Green P@stures, take a look again at the banner photo at the top of the home page, and remember.

The REST of the story.

Where, pray tell, do you find yourself in this frame?

Courtesy: @ThreeShipsMedia

Along the way there’s been some heavy feeding and some light snacking. From “half-off”, deceptive gospels and ‘death-to-self’ esays to Maxine cartoons. Whatever floats your boat.

The following posts overwhelmingly take the prize of the most-read that I have put out there. It is fitting that the travesty of abortion occupies a prominent place among the rest. Feel free to visit them again, or discover them, as the case may be.

Thank you for reading. As long as the Lord gives me ability, I will continue down these sheep-paths with you. Keep coming back. Your bleats keep me company.

The Least Of These
An Apologetic Against Abortion
Sunday’s Comin’!
Quick Intro and “100 (plus) Things…”
An Easter Invitation–If You Dare!
Extravagant Love
He’s Looking At You, Kid
The Fellowship of the Unashamed

During one church service Pastor Schneider asked his congregation:

Where are those Christian consciences who judge righteously, who take the standard for their politics neither from National Socialism nor from socialism, but rather from the gospel?

This man was soon arrested, sent to Buchenwald where he was severally tortured and on July 18, 1939 was executed by lethal injection.

(from A Puritan’s Blog)

When Joshua and his fighting men approached Jericho, they encountered The Man of Glory, Jesus, the Son of God. Not knowing it was He, Joshua challenged Him: “Friend or Foe?” The steely-eyed general wanted to know His standing.

Are you on our side…(and jerked his chin in the direction of his target)…or theirs?

I get goose-pimply over Sabaoth’s reply.

(now here I must channel Tony Evans for effect):

“I didn’t come to take sides. I came to take over!”

Our God is neither Republican, Democrat or Libertarian. While there is some good in all three, there is also a great deal of mixture with the world system in their respective ideologies and, when pressed, and given time, each will take its ultimate cue from its own agenda. It happened in Germany in the 30′s and we are watching it happen in America in this young millennium.

I don’t care how conservative your party claims to be, until it publicly declares Jesus to be King over all kings and ideologies–and conducts its affairs accordingly–it will blend into the rest of the kingdoms of this world and hang those who join ranks with the Man of Glory.

One quick, final thought: to stand with the Gospel is to stand with Jesus. It all testifies to HIM!

To whet your appetite, here’s a sampling:

Thou shouldst have but one ambition – to love Me and to be near Me. Let Me take care of all the rest. Let Me arrange the pattern of thy life. Let Me direct thy service, and it shall be not a service of dead works and self-effort, but an overflow of divine love. This is My Father’s work. I do not require and have not requested thy work. Nay, but ye become a hindrance when ye set about to work for Me thus. Set thy heart to be near Me. Live close to My heart. Look upon My face. I will satisfy thee completely. I will keep thee from anxiety. I will heal all thy diseases. I will cause My face to shine upon thee, and thou shalt be glad.

Now, isn’t that just the best news you could hear all day?

“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.” ( 2 Chronicles 16:9)

Yeah? Me too. I’ve been so taken by it that I often leave off the final clause:

“You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.”

Huh? What? That’s in there too?

Afraid so.

What began with such hope and promise falls flat at the end. Just like the guy it was addressed to. Asa was an honorable king over God’s people, a covenant-keeping man, fearless and obedient. Under his reforms the nation of Judah cleaned up its act. Worship was restored. Idols were toppled and high places–some of them–were bulldozed.

Yep. That Asa.

The chapter goes on to say the “acts of Asa–from first to last–were recorded.” Sometimes I wonder if the chronicler should have stopped with the “first” and left off the “last” (five years) of the king’s life because the last part is too yucky. Ditto with the verse I referenced above.

But God includes it all; lock, stock and barrel.

The king who swung the pendulum back to divine order because his allegiance was first to Yahweh–in his earlier years–royally blundered in his final years by striking a covenant with a nation of anti-Yahweh ruffians, namely the Syrians.

God was miffed. Righteously so.

So he made Asa the subject of a weekly sermon.

“I have been looking for a man who would fix his heart to Mine. I longed to put My fierce might in such a man and accomplish heavenly things through such a one, and, at first, Asa, you were a good candidate. But you have gone your own way. You have gone on public record and given your loyalty to another. So I will let you write your own final chapter, which won’t be pretty.”

Unfortunately Asa didn’t go to the altar at the invitation. What he did was he got mad. And imprisoned and tortured the preacher for telling him the truth. Asa has the distinction of being the first king of God’s people to persecute a prophet of God.

Yeah. Sweet, young, loyal Asa.

The dude went from first to worst. His story ranks high up there with the Shakesperean tragedies, I’d wager. What do you think?

No, this isn’t meant to be some rant about how God writes us off if we blow it. If you knew me, you’d know that’s not my style. I believe, even for Asa, there is mercy that is accessible and grace aplenty for our blowouts. Some of us have even gotten more second chances than centipedes have legs. However, when grace is refused, it will be removed.

Ask Asa.

I suppose this post does carry this central idea: it may or may not matter how you start, but it surely does matter how you finish. Like He did for Asa, God keeps the record on you as well. From “first to last.”

And…

I am grateful that He who is the First AND Last is the One who is over me and the One who saves me to the uttermost. Thanks be to God for His inexplicable grace through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Kidneys were normal yesterday (which was amazing), but they are excellent today.  They were afraid because they pumped so much fluid in him that kidneys couldn’t handle it, that his heart & lungs would fill up, but heart was checked this am & is excellent and it and his lungs are clear. Respiratory therapist just came in & said lungs are great & they are decreasing his oxygen.  Yippee.  He hadn’t eaten in over two days, so they were pushing him at dinner.  He ate half an egg salad sandwich (yuk) & some grapes & has kept it down….He is fairly miserable but is doing ok. He will probably be in ICU until Monday because of the many areas they are monitoring.  I can tell a big difference even since I got here this morning.  OH, I almost forgot.  They did a blood draw at 6 pm & there is no need for transfusions (PTL).

Your prayers were felt & treasured.  Through everything, there was such peace & HIS presence.  Even though I puked (no nice way to say it). I was sick with a sore  throat fever & took a sinus pills on an empty stomach & publicly emptied said stomach at the nurses station.  28 years of this & I have never been sick while he was in crisis.  Oh well…..they said I did it quietly & quickly & then all was well.  We are both much better today.  He still has a long recovery, but hopefully, we are heading in the right direction.

I came upon a Kay Arthur quote before this latest chapter in the continuing saga of Scott’s health, and I made a note of it because so many people have been asking me how we cope, or what is God doing, or why didn’t he answer our fasting & praying for Scott’s healing, how do you get back up when you’ve been knocked down? I don’t pretend to have the definite answer, but I know  God had been patiently prodding me for the last several years in all areas of my life that I couldn’t change or control the outcome, or fix it, to trust in His Sovereignty, but also in His unfailing love for me.  That said here is the quote, “no other truth has sustained me through all my trials like the reality of God’s sovereignty. Everything that comes into our lives is filtered through God’s fingers of love.”  I have been trusting His Sovereignty in things that were little (which I thought were big at the time), and now it is a joy to wait & see what He’s doing with our lives while we are here at Shepherd watching the tapestry created above being revealed one stitch at a time below.

All our Love & Appreciation Scott and Sandy