Matt Chandler - Enduring faith

Enduring faith
The Associated Press

DALLAS -- Matt Chandler doesn't feel anything when the radiation penetrates his brain. It could start to burn later in treatment. But it hasn't been bad, this time lying on the slab. Not yet, anyway.

Chandler's lanky 6-foot-5-inch frame rests on a table at Baylor University Medical Center. He wears the same kind of jeans he wears preaching to 6,000 people at The Village Church in suburban Flower Mound, where the 35-year-old pastor is a rising star of evangelical Christianity.

Another cancer patient Chandler has gotten to know spends his time in radiation imagining that he's playing a round of golf at his favorite course. Chandler on this first Monday in January is reflecting on Colossians 1:15-23, about the pre-eminence of Christ and making peace through the blood of his cross.

Chandler's hands are crossed over his chest. He wears a mask with white webbing that keeps his head still when metal fingers slide into place on the radiation machine, delivering the highest possible dose to what is considered to be fatal and incurable brain cancer.

This is Matt Chandler's new normal. Each weekday, he spends two hours in the car -- driven from his suburban home to downtown Dallas -- for eight minutes of radiation and Scripture.

At the hospital, Chandler sees other patients in gowns who get chemotherapy through catheters in their chests and is thankful he gets his in pills before going to sleep at home next to his wife.

Chandler is trying to suffer well. He would never ask for such a trial, but in some ways he welcomes this cancer. He says he feels grateful that God has counted him worthy to endure it. He has always preached that God will bring both joy and suffering but is only recently learning to experience the latter.

Since all this began on Thanksgiving morning, Chandler says he has asked "why me?" just once, in a moment of weakness.

He is praying that God will heal him. He wants to grow old, to walk his two daughters down the aisle and see his son become a better athlete than he ever was.

Whatever happens, he says, is God's will, and God has his reasons. For Chandler, that does not mean waiting for his fate. It means fighting for his life.

The beginning
Thanksgiving morning, a normal morning at the Chandler home.

The coffee brews itself. Matt wakes up, pours himself a cup, black and strong like always, and sits on the couch. He feeds 6-month-old Norah from a bottle. Burps her. Puts her in her bouncy seat.

The next thing Chandler knows, he is lying in a hospital bed.

What Chandler does not remember is that he suffered a seizure and collapsed in front of the fireplace, rattling the pokers. He does not remember biting through his tongue.

He does not remember his wife, Lauren, shielding the kids as he shook on the floor. Or, later, ripping the IV out of his arm and punching a medic in the face.

During the ambulance ride, Lauren, 29, looks back from the passenger seat at her husband in restraints.

He is looking at her but through her.

She texts the women in her Bible study and asks them to pray.

At the hospital, Matt comes to.

"Honey, what happened?"

"You had a seizure."

He realizes that their two older children -- Audrey, 7, and Reid, 4 -- had seen it.

"Are the kids OK?"

Tears well up in his eyes.

"They're fine. They're fine."

He dozes off, wakes up and asks about the kids again. The same exchange repeats itself five times, always ending the same way, with Matt tearing up.

In short order, Chandler is wheeled back for a CT scan, followed by an MRI.

Not long afterward, the ER doctor walks in and sits next to him.

"You have a small mass on your frontal lobe. You need to see a specialist."

It was Thanksgiving. Chandler had not seen his kids for hours. He had collapsed in front of them. For whatever reason, those grim words from a doctor he'd never met did not cause his heart to drop. What Chandler thought was, "OK, we'll deal with that." Getting the news meant he could go home.

The man
Chandler can be sober and silly, charming and tough. He'll call men "bro" and women "mama." He drives a 2001 Chevy Impala with 144,000 miles and a broken radio. He calls it the "Gimpala"

One of Chandler's sayings is, "It's OK to not be OK -- just don't stay there." In other words, your doubts and questions are welcome at The Village Church, but eventually you need to pull it together.

He's also been known to begin sermons with the warning, "I'm going to yell at you from the Bible."

Chandler's long, meaty messages untangle large chunks of Scripture, a stark contrast to the "Eight Ways to Overcome Fear" sermons common to evangelical megachurches that took off in the 1980s. His approach appeals, he believes, to a generation looking for transcendence and power.

His theology teaches that all men are wicked, that human beings have offended a loving and sovereign God, and that God saves through Jesus' death, burial and resurrection -- not because people do good deeds. In short, Chandler is a Calvinist, holding to a belief system growing more popular with young evangelicals.

"Matt goes right at Bible Belt Christianity and exposes the problems with it," says Collin Hansen, author of "Young, Restless, Reformed: A Journalist's Journey with the New Calvinists." "He says, 'Enough of this playing around and trying to be relevant and using cultural touch points. Let's talk God's words.'"

Chandler's background does not suggest someone suited to the role. He grew up a military kid, drifting from Olympia, Wash., to Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., Alameda, Calif., and Galveston, Texas.

Chandler was taught that Christianity meant not listening to secular music or seeing R-rated movies. He developed what he calls a small and "man-centered" view of God -- that God will bless people who are good. That began to change when a high school football teammate started talking about the Gospel.

After graduating from a small Baptist college, Chandler became a fiery evangelist who led a popular college Bible study and traveled the Christian speaking circuit.

He was hired from another church in 2002 at age 28 to lead what is now The Village Church, a Southern Baptist congregation that claimed 160 members at the time.

The church now meets in a newly renovated former Albertson's grocery store with a 1,430-seat auditorium; two satellite campuses are flourishing in Denton and Dallas. Chandler has a podcast following in the thousands and speaks at large conferences.

"What Matt does works because it resonates with the deep longing of the soul the average person can't even identify," said Anne Lincoln Holibaugh, the church's children's ministry director.

The surgery

Tuesday after Thanksgiving. The Chandlers meet with Dr. David Barnett, chief of neurosurgery at Baylor University Medical Center.

The weekend had brought hope: A well-meaning church member who is a radiologist looked at Matt's MRI and concluded the mass was encapsulated, or contained to a specific area.

But Barnett delivers very different news. He saw what appeared to be a primary brain tumor -- meaning a tumor that had formed in the brain -- that was not contained. It had branches.

"Matt, I think you're dealing with something serious," Barnett says. "We need to do something about it quickly. Go home. Talk it over with your wife. Pray about it."

Chandler is facing brain surgery. He schedules it for that Friday, Dec. 4.

He is scared.

Questions start to haunt him. Am I going to wake up and be me? Am I going to wake up and remember Lauren?

The surgery begins around 2 p.m. A biopsy determines that it is, indeed, a primary brain tumor.

Additional Facts
On the Net:
Matt Chandler's blog

Lauren Chandler's blog

This was taken directly from here.

Visualizing the Bible

The image above shows every cross-references in the Bible. Definitely more the eye candy variety of information visualization, but I thought it was interesting.

Chris Harrison, the creator, explains: "The bar graph that runs along the bottom represents all of the chapters in the Bible. Books alternate in color between white and light gray. The length of each bar denotes the number of verses in the chapter. Each of the 63,779 cross references found in the Bible is depicted by a single arc - the color corresponds to the distance between the two chapters, creating a rainbow-like effect."

Liberal and Conservative Worldviews

This week a post of mine garnered much attention on Facebook. While it was about Scott Brown’s win in Massachusetts, it turned into more of a conversation (err… debate) on the role of the Bible in determining one’s worldview – specifically in regards to politics. It has been my observation that conservatives use the Bible to define their worldview, values, decision-making, etc.. Conversely, liberals use the Bible when it's not inconvenient to their own personal agenda, at which point they discard it as "out of date" or "culturally irrelevant".

As one might expect, my liberal friends do not agree with my observation. In fact, one of my friends went so far as to say, “conservatives use Scripture to support things that aren't in scripture at all (such as their arguments against abortion) and ignore it in terms of sex education (not just abstinence-only education, which has proven to be ineffectual in greatly reducing unwanted pregnancies).” It is obvious that what is being ignored is any and all teaching on the sanctity of life and the institution of marriage, and God’s provisions for sexual relations.

This leads to the question of how to interpret Scripture, of which there are 2: Exegesis and Eisegesis. Francis Chan explains the two:

Exegesis is an attempt to discover the meaning of the text objectively, starting with the text and moving out from there.
Eisegesis is to import a subjective, preconceived meaning into the text.

I was taught to interpret the Scripture through exegesis alone. Start with God’s Word; pray that the Spirit give you clarity; then study to see what the text actually says.

To me these two means of interpreting Scripture explain the difference between being conservative and liberal… in regards to how we live our lives and view the world.

Thus, for Christians, the Bible, properly interpreted through exegesis, should be the starting point and foundation for your political worldview, and not the other way around or cherry picked to support a particular political policy. Let me also add this is not just about politics, but for the Christian’s worldview in general.

Water or Coke?

WATER

1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. (Likely applies to half the world population)

2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is mistaken for hunger.

3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as3%.

4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.

5. Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.

8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%., and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer. Are you drinking the amount of water you should drink every day?


COKE

1. In many states the highway patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the trunk to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.

2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of Coke and it will be gone in two days.

3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and let the 'real thing' sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous china.

4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.


5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion.

6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Apply a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.

7. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the Coke for a sumptuous brown gravy.

8. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of Coke into the load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle.. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains. It will also clean road haze from your windshield.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION:

1. The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid. It will dissolve a nail in about four days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase of osteoporosis.

2. To carry Coca-Cola syrup! (the concentrate) the commercial trucks must use a hazardous Material place cards reserved for highly corrosive materials.

3. The distributors of Coke have been using it to clean engines of the trucks for about 20 years!

Now the question is, would you like a glass of water?

* This is from a forwarded email, I did no research, but found it interesting enough to post.

* I had a diet coke for lunch... then a bottle of water in the afternoon.

Lego Lowdown on King David

The Lego Lowdown | King David from Granger Community on Vimeo.

by Granger Community Church

Pants on the Ground

I am not an American Idol fan, but when people started tweeting and putting status updates about “Pants on the Ground,” I became curious what the story was. Apparently, last night a 62 year old guy name "General" Larry Platt, sang his song, “Pants on the Ground.” Not only did he sing it, but the judges and other contestants were shown joining in with him. Now “General” Larry Platt can add pop culture icon to his veteran and civil rights activist titles. Here is the video if you have not seen it yet:

3 Steps to Knowing and Doing God’s Will

From Art Rogers

Before I get to the steps, let me hasten to say that they are not original to me, but I heard them in a recorded sermon almost 20 years ago. You might note, then, they were quite memorable. Sadly, I can’t remember the pastor who preached the sermon, so as much credit as I can give, I have given…

1. Surrender to obedience. You might note that the title of this post is NOT 3 easy steps to knowing and doing God’s will. There are not many things more difficult that to surrender to obedience for the human will, but to know and do God’s will, it is essential that you agree to do whatever it is God tells you to do.

We can not expect that God is going to gently guide us through life if we are consistently rebellious to His direction.

2. Seek diligently. Frequently. Constantly. Ask God to reveal what He wants you to do. God is not capricious and does not hide from those who seek Him. If you tune your heart to Him, He will reveal Himself to you.

3. Relax. If you surrender to do what God asks you to do no matter what it is and you consistently pursue the leadership – He will get you where He wants you to go.

It’s not complex. It’s just not easy.

I Don’t Understand Parents Today

I don’t understand parents today, that’s right, I don’t understand parents today. Usually you hear stuff from my generation and beyond talking about how they don’t understand kids today. The age of entitlement has created kids who think the world owes them something, they live as though their parents are in debt to them for having them in the first place. That probably has not changed much in the past 20-30 years, what has changed is the parent’s response to their children.

If I would have entered into a conversation with my parents telling them how it was going to be, it would have ended with my loosing the usage of my (errr… their) car, a loss of extracurricular activities, and a solid grounding in particular. When it came to church events, I did not have much choice either. On the Sundays I wanted to skip church, I was met with a father “motivating” me to go or else, which was good for me. When it came to me wanting to skip a major event, my parents put their foot down and I went anyways. When it came to working on Sundays, it was not an option, neither was missing church for sporting events.

At the time I thought it was unfair and that my parents were out of touch. I thought I knew what was best for me and resented my parents for making me go to church, D-Now, camp, or whatever else. However, because of their insistence of my attendance, I understood that God was to take the primary place above all else. You could say they raised me in the way I should go, and as a result, today I have not departed from it.

Today, parents allow their children to dictate to them what they are going to do and my observation is that parents are okay with it. I have heard children tell their parents that they do not want to attend a church event because they would rather be at home, and the parents oblige their children’s desires, as if children know what is best for themselves. I see some of our students take weekend jobs and their parents are okay with it. I even hear parents make excuses for their children as to why they will forgo camp, D-Now, or church, that’s right the parents make excuses for their children to skip out on God’s church.

What I am really curious about is how these parents would respond if their children decided they did not want to go to school anymore. Would they say that their kids preferred to be at home so it was okay, or would they get their kids dressed and march them out the door? If a child said they did not think school was fun or beneficial, would the parents go along with that notion, or would they force them to go anyway? And the real kicker is this, why do Christian parents think educational development is more vital than spiritual development? Seriously, if it is okay to make your child go to school how is it any different to make them go to church?

What gets me is that the same parents wonder why their kids seem to leave God and the church when they leave home. Do the parents not think that their approval of their children skipping out when they were at home will lead to a greater rebellion when they are off on their own? Do parents not think that devaluing church and God as young people, will lead to an abandonment of God altogether when they become adults? Are they clueless, ignorant, or just out of touch?

Like I said, I just do not understand parents today!

Cole's Poll (Final Standings)

1. Alabama – They are happy to win… and that Colt didn’t play
2. Texas – Poor Colt.
3. Florida – Where was the effort against Bama; great bowl recovery.
4. Boise State – Trickery and shenanigans = another Fiesta win and no real respect.
5. Ohio State – Huge (BCS Bowl) win to finish their year.
6. Cincinnati – Reality sunk in at the Sugar bowl, and their future isn’t sweet!
7. Iowa – Magical season ended with oranges.
8. TCU – Do they qualify for “letdown syndrome” against Boise?
9. Nebraska – Suh you later!
10. Penn State – Good win over an overrated LSU to cap of their year.

2010 Sport Predictions

Tiger – He ended 2009 being dropped by AT&T; he will end 2010 on top of the competition with the ability to pick who he wants to sponsor him. My guess is all those who’ve questioned him will regret going with morals (public opinion) over reason (Tiger is the greatest golfer ever). Although I am not going to predict on his family life, I do hope he works the major issues out and stays married for his kid’s sake.


Tony Romo – He has been the best QB in the NFL the 2nd half of the season this year. Not only will he win a playoff game this year, he will bring legitimate hope of a Cowboys Super Bowl in their own Cowboy’s Stadium next season.


Texas Tech and Kansas – As a Sooner, it bothers me that 2 of Stoops’ most highly regarded former coaches have been fired due to mistreatment of players… their firings also make me feel like the Big 12 just got easier. For their fans who like winning, you’ll be sorry. For the Tech administration, you are pathetic!


Urban Meyer – Does anyone else remember the Billy Donovan/Orlando Magic saga of a few years ago? He was losing all of his star players, and then bolted for the Magic only to second guess himself and return… sound familiar? Well, it might be the sun, water, or lack of confidence to rebuild, but the Florida coaches are straight flakes! What really blows my mind is that the administration enables it. My guess is that U of F will suffer the loss of recruits and games because of Urban.


Kobe Bryant – People who never saw Jordan play will argue Kobe (who hit his 3rd game winner of the season yesterday) is the greatest ever, but he will not be the best player of this decade… neither will LeBron.

2010 Goals... or Goal

I only have one goal in 2010: Complete my Doctor of Ministry. Once the degree is obtained, I might set some new goals… and then again, I might go on vacation!

Shoulder Surgery #2

Ever since my initial shoulder surgery, I have lived with a constant popping noise and mild to moderate pain when my shoulder moved up and out. At first, my physical therapist and doctor thought it would naturally fix itself. However, after 7 months my doctor decided to take more aggressive measure to determine what was causing the issue.

Thursday, December 10, I had a shoulder appointment that resulted in me having an MRI with dye to examine my shoulder. On the following Monday, the doctor’s office called to inform me the MRI did not reveal anything that required surgery. Wednesday, I called for more information, and was told I had a severe case of bursitis, which was great news as it is treatable without surgery.

On December 17, I went in to receive an injection that would address the issue… instead, we scheduled surgery for Monday, December 21 to explore what was causing the issues and fix it! Obviously, there were lots of emotions, and I left feeling as though I had taken a cheap shot to the gut.

Christy and I were immediately in scrambling mode as we had to figure out who could and would watch our kids, what we would do about our Christmas, and what we would do the Christmas and holiday break in general. We decided to do our family Christmas on Saturday morning, which was great fun (). Then we setup a drop of the kids with her parents in Atoka on Sunday, and reserved a hotel room in OKC for my 6:30AM surgery time.


To start off of Monday morning, we woke up at 4:00AM in order to make it to the hospital on time. The good news was that we were right on time; the bad news is that we went to the wrong hospital!!! Thankfully, we made it in time and the staff did not seem too irritated with us.

The arthroscopic surgery revealed I had two major issues in my shoulder. First, there was, “a ton” of scar tissue. Second, one of my ligaments was too tight, so they sliced it in order to release the pressure/tension. After my operation, the doctor prescribed some pain meds, nausea meds, and a CPM (Continuous Passive Motion) machine… aka torture device!


With all of this, there is a great deal of good news. They have fixed my shoulder (I hope). This surgery was mild in comparison to the first surgery. We will still make it Dallas for Christmas with our family. While the CPM is very time consuming (6 hours a day), it rotates my shoulder 160* adduction/abduction and 80* internal/external rotation (it took 3-4 months to get to that point last time). While there is still a great deal of swelling, the pain level does not require constant pain pills, and I do not have to wear the sling unless I am in public (so people can see my shoulder is not normal).

All in all, I am still very pleased with my doctor, Jimmy Conway. His staff has been incredible to work with, and they never seemed annoyed when I call with my list of questions. This surgery turned out to be relatively minor (compared to the first surgery), and it looks like the recovery time will be much shorter too. So why my initial thoughts were a Scrooge-ish merry Christmas to me, now it is a legitimate Merry Christmas to me… and Merry Christmas Everybody!

4 Book Reviews

It: How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Kee...
Craig Groeschel
Groeschel offers up practical information on what churches and leaders need to make a significant difference for God. While "IT" is not easily definable, it is simply more of Jesus and a heart abandoned for Christ. You may not be able to know what it is, but everyone will know if you do or do not have it! The founder of LifeChurch.tv (Edmond, OK), witnessed a powerful presence from God that he calls It at work in many churches. What is this transformational force? How can you and your ministry get—and keep—It? Combining in-your-face honesty with off-the-wall humor, this lively book tells how any believer can obtain It.


Holy Ambition: What it Take to Make a Difference for God.
Chip Ingram
Holy Ambition provides the reader with a practical guide on how to live and do great things with God. He is looking, desiring, wanting people to use, and if we seek to be useful for His Kingdom, we will be used! Each chapter is insightful and well thought through. My only critique would be that his final chapter seemed a bit lackluster.


Family Driven Faith: Doing What It Takes to Raise Sons and Daughters Who Walk with God
Voddie T. Baucham Jr.
Baucham is seen as anti-youth ministry, when he is in reality pro-family and pro-discipleship. His approach and view on church angers many, threatens most everyone, but should challenge all. Through the entirety of his work, Voddie places the utmost importance on the family as the setting for true biblical discipleship. Not only does he mention this, he gives practical guidance for family worship, reciting and study of catechisms, Bible study, and other methods of true family discipleship. While I agree that what we are currently doing in the church is not nearly as effective as it needs to be and that the family is the primary place for discipleship, I am not a fan of his fully integrated model. This is a really good book that should be read by any parent who falsely thinks it is the youth or children’s minister’s job to disciple their kids… Home is the Key!


The Necessity of Prayer
E. M. BoundsPrayer is the key to unlocking God power in our lives. Bounds is the master of communicating the role of prayer in every aspect of our lives as Christians. He is able to integrate Scripture and other examples to prove his point. This is a classic work on prayer... and free through the Logos iPhone ap.

AT&T is the Worst... There's a Map for That

A few weeks ago Verizon debuted one of the best advertising campaigns I can remember. Taking a page off of Apple’s patronizing of the PC, they counter the iPhone’s “There’s an Ap for that” and created “There’s a Map for that.” AT&T (my guess would be Apple) responded with a lawsuit trying to get the ads removed from production… ironic to say the least.

AT&T’s pathetic claim was that the advertisements were misleading although it was very clear they were comparing the 3G coverage. Today, an article was posted on Yahoo.com citing consumer report that rated AT&T as the worst cell phone service provider, which is anything but shocking to an iPhone and AT&T user.

The most humorous part of the survey was that Verizon was rated #1, again AT&T was dead last. If I were offering my opinion and advice to AT&T, I would like them to drop their attempts to argue that their service coverage is good and invest in making it better. New and/or improved cell phone towers would at least get rid of “There’s A Map for that!”

Here are some of those TV ads:

Obama Leads a Movement of NOPE

That didn't take long! According to the latest Gallup poll, Obama's job approval rating is the lowest level ever recorded for a president at this point in his term. To all of you who were fired up about the movement of hope, it appears that the majority of the country is now seeing it as a movement of NOPE.

During the post campaign addresses his staffers were bragging about how they controlled the media and were able to get them to cover what they wanted covered. Obama used his fantastic rhetoric to overshadow his inexperience and lack of what the country needs most, quality leadership. That matched with a lame duck in John McCain gave him the Whitehouse. Now, it appears as though the majority of Americans - understand this includes many people who voted for him - are not only unimpressed, they are ready for a change.

The bad news for our current President is that it is only going to get worse for the party of nope as health care legislation is discussed and cap & trade lingers, understand that the democrats and their policies are just making it easier for the Republicans to regain control of everything. What seems unreal in his epic slide is that it has all taken place when Obama and his party have a death grip on the House and Senate. They could have done whatever they wanted as the conservatives sat by helpless, instead the democrats have fumbled around and made a bigger mess of things on Capitol hill than what they “inherited.”

Optimism on economy fading.
Democrat (Reid, Nevada) makes ignorant remark about slavery.
Obama's approval below 50%.
Obama, "Nation must spend it's way out of recession."
10 million could lose employer-based coverage under Senate health care bill.

Cole’s Poll (Week 14)

1. Alabama – After spanking Florida, they have earned the top spot!
2. Texas – Barely, barely, barely survived McCoy’s worst decision ever… and that dude named Suh!
3. TCU – Will lose if they play Florida, by a bunch
4. Cincinnati – What a way for this team to remain undefeated, reminiscent of the Iowa Hawkeyes run.
5. Florida – Tebow, there’s no crying in football!!!
6. Ohio State – Yawn…
7. Boise State – Congratulations on beating one quality team all year.
8. Iowa – Got into the BCS after a great season and will have their horses back to showcase if they deserve it!
9. Oregon – Most of me would like to remove them from the top 10 for losing to Boise to kick off this football season.
10. Georgia Tech – The way the run football is old school and fun to watch!


• Kudos to the BCS this year for the imagination and getting it right. Sure Texas looked pathetic in the Big 12 championship, but no one can rightly argue any of the big bowls. They also put the matchups together that people want to watch.
• I am interested in watching TCU verses Boise State, Florida verses Cincy, & Texas verses Bama. Last year TCU snuck past Boise in the Poinsettia Bowl by 1 point, it will be another good game as the Broncos return to the spot of their greatest moment. Florida verse Cincy has the making of a letdown game for the Gators, a la Utah’s destruction of Bama last year. It will be interesting to see how Tebow goes out… and aren’t you glad the messiah coverage will be limited this year! Texas for Bama will not be a blowout as many experts are predicting. It will be a competitive game, just remember back to Bama verse Auburn. As much as it pains me to repeat this, kudos to the BCS!
• Outside of the Oregon and Ohio State, nobody cares, but that is preset… and it’s about time do away with the Rose Bowl tradition. Also, the Orange Bowl is perfect too, Iowa verses Georgia Tech is fitting. The Heart attack Hawkeyes verse Ramblin Wreck will be a good game and measuring stick for both teams.

Lay 'em Down

"Lay'em Down" NEEDTOBREATHE

WisdomHunter93 † | MySpace Video

AI, The Answer, Is Back!

Some people cannot stand him, they call him selfish, a ball-hog, and many other things. I, however, have always liked watching him play... and his AI3 shoes are still the best basketball shoes I have every owned. Anyway, The Answer is back with Philly and it makes me happy. Here is his most recent press conference and his most famous press conference:

He's Back!


PRACTICE!

How to Avoid Fatal Attractions by Rick Warren

Pastor, it breaks my heart to see ministries ruined by unfaithfulness. Unchecked lust in the life of a pastor is incredibly destructive to the ministry of the Church. You and I are human. We're subject to the same temptations everyone else is. But sexual sins can be fatal to a ministry. Here are six actions to remember as you battle "fatal attractions."

1. Make a commitment to keep God's standards.
You've got to be willing to do what the Bible says. Psalm 119:9 (NIV) says, "How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word." There are a lot of places you can look for values and standards to base your decisions on: self-help books, television, movies. But, pastor, if you don't want to fall victim to a fatal attraction, you must decide once and for all to make a commitment to keep God's standards revealed in his instruction manual, the Bible.It won't lead you wrong.

God says we're to enjoy sex within the context of marriage. Some people get confused on this point. They wonder why God restricts their freedom if he loves them. But as a parent, you wouldn't let your children do whatever they want. Why? We love our kids. We want to protect them. Our rules are for their good. God's rules are for our good, too. Decide today that you'll obey God's truth or none of the other steps will matter.

2. Maintain your marriage.
If you want a strong marriage, you've got to maintain it. You need to rekindle the romance. Proverbs 5:18-19 (TLB) says, "Rejoice in your wife. Let her charms and tender embrace satisfy you. Let her love alone fill you with delight."

The Bible tells us to "rejoice" in our wife, and then "be satisfied." In other words, don't compare your spouse. There's no such thing as a perfect mate. The grass is not greener on the other side of the fence; it's greener where you water it. The problem is in most married people have no spontaneity in their love life. There's boredom in the bedroom.

While you're married, you will be attracted to other people. But God says redirect that attraction toward your mate. Rejoice in your own mate.

3. Manage your mind.
You need to understand how temptation works. James 1:14-15 (TLB) says, "Temptation is the pull of our own evil thoughts and wishes. These...thoughts lead to evil actions." The battle starts in the mind. If Satan gets your attention, then he gets your feelings. If he gets your feelings, then he gets your actions. Some say, "I'd never do this. I'm just dreaming about it." Who are you kidding?

Thoughts determine feelings, and feelings determine actions. The key to avoiding sexual temptations is to control your thoughts. Jesus said in Matthew 5:28, "Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Adultery starts in the head before it gets to the bed.

Lust isn't physical attraction. It isn't being aroused. That's just being human. You see a nice-looking person and you're attracted. Lust is the desire to possess. In other words, "If I could, I would." It's not the initial feelings and reactions. That's just part of humanity. God gave those instincts to you, but you must manage them.

4. Monitor your media intake.
We are in a sex-saturated society. We are bombarded by visual and verbal stimulation every moment of the day. In advertising, sex sells everything from bingo to batteries to bananas. Lust is big business. Most "love" songs are really lust songs. You pick up a magazine or a novel - and it's everywhere.

Studies have shown that the vast majority of sex on television is between people who aren't married. Every time you watch these escapades, your guard drops a bit. The Bible says that the eye is the gate to the soul. Matthew 6:22-23 (NIV) says, "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness." What you see is what you become.

If you're serious about dealing with sexual temptations, you're going to have to give up about 80 percent of the movies that are out there today. Some of you are saying, "I can watch that stuff. It doesn't affect me." Don't believe it. 2 Timothy 2:22 (NLT) says, "Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts."

If you're sitting in a movie and realize you've made a mistake, get up and walk out. If you put in a DVD and realize it's not something you should watch, don't watch it. I've walked out of a lot of movies, changed the channel on a lot of TV shows, and returned a number of PG videos. If you're serious about dealing with this issue, you've got to monitor your media intake.

5. Minimize the opportunities for temptation.
If you want to avoid a fatal attraction, don't allow yourself to be in situations where it happens. Matthew 6:41 (GNB) says,"Keep watch, and pray so that you will not fall into temptation." Jesus gives two preventative measures in this verse: keep watch and pray.

"Keep watch" means be alert and wise. Know the situations that tempt you so you can stay away from them. Are you aware of what trips you up? One area that trips up many people today is that couples spend much less time together than ever before. With both men and women working, and both working long hours and traveling, our quality time - or quantity time - is lower than ever. If you typically struggle when you or your spouse is out of town, then maybe you need to limit the amount of time you are away from one another.

Maybe for you it's a certain set of friends that always lead you down the wrong path. It's simple. Stay away. Friends that lead you to lust after someone who is not your spouse aren't really friends.

6. Magnify the consequences.
You need to ask yourself, "Is this worth it?" Temptation is incredibly short-sighted. There are enormous consequences to breaking God's laws. Pastor, I'm sure you've heard the hurtful cries from spouses hurt by unfaithfulness. You should understand this. When we break God's laws, they break us. It always causes pain, bitterness, and masses of problems. It's just not worth it.

James 1:12 (NIV) says, "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." I want one of those victor crowns someday. He's saying, "Deny the lesser to gain the greater."

I have only "known" one woman in my life - my wife. By the grace of God I intend to be faithful to her the rest of my life. Why? I love Jesus Christ, and I owe everything I have to him. To hurt him is unbearable. Second, I love my wife and kids. I cannot bear the thought of hurting them. But also, I fear the wrath of God. Unfaithfulness is a serious issue with God. The Bible says in Proverbs 16:6, "The man who fears the Lord shall avoid evil." That's a healthy fear. God does not let people get away with lust and unfaithfulness. Why? He loves us too much to let unfaithfulness destroy our relationship.

Cole’s Poll (Week 13)

1. Texas – I think they will lose the championship game, but they, unlike Florida (see where the refs gave them the game against Arkansas) earned an undefeated season.
2. Florida – Should handle Bama and it will not be close.
3. TCU – Too bad there is not a 4 team playoff so they could lose in the 1st round of it and know they are where they should be.
4. Alabama – Saban will be made as satan’s residence after he loses again to Tebow’s gators.
5. Cincinnati –Pittsburgh should not beat them. This will leave them on the outside looking in, able to complain, and hoping they don’t have to prove their argument by playing one of my top 4 teams.
6. Ohio State – Yawn…
7. Boise State – Does anyone think they could beat anyone in my top 5 or Ohio State… I think not!
8. Iowa – Will win whatever bowl they play in, unless they play someone ranked higher than them in my poll!
9. Penn State – Not really sure who else to put here.
10. Oregon or Oregon State – They can play each other for this spot in my poll… and a trip to the Rose Bowl!!!

• Forget all the allegations, Mark Mangino deserves to get fired for the way he handled the final 2 minutes against Mizzou… it was the worst time management of the year. Yes worse than Harvard vs. Yale and worse than the Hat from LSU against Ole Miss!
• Charlie Wies deserved to get fired last year, if not the year before… it was long overdue.
• FSU should be ashamed to have forced out the man who made them into what they are or were last decade….

Cole’s Poll (Week 12)

1. Texas – Be sure not to overlook A&M, who has won 2 of 3 from the longhorns
2. Florida – FSU is hungry to prove Bowden belongs
3. TCU – As good as a non-BCS school has ever looked
4. Alabama – Great win over Chattanooga… seriously, Chattanooga?!?
5. Cincinnati – At Pittsburgh in 2 weeks, but don’t overlook a Cuse team that just beat a top 25 team yesterday
6. Georgia Tech – Will face Clemson for a BCS birth
7. Ohio State – Yawn…
8. Pittsburgh – 2 tests the next two week: @ WVU then Cincy for a Big East title
9. Boise State – Still do not like them in my top 10, but they finally dominated a doormat opponent
10. Oklahoma State – My feeling is that this will only last for a week due to their weak offense!

Watching Texas last night it made me think of the highly touted QB’s going into the season, here are my thoughts:
• Colt McCoy will be the next Mark Bulger
• Tim Tebow will be the next Kordell Stewart
• Sam Bradford will be the next Phil Simms