Sorry for the extra click – but it’s worth the effort as the accompanying story is touching.

Click here.

(h/t: Danny)

I only have wifi while I’m on the bus so it is easier to post updates of our Israel trip on Facebook.  Here’s the link to follow the photo updates: facebook.com/RevSteveWood

We landed safely in Tel Aviv this afternoon. Thank you for your prayers.

We had a free evening to acclimate so several of us walked down to Joppa. Saw the house of Simon the tanner (Acts 9-10).

We’re right on the Mediterranean Sea (pics on FB). A very nice place to land and recover.

Tomorrow we’re off to Caesarea and will be staying at a kibbutz on the Sea of Galilee.

I leave today with 50 folks from SAMP on a 13 day teaching tour of Israel.  I’d welcome your prayers – for safe travel, no illness or injury, no terrorist attacks, no bombing of Iran, etc.

As I can I’ll update the blog, though, Facebook might be easier.

Here’s our itinerary.

I think one of the most misapplied understandings of Matthew 18 involves the issue of public critique.  Specifically, some argue that prior to any public critique of a published work that the critic ought to first make personal contact with the person whose work is being critiqued.

Nonsense.

Public works and statements are open to public critique.

Developing this thought, Rick Nelson over at reformation 21 offers four reasons why those who argue that public critique violates Matthew 18 unless there has first been private dialog are completely wrong.

He writes:

1.  Matthew 18 establishes a procedure for dealing with personal sins, not public debate. “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault,” said our Lord (Mt. 18:15). This establishes personal sin as the context in which Matthew 18 governs our actions. In contrast, disagreement with a public figure in his published writings falls into a completely different category.

Read the rest.

An impersonal God?  Well and good.

A subjective God of beauty, truth and goodness inside our own head?  Better still.

A formless life force surging through everyone – a vast power we can all tap? Best of all.

But a living God – pulling at the other end of the cord approaching at infinite speed, the hunter, the covenant Lord, the husband?  That is quite another matter.

There comes a moment when people who have been dabbling in religion suddenly draw back – supposing you really found Him?  Or, worse still, suppose He found you.  If there is a God you are in a sense alone with Him.  You cannot put him off with speculations about your neighbor’s hypocrisy, or memories of what you have read in books.  What will all that chatter and hearsay count when the anesthetic fog we call the real world fades away and the divine presence in which you have always stood becomes palpable, immediate and unavoidable?

- C.S. Lewis (quoted by Tim Keller)

Happy 26th Anniversary, Wifey!

Thought this was a good article on the challenge of parenting:

I love the ESV’s subtitle for Psalm 71—“Forsake Me Not When My Strength Is Spent.”

How appropriate for a psalm that describes God as one who saves in his righteousness and is to us a rock of refuge!

This summer a doctor actually told me that my strength was “spent.” I visited an orthopedic surgeon to have him check out my lower back pain. I had leaned over to change a diaper and had my back freeze up a dozen too many times.

The doctor did his evaluation, took some x-rays, then he declared that my back was fine. It was just my strength that was “spent.”

Read the rest.

Registration is now up and open on the SAMP website for our 2012 Men’s Retreat. 

The theme this year is,  “Be Present,” and, I am delighted to have +Terrell returning to SAMP to lead us through the weekend.

For more information or to register, click here.

Get your Kleenex out:

Back story is here.