Notes from Piper Study

Piper Notes

The holiness that we are to have at the day of Christ’s coming is contingent on continuing in the faith. This contingency does not contradict certainty. God is faithful; he will do it. But no believer should think that he will be ready to meet Christ if he does not “continue in the faith.”

God’s faithfulness is experienced in his continually awakening in us the grace to keep believing. He keeps us. And he does it by giving us the passion to treasure him and pursue holiness.

It is certain they will arrive safely in faith and holiness at the day of Christ. That arrival is contingent on persevering faith. And Paul’s prayers are the agency God uses to bring them safely home. (Philippians 1:9-11, 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13)

Therefore, let the truth of Paul’s certainty make us sure. Let the truth of contingency make us serious. And let the truth of agency make us to surround ourselves with praying brothers and sisters who intercede for our faith and holiness.

to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world means that at root Christians are so profoundly satisfied by Christ as our eternal reward, we are freed from fear and greed for the sacrifices of love, and are able to rejoice at persecution. When the world sees this, they see the glory of Christ and taste the satisfying pleasure of who he is.
6 Aspects of Humility

If humility is not compliance with relativism and is not sophomoric skepticism, what is it? This is important, since the Bible says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5), and “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11). God has told us at least six things about humility.

1. Humility begins with a sense of subordination to God in Christ.

A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. (Matthew 10:24)

Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God. (1 Peter 5:6)

2. Humility does not feel a right to better treatment than Jesus got.

If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household! (Matthew 10:25)

Therefore humility does not return evil for evil. It is not life based on its perceived rights.

Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps; . . . while suffering, He uttered no threats, but handed [his cause] over to Him who judges righteously. (1 Peter 2:21-23)

3. Humility asserts truth not to bolster ego with control or with triumphs in debate, but as service to Christ and love to the adversary.

Love rejoices in the truth. (1 Corinthians 13:6)

What I [Jesus] tell you in the darkness, speak in the light. . . . Do not fear. (Matthew 10:27-28)

We do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake. (2 Corinthians 4:5)

4. Humility knows it is dependent on grace for all knowing and believing.

What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? (1 Corinthians 4:7)

In humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. (James 1:21)

5. Humility knows it is fallible, and so considers criticism and learns from it; but also knows that God has made provision for human conviction and that he calls us to persuade others.

We see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:12)

A wise man is he who listens to counsel. (Proverbs 12:15)

Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men. (2 Corinthians 5:11)

6. Humility is to believe in the heart and confess with the lips that our life is like a vapor, and that God decides when we die, and that God governs all our accomplishments.

Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that." But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. (James 4:13-16)

8 Reasons to not be anxious

1. Life is more than food and the body more than clothing (Matthew 6:25).

2. God feeds the birds and you are more valuable than they are (Matthew 6:26).

3. It's pointless. It adds not one hour to your life (Matthew 6:27).

4. If God clothes ephemeral grass, he will clothe eternal you (Matthew 6:28-30).

5. Unbelievers are anxious about stuff. And you are not an unbeliever (Matthew 6:32a).

6. Your father knows that you need all these things you're anxious about (Matthew 6:32b).

7. When you seek first God's kingdom and righteousness, what you need is added to you (Matthew 6:33).

8. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Tomorrow's trouble stays there (Matthew 6:34).
What Does It Mean to Serve God

“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). What does that mean?
It means to do what he says in a way that makes him look supremely valuable in himself.
It means to submit to him in a way that makes him look thrilling.

There are ways to submit to God that only make him look threatening, not thrilling. There are ways to do what he says that only call attention to the fact that he is an authority not a treasure.

That kind of service is not the service God commands.

What’s the difference?

The difference is that God has told us not to serve him as though he needed anything.

“He is not served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything” (Acts 17:25).

“The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

Both these texts put all the emphasis on God’s giving to us when we serve.

So the kind of service that makes God look valuable and thrilling is the kind that serves God by constantly receiving from God. The key text to describe this is 1 Peter 4:11 —

“Whoever serves, [let it be] as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.”

God is seen as glorious when all our serving is moment-by-moment receiving from God’s supply.

We receive this supply by faith. That is, we trust moment-by-moment that what we need, in serving him, he will supply (“life, breath, and everything”). This is the opposite of being anxious. Such serving is happy. And it makes God look no less authoritative, but infinitely more desirable. This is the glory he means to have. The giver gets the glory.
The Logic of Fearlessness

Paul told the Philippians that living worthy of the gospel of Christ meant fearlessness before enemies.

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ . . . not frightened in anything by your opponents (Philippians 1:27-28).

Then he gave the logic of fearlessness.

For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake (Philippians 1:29).

The logic is this:

God has given you two gifts, not just one: Faith and suffering. That’s what verse 29 says.

In this context that means: Both your faith in the face of suffering, and your suffering are gifts of God. When Paul says, don’t be frightened by your opponents he had two reasons in his mind why they don’t need to be frightened:

1. One reason is that the opponents are in the hand of God. Their opposition is a gift from God. He governs it. That’s the first point of verse 29.

2. And the other reason not to be afraid is that your fearlessness, that is, your faith, is also in the hand of God. It too is a gift. That is the other point of verse 29.

So the logic of fearlessness in the face of adversity is this double truth: Both your adversity and your faith in the face of adversity are gifts of God.

Why is this called “living worthy of the gospel of Christ” (v. 27)? Because the gospel is the good news that Christ’s blood of the covenant infallibly obtained for all his people the sovereign working of God to give us faith and to govern our enemies — always for our eternal good.

Therefore, fear not. Your adversaries can do no more than God grants. And he will grant you the faith you need. These promises are blood bought and sealed. Gospel promises.

Pain is a Tool

What are the evidences of the aging process that are part of your current season of life? How do they impact your life view?


For me, it's the chronology of life that has more of an impact than anything else. 50 years old is coming and that, to me, is a bigger deal than 30 or 40 ever was in my mind. I can do the math, and if God allows me to live to 80, that's only 30 more years. That's a drop in the bucket, particularly looking back on the last 30 years and how relatively fast they've gone by, like the morning mist.


Vernon Grounds made the observation of how there are people that long for release from the body due to the inevitable entropy in our bodies. Paul said our bodies are wasting away, and that seems like foolishness to young campers, but resonates with others.


Pain may actually pave the way for a graceful departure, though I've rarely seen that. Cancer doesn't dispense grace and it ravages people. Ecclesiastes 12:1-14

So, build on the rock, because the storms do come and are no respecter of persons.


However, pain also gives us perspective on our own lives, but more importantly, compassion and sensitivity to others going through pain. It adjusts our lens, in order to get our focus back into eternity, preparing us for the "I can't wait to get there!" thought and, quite frankly, the irresistible longings.


Isaiah 40:6-8

John 14:1-3

Belief in God = Peace...which is also the absence of a troubled heart. In this context, He is preparing a place and explicit in the preparation is this nugget: "If I'm preparing a place for you, I'm going to receive you to Me". If it were not so, He wouldn't have said so!


Our Eternal Home 600 x's in scripture

Habitation of God

Isaiah 57:15

1 Kings 8:30

Psalm 103:19

Daniel 4:37

2 Chronicles 7:14

2 Samuel 22:7




Perhaps the easiest thing to forget when we suffer, or see others suffer, is God is involved in the suffering. Regardless of the all-powerful, all-good tag God rightly deserves, we tend to forget what Jesus did for us in the ultimate injustice. Isaiah 63:9 & Acts 9:4 shows how directly and personal the suffering was for God. He has experienced evil, injustice, and physical pain, not to mention despair, heartbreak, and heartache (not from spicy foods, I reckon).


Philippians 1:21

When Paul wrote those words, he wasn't in a nursing home. He had experienced a multitude of things I never will. So, I can only imagine him and the countless others who have literally died for their belief in God, had a much sweeter taste of that verse and felt the full force of sacrificial living; how true those words rang in their spirit when facing the end of this life, fully aware they were just moments away from seeing Jesus.


I anticipate Heaven much more because I'm almost 50. In the good to great experiences in life, I'm thankful and, yes, acknowledge these are temporary. I still enjoy and bask in them.


I do get intermittently distracted by the good times, but I am not fooled by them.




When life is hard I want to learn to walk in grace and go through as refined by fire.


Revelation 4-5


The changes in life are significantly less frustrating than they were 15-20 years ago. Everything seemed to matter, and it made no difference the size and scope of the the issue. Today, there are fewer and fewer issues that trouble me, personally. It will always be different for parents when the sons and daughters are on their journey, no longer dependent on us.


Job 12:12

Proverbs 17:17

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14


Christ's work makes sense of life. His work gives life meaning, significance and satisfaction.


Finishing Well

Eric Bakich Podcast Notes, Head Coach at Michigan

Bakich Podcast

Core Values invite accountability so everyone knows what team stands for and can articulate it

Selflessness- team > me

Relentless in pursuit of my best daily - Aggressive, no fear, on the attack

Blue Collar- appreciate what you have but work like you have nothing

Gratitude and a so what mentality

Toughness/ Discipline - doing what you say you're going to do when you say you'll do it

Confidence- root of all success. Mentality

National Anthem

Compared to What? 

Perspective 

Concentration 

Breathing

Process 

Life Skills 

Routines compound effect

Make your bed

Reading 1 book per week

Measurement = Motivation

Legacy

Servant Leadership

Tony Robichaux, Head Coach at Louisiana Lafayette Rajun' Cajuns

This man completely gets it when it comes to coaching. Of course, with this comes the questions for myself: Am I that coach, how will players look back at our time together: Transformational or Transactional, Did / Have I valued the result of competition over the process of building men?

Ugh. 

Well, here are my notes on the podcast 

Robichaux Podcast

Fear and Danger are different things

Fear in baseball shouldn't exist because what's the worst thing that can happen?

Fearful mind sets 

Danger is real

Fear is perception, imagined

Deal w fear bc it will consume you

Not afraid to crash and burn - can't die stealing a base

12' foot alligator sleeping vs awake- sleeping alligator is nothing but ppl imagining what could happen

Thinking/Seeing. What lens are we looking through? Chance to fail or chance to succeed?

Navy and armed forces standing at attention- look at US, not look at ME. 

Passion>Logic

Passion tells you when to get to work, when to leave. 

Turning boys to men-

Teach and Model character. Can't learn playing sports, it's caught; have model it. 

Feet attached to the heart and if you don't have passion, your feet will take you out of it. 

Trust, Committed, Concern

Become elite then attach yourself to organization- it doesn't work the other way, you don't join or attach self to something "elite". Association vs Ownership - not discounted or half off. 

Navy Seals is most often faked profession by frauds

Product is better if your people get better. Coach people not the product. Transformation vs Transaction. It isn't baseball, they've played a ton of games. It's not talent that does a player in, it's their character. 

Personal challenges. Spend more time making better athletes instead of who they're going to be for the next 60 years. 

How's the curve ball or slider helped your marriage? 

Flip a tire in 100 degree heat but shrink in morality. Athletic courage, Moral courage. 

Athlete glorified but character is deficient. 

You're the CEO of you. If I hire you, you're going to bring value OR devalue our program. 

Coaches evaluated on how well the men they coached are living life. Husbands, fathers, etc. 

Receive identity>achieve identity  Work to receive it, not to achieve it. 

Piper on Grace

Gods Grace

Being “in Christ Jesus” is a stupendous reality. It is breathtaking what it means to be in Christ. United to Christ. Bound to Christ. If you are “in Christ” listen to what it means for you:

1. In Christ Jesus you were given grace before the world was created. 2 Timothy 1:9, “He gave us grace in Christ Jesus before the ages began.”

2. In Christ Jesus you were chosen by God before creation. Ephesians 1:4, “God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world.”

3. In Christ Jesus you are loved by God with an inseparable love. Romans 8:38–39, “I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

4. In Christ Jesus you were redeemed and forgiven for all your sins. Ephesians 1:7, “In Christ we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses.”

5. In Christ Jesus you are justified before God and the righteousness of God in Christ is imputed to you. 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For our sake God made Christ to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

6. In Christ Jesus you have become a new creation and a son of God. 2 Corinthians 5:17, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” Galatians 3:26, “In Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.”

7. In Christ Jesus you have been seated in the heavenly places even while he lived on earth. Ephesians 2:6, “God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

8. In Christ Jesus all the promises of God are Yes for you. 2 Corinthians 1:20, “All the promises of God find their Yes in Christ.”

9. In Christ Jesus you are being sanctified and made holy. 1 Corinthians 1:2, “To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus.”

10. In Christ Jesus everything you really needed will be supplied. Philippians 4:19, “My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

11. In Christ Jesus the peace of God will guard your heart and mind. Philippians 4:7, “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

12. In Christ Jesus you have eternal life. Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

13. And in Christ Jesus you will be raised from the dead at the coming of the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:22, “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” All those united to Adam in the first humanity die. All those united to Christ in the new humanity rise to live again.

How do we get into Christ?

At the unconscious and decisive level it is God’s sovereign work: “From God are you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Corinthians 1:30)

But at the conscious level of our own action, it is through faith. Christ dwells in our hearts “through faith.” (Ephesians 3:17) The life we live in union with his death and life “we live by faith in the Son of God.” (Galatians 2:20) We are united in his death and resurrection “through faith.” (Colossians 2:12)

Solomon's Blessing

In 1 Kings 8:54-61, Solomon offers a blessing to the people of Israel and what stuck out was the very first verse as it notes, "when Solomon finished praying this entire prayer and petition to the Lord, he got up from kneeling before the altar of the Lord, with his hands spread out toward heaven, and stood and blessed the whole congregation of Israel with a loud voice..."

Not very proper and religious. 

Next, in 1 Kings 8:64, Solomon consecrated the middle of the courtyard because that's where he offered up sacrifices. Wherever we are is set apart for the Lord and we can bless him anywhere. That day, Salomon offered up 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep. He said the temple was too small to accommodate his offerings-wouldn't that be something if our sacrifices and offerings were too large for the local church?

After 14 days of worshiping and celebrating the goodness of God, Solomon sent them home. They blessed him and went home to their tents rejoicing with joyful hearts for all the goodness the Lord had done for his servant David and for his people Israel. 

Fourteen days. 

I'm feeling pretty good if I'm not distracted beyond fourteen minutes in worship. 

Humility, Solomon and His Pomegranates

Would you like a good reminder of your importance? Resign from your job you've held for 10 years, and listen for the crickets. 

I've heard it said once or twice that if you want to see your importance, put your hand into a bucket of water and then pull it out. The water is moving around while your hand goes in, but when your hand is removed, the water settles down and remains in the bucket the same level as it was before. 

I have found that when people come and go, we give it a thought and then continue on with our own job, thankful we still have one. 

At times, I was an energy vampire, characterized in Jon Gordon's book, "The Energy Bus" as a person who sucked the energy from a group or organization wanting to move forward in positivity. 

Positivity is a powerful emotion and needs freedom to move about. 

I wasn't always an EV, but I think I was enough of an EV, that when I left, there was probably some relief from admin. 

I know that I brought many good things to the table, but at the end of the day, if a person doesn't share the same passion for the vision of the organization, it's time to move on. 

My wife said a wise and profound thing: "if the vision no longer resonates, it's time". 

The mission statement of authentic Christian leaders did resonate. The methodology did not. 

That, by no means, posits anyone was right or wrong, it simply means that people in the organization who agree with the methodology, need to go full forward while those who do not, need to move along. 

I have my doubts daily that my decision was correct although it was inevitable a few months from now. I've simply sped up the process and forced my reliance upon God much sooner than I had anticipated. And right now, I am in a state of full reliance. 

It is certainly an unusual and uncomfortable feeling-I am on the outside looking in at a profession I've been a part of for 23 years. 

I am mixed with relief and melancholy. 

The bottom line - life goes on- for everyone. We are too busy with our own lives think about much else. 

The word pomegranate, “rimon” in Hebrew, is derived from the Latin words "pomum" (apple) and "granatus" (seeded). Grown in the Mediterranean region for several thousand years, this remarkable fruit is rich in symbolism and there are specific references to the pomegranate in the Bible. 

Jewish tradition of the pomegranates is said to be symbolic of righteousness because it has 613 seeds and the Torah has 613 Commandments. 

Others have thought the pomegranate to be the forbidden fruit in the garden of Eden. It has been equated with the symbol of fertility and also appeared on the front of ancient Judea coins. 

Song of Solomon 4:3

Song of Solomon 4:13

Song of Solomon 7:12 

Song of Solomon 8:2

God and Suffering: Trusting God In It, Lesson 7

The net result of experiencing pain is hopefully a turn toward God.

Psalm 77:2-3;7-12 traces the path and the familiar verse we can rest upon is Romans 8:28. Implicit in these passages is a trust, a faith, that manifests well before we know the net result.


If God is working for me and with me, it's no longer simply an autonomous deal God has going. He's involving us in the process of our maturation, our spiritual growth, and our benefit.


The most important question isn't "Why Me?", rather it is, "What now?".


Dr. Brand said, "One of the great things about pain is that it so often brings us back to God."




I especially love CS Lewis' quote on pain that it is God's megaphone to rouse a deaf world. Classic, and necessary.


Paul's declaration of confidence ("And we know…") can be unsettling. In the context (the entire chapter of Romans 8), God's sovereignty is the pillar holding everything else up.



Express in your own words the differences between these statements: "all things are good" and "all things work together for good."

All things are not good, although everything God created was good. Implicit in this verse is although not all things are good, God will take the bad and good and weave it together for our benefit.


Psalm 28:7

Psalm 32:10

Psalm 84:12



Paul says that behind the "all things" and the resulting good are God's overarching purposes. In the following verse (Rom. 8:29), what are those purposes for which God is at work in your life? How are they seen?


If I know God is working it all out for my benefit, I can trust him completely.


How Does God Keep His Promises?

Psalm 115

God and Suffering, Lesson 6 - In Times of Crisis, We Find Each Other

Is there still room in our post modern world for the Good Samaritan?


Incurvatus in se" (Turned/curved inward on oneself) is a theological phrase describing a life lived "inward" for self rather than "outward" for God and others.


The reason we aren't reaching out to others is summed up in the Latin phrase. We curve in on ourselves instead of forgetting about self, letting Christ increase and ourselves decrease. Less of me is good for the world and myself; more of me is a terrible thing for everyone.


Sometimes our pain medication is our loved ones being with us. So, does pain galvanize us together more than pleasure?


The power of presence. The power of touch is legitimate, particularly since it was one of the most effective ways to communicate not only empathy but affection.


Empathy is expressed in closeness, nearness and how else can one communicate that but by touch?


Mark 1:40-44 Jesus could have healed the leper many different ways but chose touch as the means. Studies continue to show the power of touch to newborns and it goes well beyond the newborns-touch is important to us.


The Power of Hugs


Our key is identifying "lepers" in our community and giving the power of touch. Empathy goes for miles.


Psalm 119:76-77


2 Corinthians 1:3-4


What Kind of Church Do We Need?

God and Suffering, Lesson 5

Jesus responds to the curse initiated in the Garden (Genesis 3:15) by giving an example of the joys of childbirth following the pain of the actual birth process. John 16:21-22

The anguish is not remembered because of the joy in seeing the newborn. So, we have sorrow now but our hearts will rejoice and the joy will not be taken away!

Jesus is the ultimate answer to our suffering. We seek to escape it or find a remedy apart from Him. Although the remedies are plentiful and escaping the pain through the remedies are a temporary fix, only in Him will we find comfort that lasts.

In Genesis 3:17, Adam listened to Eve and trusted her authority over God's authority. Adam certainly could have claimed ignorance but, just like my choices reveal, Adam willfully ignored the authority over him and heeded the voice of a lesser authority, Eve.

We simply do not heed good authority that can be trusted. It ends in wreckage.

The implications of not heeding God's authority are found in Genesis 3:17-19-

Ground is cursed
Working the ground in pain our whole life
The fruit will be mixed- sometimes fruitful, sometimes full of thistles
Return to the cursed ground one day
We are dust

The whole earth groans and awaits the return of Christ.

How can we use pain as an appropriate measure of expression for God's love for us?

The first and most obvious, to me, is that it is simply God's most effective way to have stop what we're doing while giving us an opportunity to ponder. Pain often sets us down, slows us down and affords moments of reflection other means don't afford us.

Second, experiencing pain gives us the opportunity to grow in empathy and compassion in order to bear the burdens of those around us when we are without pain.

Ecclesiastes 1:1-18

Romans 3:10-18

There is no peace in the path of misery and ruin because there is no fear of God.

What to Make of God's Agenda

Phil promised us instability and that's exactly what we got. "Nothing will go as planned" he stated confidently at breakfast several days ago, "But you won't forget it."

I'm certain I won't, for a number of reasons.

The comfort and security I seek is better left for Heaven, where investments are better kept and time is redeemed. We have ideas that serving abroad is somehow more important, more spiritual, and if we aren't careful, we can let ourselves feel plenty puffy about the good we are doing while also wondering how much more money this is going to cost.

I came across two verses on the plane back home that were hits right between the eye. The verses in their context had to do with giving.

The first passage is in Proverbs 11:24-25 and the main part that I highlighted was this: "Whoever brings a blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered". The word enriched is defined as improving or enhancing the quality or value of. There has to come a time when we just give ourselves away without worrying about anything other than the bare essence of Christ's manifest work of grace. Without the empowering act of grace on our behalf, nothing we do is worth more than an nickel. But it comes back to me forgetting, quite often, I'm increasing my value and enhancing the quality of my life when I give it away.

That passage led me via a cross reference to 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 which is simply about not holding back any resource we have. Be cheerful with it all, in order to abound in every good work! If we sow bountifully, we receive bountifully. So much of this trip I focused on what this was costing me because I've now gone off the grid of Christian Education and am without a job currently. I've stepped into the unknown but am almost sure it was time to do so. I'm not employed in a profession I'd always been in and always thought where I'd finish. I'm not so sure.

What is next? Well, does it matter? If I focus on spending time with Jesus, loving and serving people, providing good value, give thanks in every circumstance, and have a great attitude, am I not doing his will? Does it matter what I do?

Well, professionally it always matters to the ego. The ego is insatiable and cannot be tamed. As I sat staring out the hotel window toward the city of Managua, I couldn't help but throw up a sigh and wimpy self pitied prayer as I wondered what in the world I had done with my life! The enemy whispers in those moments, "You've wasted your life and now you're coming to the close. Who knows how much time you have? Look what you've done! You might get 20 more years if you're lucky, but either way, it's winding down, pal."

Wow. I listened to that for a minute and got a little short of breath. It's a daunting thought. Look around, like Peter did and see what happens. Looking down, around, up, or down isn't profitable. Turn your eyes on Jesus, the Psalmist begs of us.

Do you know why?

The enemy is relentless and would like all of us to compare ourselves continually to those in our peer groups whether we know them or not. We are not made to compare and contrast. We will either give ourselves a pat on the back or throw pity parties wondering if God has forgotten us...worse yet, did we miss God somewhere along the road?

I remember sitting in the living room, in the middle of the night, of the foster home Cory and I were running back in 1996, having the very same desperate prayer and thought, "Have I missed You completely?" Those moments are disconcerting and I realize we have all wondered that. However, the sum of those thoughts are not any weightier than the individual thought manifest in each of us and it can be suffocating.

So, turn your eyes upon Jesus and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace. This is not a one time deal, I can assure you. It must be hour by hour or the cords of this life will suck out the enrichment we are to receive by being light and life to others.

Whether it is in a foreign land or to the next door neighbor, plant and water. It will stretch you in any situation. We don't have to wait for the next mission trip.

I'm grateful for God's good blessings on this trip, His providential care, His timing, and his people plowing their ground, in Nicaragua as well as here in DFW. I learned to trust His agenda, which always includes people at different stages in their walk with Him. I learned to trust his timing and trust that it's always "Now" for us being ambassadors.

Comparison is the Thief of Joy and we must diligently guard our hearts from it.

Final Day in Managua

Today was very similar to Sunday because we were not able to secure any opportunities to teach and share with teams. This was originally scheduled to be our off day to go exploring and we decided to stay with that plan, still hopeful God would give us the privilege of loving and serving his people through baseball. The last two days here have been about his people, but simply without baseball. It's been fruitful in terms of relationships and serving others, but our only lament is no more baseball. 

Phil and Bob told us to go ahead and use the service provided by the hotel to drive their guests around. The sudden realization of this being a legitimate means of travel sparked a simultaneous "Oh, we could have done this yesterday" comment from both JD and I. 

I cannot imagine us trying to get out of Managua in our own car today, because every major road was blocked off due to this being a holiday complete with an enormous parade. The hotel staff rolled their eyes at the parade and we even heard a clear American expression, "It's lame". 

Our driver and JD in back seat

Our driver zig-zagged his way through Managua and eventually got us out by effectively using his horn and stick shift to set us on the road to Granada. There was plenty of conversation between our driver and JD, albeit not lengthy in nature, but rather informative. 

On the Way to Granada

Granada Historic Catholic Church

Up in Bell Tower which costs $1 to ascend

Starbucks of Nicaragua 

Ricardo, our boat guide through Lake Nicaragua's Islands

Justin sporting new "Okey's"

Monkey Island

Sometimes Rest is the Command

Sunday found JD and I without two important things: A clinic and a ride...to anywhere. Today was the originally scheduled Showcase with Boer in conjunction with IBA. We waited in the morning to hear from Bob or Phil as the opportunity to work with a team, which JD and I hoped would actualize, appeared to be imminent. The chance to work with a team is really ideal if no clinic can be secured and we hoped for the best. 

The breakfast crew has been fantastic all week. Our main waiter is a baseball player at night and had a game in Leon, about an hour away. We couldn't make it, but JD brought him a baseball that he asked us to sign. I broke out my autograph from 1991 while JD had his signature still fresh from his time at Pepperdine. 

There was no follow up call or email, so we decided to head out, with a very short leash, out and around our hotel area. The first mall, the JV mall, was directly across the street and is reminiscent of the early malls I frequented growing up. The kids are still looking for opportunities to sneak away but instead of making eye contact with a nod of the head, they text to each other because they can. 

Outside in the court area pictured below, a group of teens had an empty 2 liter bottle and were playing "Spin the Bottle", minus the smooching (maybe it was for later and they were keeping track). This area seems to be the area where the smooching takes place, as we observed several couples staking out their spot in the second level area outside. 

Center Court Managua Mall

We then took the elevator up to the top floor, which is reserved for weddings and other formal settings. If we had found this earlier in the week, we may have been up here more as the views, as well as the wind, were refreshing. From the roof, we got a great view of Lake Managua in the distance, Dennis Martinez Stadium, The Liberation Army Headquarters (a stone's throw from our hotel, but we recommend not throwing any stones), and neighborhoods covered with corrugated roofing and cinder block walls. Quite a juxtaposition.

Atop Crowne Plaza overlooking Managua

Just to the right of the photo below is a large monument with stairs leading up to the top. We walked along the road you see below and up to the steps thinking nothing of the next step until the armed guard we just passed said firmly, "No". We stopped, turned around and figured the best thing to do was retrace our steps, like defensive ends are taught to do when recognizing screens. Further down the road is the history of the Sandinista's and the leaders of each "administration" along with their photos which look like a most wanted set in a post office. They are proud of their history and the army is and has been pretty stalwart over the years. 

Juan made mention on our way back from Esteli the Sandinista's had "lost their way" by not keeping the ideals of Sandino, the hero of Nicaragua in the early 20th century. 

Headquarters for the Liberation Army

Lake Managua

Sandinistan Monument we could not go up

Neighborhood by Hotel

Our Home away from Home

Our night ended with another treat, Papa John's Pizza, ordered by one of our new friends and 45 minutes later, we were set for the night. We weren't sure if the pizza was delivered on a bicycle, motorcycle or car but it was delicious. 

JD gives a thumbs up for Papa John's

Estelì and The Cuban Cowboy

We came home from Gran Pacifica last night unsure of what we were doing today and unsure if we would see our friend Gerard again. Both questions would be answered in the span of 12 hours. 

Phil and Bob put together a connection with Gilberto and the Roberto Clemente Academy in Estelì late last night and we had an event! We were hopeful to have another means of transportation and another driver. Everything came together, (Thank you Lord!) and the legend of the Cuban Cowboy awaited us. 

Today started out with cautious optimism based on the reports of our new driver, Juan Martinez. Juan is well esteemed by IBA and Phil, so JD and I were looking forward to the trek to Estelì with him. Our only issue in the morning was the string of emails between all our parties left unanswered by Gerard. I won't spend much time here, but that alone should have told us what we needed to know. 

Juan picked us up around 11am Nica time and we headed for the Best Western to see if our new friend was still with us. We pulled up, looked around the parking lot and saw no Corrolla. JD went to the lobby, looked around...there was no Gerard. Our new friend, fresh with a full tank of gas and cash in hand from us, was long gone to Madagalpa or some other destination where the gringos were more appreciative. 

With that chapter closed, JD and I were looking forward to 20 kids (that number is similar to how Nica's clocks work-thereabouts) at Estelì and some time on the road with Juan. Juan is a measured, yet well spoken young man. He is often the babysitter for his new daughter, Andrea, while his wife, Valerie, tends to the business side of Gran Pacifica Resort. He himself has a business driving clients wherever they need to go and is on call 24/7. He was in IT, but left that industry due to the stress and time it took. He was determined to work for himself and went into business with a friend. He was perfect for the drive and stayed with us for the day. 

Juan, Our driver and JD's  translator

The countryside along the way to Estelì was pastoral and scenic, similar to country drives one would take in the states. Ranges of mountains were littered throughout the drive with abundant farmland ripe with tobacco and sugar cane. 

Juan asked many good questions about our purpose with the baseball clinics, including a thought provoking, "What makes a player good?" He also asked if we would rather have a good player with bad character or a average player with good character. That sort of question crystallizes the philosophy of coaches, to a degree. At most levels, we cannot choose our players; they choose us. So, it is our job to work to shape and mold each player. At the end of the day, most coaches would prefer character over talent. But some coaches always feel as though they could work with the malcontent to effect change. That should be our approach but bad attitudes will torpedoe the mission more times than not. 

Gilberto warmly greeted us and the liaison established last March with IBA seems fruitful and hopefully this relationship between the two will continue to grow. There were several coaches in uniform and nineteen more players than what was communicated by our friends in Estelì. Most of the players were in their uniforms, with about half of the kids involved in the Roberto Clemente Baseball Academy. Curious onlookers populated the grandstands and dugout areas, while the presence of Pedro Ramos seemed to both haunt the adults and delight the players. 

Ramos was an intriguing figure. He was dressed like a retiree in Miami or, according to JD's astute observation, a drug lord. (His history is peppered with encounters with the law due to his drug dealing). 

He was wearing clean, white pants with a white belt, black shirt with a large Star of David necklace and an Atlanta Braves hat. He played for many organizations including the Yankees and is best known (in baseball circles) for serving up home runs at a record pace- one every seven innings pitched in his career. 

He handed me his "business card" with a picture of him from his MLB days in his Yankee uniform. The Yankees are the symbol of success to the Nica's and there's little doubt why Ramos wears his Yankee hat- for status and gravitas with the kids and adults. It probably also helped that his best years in the MLB were with the Yanks, assuaging Ramos' angst over a rather mediocre pitching career, albeit 15 years long in MLB. 

He made sure to remind JD and I he was still doing great feats at 80 years old (he looked quite fit) and that he hit a fungo 461' on a $1,000 bet with Mickey Mantle that Mantle never paid, according to Ramos. His presence in Estelì seems to be a bit of problem for the coaches at the academy because he comes and goes while having the affection of the kids, as they clamor for him when he's around. 

The coaches at the academy, as well as Gilberto, are not comfortable with Ramos' intermittent presence and equipment is an issue because both Gilberto and Ramos said conflicting things about what happens to the equipment when allocated. It's a tough situation and it's clearly an uncomfortable topic for Gilberto, who is a genuinely pleasant and passionate man. 

Gilberto and Esteli's main coach 

The Cuban Cowboy, Pedro Ramos and I

The Baseball Players and Coaches at Esteli Clinic

Younger Campers with their new IBA shirts. 

Coaches and older Players after evaluations at Esteli

We spent some time working with the players, JD taking the outfielders and I with the infielders. The players have been given decent instruction and they didn't lack for baseball IQ, basic fundamentals or awareness. They had adequate foot and glove work but could use more quality reps. Gilberto's son, who is 14, is already a polished catcher and consistently hit 2.0-2.1 on his throws to 2B. Another promising prospect, a 14 year old LHP with a big frame, hit 75-76 in tennis shoes while showing relatively good command of his off speed stuff. 

We took some infield and Pedro said I was an "OK fungo hitter" but that he would show me how it was done better. So, while JD timed 60's, I was fielding ground balls from the Cuban Cowboy fungo machine. He and I connected through something as simple as that and it was a momentary suspension of time and a blast. Of course, he wanted to work me to the backhand and glove side, but my six stitches, now comfortably lodged 3 days in my leg, wisely said, "no Bueno". 

Our day finished with getting the group together and sharing why we were here at Estelì. Gilberto translated for me as we emphasized God's purpose for each of us. Jesus wants us to use our talents for his purposes and not for our own pleasure. God takes great pleasure when we find pleasure in Him through the gifts he's given. Small victories of daily diligence will lead to bigger victories. It all starts with doing small things well for His honor. 

After pictures and handing out of shirts to the players, I had an interview with a representative of some organization covering the day with Pedro acting as my translator. After answering a few questions, the reporter and Pedro went into their own conversation which, Pedro later told me, was about the noble intentions of IBA and our visit. Well, knowing what we now know, it's difficult to say if that's accurate. ;)

JD handing out IBA shirts to the younger players

A great day concluded at Estelì with three young boys asking Juan how they could ask the Americans for a baseball, which is a highly valuable commodity in this area. They asked with confidence and JD and I gave them each a ball as their eyes lit up like Ralphie getting his Red Rider BB gun on Christmas morning. 

We had a good trip back with Juan while JD's prescient comment about Pedro would be confirmed with an email from Phil detailing Pedro's tumultuous past. When we got back to the hotel, we were informed by Juan that just across the street was a mall with a food court. So, we neglected Phil's advice on good lakeside restaurants and went to...

Dinner Time!

McDonalds!

...where we found comfort in a double cheeseburger and, believe it or not, a delicious 3 piece chicken combo that would rival any legitimate chicken place in Texas. And, all things being what they are in Managua, one must try their Toña, which we did. 

We thank God for another day and the opportunity to love and serve his people while trusting hour by hour his provision and purpose. 

Until tomorrow, Buenos Dias! 

Esteli Campers & Coaches

Santa Rita Comes to Play

I It all started with a much heralded breakfast buffet at the Crowne Plaza this morning w JD and a powerful Nica who served some delicious coffee. JD was underwhelmed by breakfast but we both were impressed with our server's Karate skills. There is a karate competition across the street and teams from all over Central America are participating. 

Gerard was able to piece together his makeshift trunk attachment and we loaded up to head out to Santa Rita, about an hour southwest of Managua. The only problem, early on, was JD's memory failed him (at 21, no less!) and we took the wrong road to Leone, which is very similar to our blessed Loop820, which can send a driver in all four directions at some point. 

"Oh, you're going S on 820?"

"No, I want to go S on 820, but I'm actually heading W on 820"

"OK, head N on 35E until you get to where 35W intersects to with 121N, just past 30E"

"Got it"

It didn't set us back too badly and apparently everyone runs on Nica time, which means you get to your destination 4 days to 2 weeks and still be received warmly. We stopped two different times for directions to assure ourselves, until JD's memory kicked in when he saw his first landmark, a grocery store along the road to Leone. 

All the while, we were entertained by Gerard's life lessons, which included losing his girlfriend, wives and maxims from his father. He is a highly engaging individual with enormous potential, if yielded fully to the Spirit. I believe I've just described most of us!

We arrived in Santa Rita around 9:30 am and came upon a humble looking school with students in uniforms playing soccer during recess. There were also a collection of older boys who were anxiously waiting for the Americans in order to play some baseball. The boys made their way down to their field, which was roughly 1/4 mile away from the school. 

Houses were nestled along the path, with pigs working their ground, dogs hunting for food, and clothes hanging from the lines at each house. 

The baseball field was reminiscent of the field in Sandlot, except Frankie Rodriguez and the gang didn't have to navigate through horse poop and, well, horses on the field. The horses were oblivious to the action and weren't going anywhere, as one horse was actually tied to a leash in right center field, making navigation for the outfielders perilous. 

We started off with greetings to the group, handed out the gloves we brought for the kids. Only 2 kids had their own gloves, so our donations were of great benefit. Thank you, Dallas!

We had the kids partner up and had them play catch, finishing up with an old game called, "21". 

We then went into fielding fundamentals, took some infield and outfield, and then scrimmaged for the final hour. We divided players after we established our two catchers and the players were free to steal and advance on passed balls, dirtballs, or wild pitches from the American pitchers, JD and myself. (There were no wild pitches). 

The scrimmage was absolutely the most intriguing aspect as the Nica's showed a relatively high baseball IQ, athleticism, good baserunning, and aggressive swings at the plate. I was relegated to pats on the back, high fives, and lots "Bueno!" but there was one coach who had an obvious influence on the kids and was helping with where to throw, how far to run on bases, and swing instruction. Resourceful Nica's used branches with leaves as bases, including home plate! 

We had a great time and as the game ended my only thought was I wish we had more time with this group. Some very good potential in many of the players with a few players showing some pretty good life in their arms. We shared why we were there, "love Jesus, love people, love baseball" and prayed with and for them. We handed out T-Shirts for the kids and wrapped up a good morning in Santa Rita by saying thank you's and goodbyes to the kids and the coaches. 

A bomb hit by a Santa Rita player

We headed out to Gran Pacifica, a resort where Phil, Lisa, and JD stayed for awhile last year. The drive was scenic and, at times, like DFW traffic complete with traffic jams. But instead of cars slowing us down, it was cattle, horses, and people walking on the road, as if it were just for them. 

When we arrived at GP, we treated to an incredible view of the Pacific at low tide while meeting some very good folks, who warmly greeted us, and they were especially glad to see JD. We played golf in the afternoon with Kent, a successful businessman, who introduced us to a round robin version of golf. The area and people had me thinking "I could live here..." and the only drawback to that would be vocation. What would I do? 

The fun began on the way out, as we were close to running out of gas and had more miles to go than what was in the tank, which was made abundantly clear by our driver. We stopped at a well known eatery, Bob's Burritos and the fun began! We enlisted the help of a taxi driver to go get us gas in a Clorox bleach container in order to get us 22km down the road to the next station. After it was decided the first gallon wasn't enough, the taxi driver went for another gallon. 

We headed back Managua hoping to find one more gallon along the way, which we did at the most curious place (to an American), a small roadside house with a dry erase board reading "Gasoline 1.20", which was $4.45 in US money. A lady funneled the gas in and we were on our way home. 

The natural friction of souls bumping into each other put a slight taint for JD and I on the evening as our driver voiced frustration of the day's events, which gently reminded me we are in need of Jesus hour by hour and apart from him, we are jacked up.