New Stuff In the IHOP World

Check out the brand new redesign of IHOP's onething website. Big props to Joseph Taylor and the onething crew that pitched in (I'm sure Josh Inkenbrandt has a little consultation fee coming to him as well).

Also, IHOP has a new front door for the onething conference. This is your way to connect with what's going on: webstream, free and at-cost MP3s, highlights and a way to submit your prayer requests to the twenty-four hour prayer room. We'll be adding more throughout the conference.

And keep watching IHOP's homepage for a brand new design there as well (my sources say sometime after the new year).

onething™ National Conference 2006

The onething Conference starts in less than 24 hours. You can come to KC for it, pay $40 on the IHOP website to get the live webstream, or get it for free (you didn't hear it from me) on www.god.tv. Their schedule is located in the left sidebar. The "Watch Now" tab is mid-screen.

I'll be slaving away in the IT netherworld with a team that makes sure everything goes smoothly. Tap in however you can.

Enjoy.

Giving (and Control), Part Tres

I'm going to (over)simplify this to make one quick point:

We believe certain things about Love, and we aim for them: Love is not love when you force someone to love you back, when it isn't freely given, when it isn't voluntary, or when it is coerced.



Why do we as Christians believe that giving is any different? Giving isn't really giving when we are forced to give, when we force someone to give back to us, when there are strings attached, or when we place demands on the receiver before we hand it over.

Verse For The Night

This one brought to you by Olivia, the non-sleeper.






“Listen, I tell you a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:51

Why Spend $300?

For all the IHOPers. In-ear headphones can get expensive ... anywhere from $100–400 easily.

Here's a tutorial on how to do it for about $20 (just don't ruin your ears, okay?). Hope it's not too late for you.

Each Saturday, For Two Hours

John and Cordell are coming over tomorrow. You may have seen them in your neighborhood; they get around. Over the past year they have stopped by at least five or ten times and usually our conversations are pretty scattered. Not any more. Each Saturday we meet for a few hours and just hit one topic so we can really dive in.

They are Jehovah's Witnesses. While they are nice enough guys, they are deceived by the father of lies ... that would be Satan, folks. [Did you see that coming?] JWs have been systematically taught to reject the basic tenets of the Christian faith; they have been robbed of the greatness of Jesus, the trinity, the Holy Spirit, the coming eternal Kingdom, and everything made available to us who are believers. Instead, they emphasize some minor quibbles and end up ticking more people off than helping them. Two months ago John asked if we could talk about the coming “paradise on earth”; it's one of their big current teachings. I told him no, but that we could talk about God because the King is greater than the Kingdom.

Tomorrow will be about the pre-existence of Jesus Christ. They think Michael the archangel was created by God the Father as the first of His acts, then He sent Michael to Earth as Jesus, who lived and died (although they think he could have not accomplished the purpose he was sent for), was resurrected spiritually instead of with a physical/incorruptible resurrection, and so on.

 does not equal  


My take on Christianity is that the Bible should easily prove the truth and disprove the lies. As we go on I hope to post both sides of the theological debate.

I'd appreciate you keeping them in your prayers. John and Cordell have each been Witnesses for twenty years, and John is the top dog for this community (not really sure how that works, but it's a real-deal hierarchy). If Jesus wins his heart, it may provide some openings into the lives of the other Witnesses under his charge—right before they disfellowship him. I am jealous for them to find the true Gospel and to start the kind of relationship with Jesus that He desires to have with them.

Forever

While Kayla has the potty-training thing down, she doesn't yet distinguish “bathroom conversation” like the rest of the world ... some things should be said after you wash your hands.

As I put her down for bed tonight she let me know she had to go number two. But after about ten minutes, she still hadn't made that one last deposit. I asked her, “Are you going to go potty, or do you want to go back to bed?” She paused for a moment and then said, “I want to hold you forever, daddy.”

Yeah, me too, Kayla.

Early-riser

If a duck wakes up early, does it get up at the quack of dawn?

From Death Comes ... Laughter

A Christmas toy died today (sorry great-grandparents, this stuff happens). While Amy's back was turned Kayla opened a few presents: sock puppets.

Anywho, about a half-hour after the girls went down for their nap, Amy heard some randomly-timed gut-busting laughter coming from Kayla's room. When she peeked in, she found that Kayla had ripped open one of the sock puppets and was rubbing the cotton on her face, saying, "Snowman".

I Thought It Was Funny

Microsoft's Development Chief "would buy a Mac if he didn't work for Microsoft".

Ouch. Good thing he's stepping down after Vista ships. Now he can get a good computer.

Giving (and Control), Part Deux

Some comments rolled in on Shawn's blog. They really know their stuff, and they have a lot to add to the conversation. A few phrases stuck out to me. Here's the rundown.

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From the insightful Ruth:

"great talk, really like the posts! And i see what you are saying Josh.

My opinion on giving to random beggars is actually really easy. I think we should give them as much as possible the things they need. Most beggars do not need money. They think they need money, but money won’t buy them food because they are so easily tempted to do bad things with the money. I remember one time when I was in Charlotte, NC with a friend of mine..we were downtown and saw so money homeless people (we have them over here in Amsterdam and other big cities as well of course..) but they were so many and there was this guy begging for money, we decided to buy him bread. I wouldn’t trust this guy with one dollar, but I knew he would eat the bread and I know he was hungry and he did eat the bread. So my opinion, I would give them, as much as I can, what they need.

Recently I noticed how great giving to others is. When I read Phillipians 4 I see giving is also related to having fellowship with each other. in Phillipians 4:15 paul called it partnership/fellowship. So i agree with what shawn said about giving to those you know and trust. Giving comes forth out of satisfaction from the inside. When you are satisfied with what you have (even if it is just a little) you’ll be more prone to give because your satisfaction does not come from the money you possess or anything. On the other hand, if you are not satisfied with what you have (always greedy) , even if you are a billionair you won’t spend a dollar on your brother."

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Then a charitable Mr. Ronalfy:

"Good points Josh. You could easily make a blog post out of that.

What I had in mind when I wrote my original post was Hurricane Katrina. I knew somebody that was personally affected by the hurricane, and I would rather give my money directly to that person rather than to a charity where I didn’t know where the money was going to go.

I agree with all the comments about giving something besides money to beggars. I can see how buying groceries, food, or giving a ride to someone is just as charitable.

Thanks for all the comments on this post. I appreciate them."

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My turn.

Ronalfy ... blog ... I did. And, again, I agree with giving to trusted sources (our household gives to trusted sources more than anything else), but even trusted sources can have lapses in judgment or other priorities than what we imagine is important for them. There's no guarantee our earmarked cash will go expressly for our intended purposes, whether it's a friend, a charity or a random beggar; it makes no difference. Which is the point where this whole "donate only to certain types" theory breaks down for me. I just can't see it actually playing out A to Z like we want it to. But, like I said, that's mainly what I still do; I'm all for it.

One time a dear friend gave our family some money and said, "Take your wife out on a date." They didn't know that we had no food in the house and that their 65 bucks would be better spent at a store for five meals than on one. Did I tell them? No. They gave and God will reward them for that, but I was a wise steward as well and I will be rewarded for taking care of my three little girls for that week instead of blowing it on steak, lobster and those amazing cheddar biscuits. And then a mint mocha. With whip. 145º so it's not too hot. Man, I wanted that mocha.

By the way, "I can see how buying groceries, food, or giving a ride to someone is just as charitable." Incredible! That's one of the best sentences on this whole post! That's exactly right. Great summary. Amen, let's stand.

Ruth, your "satisfaction" comments are superb. Great insight into realizing your identity. Reminds me of, "Jesus, knowing where He came from and where He was going, took off His outer cloak and began to wash [the disciples'] feet."

I agree with giving them what they need, but I personally find it very difficult to do that in a realistic way (as I just said above, I can't see it going exactly as we had hoped most times). For instance, did your NC beggar need bread or a complete meal? Would he have been even better with an apartment, some new clothes, a job, some real friendships and salvation? We can always do more. Always. It will never be enough.

But it's not about doing enough, it's about just doing it.

Photo by Gaëtan Bourque



If I may, I'd like to ask a question. You said, "I wouldn’t trust this guy with one dollar..." Why do you need to trust him at all? Should our giving be contingent upon what they will do with it?

If I run into a non-Christian beggar on the street, should I make him jump through hoops or make promises to get something from me? In other words, should I place certain standards or expectations on a person who does not subscribe to my belief system? Should I make him "act Christian"?

I have made some homeless folk jump through hoops to eventually get my blessing (and my cash). But I found that making them act a certain way was more for my sake than theirs. One time I even made a guy promise to tithe a dollar of the ten dollars I gave him. At the time it was innocent enough (I was about 14) ... except for trying to control his free will. Really, I was just trying to make sure that some of the cash went to good use. And that was wrong. I can't hold non-Christians to the same standard I ascribe to. If we are being honest, we should admit we can barely get all our own team on the same page.

I'm just saying that we don't need to wait to feel lead to give. And we don't have to trust the person we are giving to. All that is secondary to actually giving. Just doing it is most of the equation.

I'm trying to figure this out, but I'll say it anyways. [I'm a little nervous about the reaction.]

Does God really trust us?

Or does He truly only trust Himself?

I think it's probably a little of both. But the fact of how much we mess things up everyday has me leaning toward Him trusting Himself. All of history, especially Christian history, is not so much about how awesome we are as humans or about how great we are at following Him, but about how incredible His leadership is. Even though we mess it up at every turn, He takes all our mourning and turns it into dancing ... all our ashes and makes beauty out of it ... everything that was meant for evil, He turns it into our good. It's all about how great He is.

Back to the question: well, if that's so (if God does not truly trust anyone other than Himself)—and I'm not yet ready to say that it is—then why should we think we need to trust the person we are giving to? ... Why should we try to control the situation more than God does?

Thoughts on Giving

This is a completely imagined response post to Shawn's user submitted forum, but I'm trying to make a point and I go into it a little more here.

The original poster says, "The Bible instructs over and over again to remember the poor, and to not turn away those in need." But then continues with, "Should we freely give out cash to the random beggar on the street? ... I feel it would be better to give to someone you personally know and trust."



Josh: Question, poster. How many random beggars do you know and trust?

Poster: Umm, well, none actually.

Josh: So, you mean to say you don't give money to the less fortunate?

Poster: No, I do. A lot.

Josh: No doubt ... but only the less fortunate, trusted friends?

Poster: —

Josh: Oh.



I have to say I disagree with a certain thought process here, but it's only because I don't think Jesus did this while on Earth or that God does this with us. I don’t think “choosy giving” is what God had in mind, even though that is what most of us have been taught (usually for reasons of safety).

Let’s sum it up like this: God never told us to only give to certain people. He never said to only give if we believe they will do “right” with it or use it to our liking and approval. He said to give just like He gives. Not only ten percent, but more; not only your coat, but every article of clothing you can spare; not only _________, but also ________.

If I give only to those who fit my requirements, I’ve missed the point of Him asking me to give. It’s about my heart and my willingness to follow Him even when it doesn’t add up in my mind or even if they do something completely evil with it; it’s not about their subsequent actions. It’s about me.

And here's why: you can never dictate the free will of others … and thank goodness. You're not responsible for what they do with what you give them, you're responsible to be merciful to those who need mercy, to give to those in need—all those in need—and to love without exception precisely because that is exactly what He does, daily, with you.

He loves you without dictating your free will. He gives mercy to you without dictating your subsequent response. He provides for you (financially, spiritually, on and on and on) without forcing a "correct response" from you. Being like Him means giving to the uttermost, not giving when your criteria is met.

I will now approach some immediate arguments that come to mind.

1). "Well, that's just stupid. Why would you throw money away like that?" I don't know. Why did God just throw away Eden to those idiots? If He would have waited and let more people enjoy it first, it would have been put to better use. What's the point of making the most beautiful place in existence just to see it go down the drain almost immediately? More people enjoying it would have been a better plan in my book. Oh ... that free will thing. Nevermind.

2). "But because of Eden, because we messed it up so bad, God had to send His Son to make up for our mistakes." Yes and no. Jesus was slain before they sinned. And, in fact, the most extreme gift (Jesus) is still the most un-received by humanity. It's that free will thing again. When has the Father ever withheld His Son from someone?

3). "When we come to Jesus He still has expectations though." Yes, but they are not contingent on anything; the Father has already given the Son, regardless of our response.

4). "Throwing money at scam artists is a really bad business move." Of course it is, but I'm not talking about a start-up company. I'm talking about an attitude of the heart. Proverbs takes care of the wise and unwise business scenarios, but this does not fall into that category. This is not a "sow and reap" scenario as in the business world; those scenarios demand shrewdness and wisdom.

5). "But he's just going to get some beer or crack and I don't want to support his habit." Agreed, I don't either, but the scenario is rarely that simple. He may or he may not. But this is not about what he does with it, it's about your heart. Will you give because, and only because, God asks you to ... regardless of the outcome? Why does he have to swear to use it the right way before you do what God asks of you?

6). "There's government programs for that." Alternative solutions do not absolve the believer from doing what is right and good.

7). "Well, I'll certainly pray about it and see if I feel lead to do it." Since when did "doing what is right" mean that you had to have an open heaven vision or feel lead of the Lord?

8) "In 2 Thessalonians 3:10, the Bible says, 'If a man will not work, he shall not eat.'” You're right, it does. However, while it does have its merits in normal society, the verse you quoted is Paul speaking directly to other Christians taking advantage of the religious system, not to random beggars. So that’s a half thumbs-up on that one because, really, we’re supposed to provide for the orphaned, widowed, foreigner and oppressed among us. And God puts no qualifiers on why they are oppressed/less fortunate.



We take what God offers us daily (most of it we don't actually realize is coming from Him), and we rarely use it to the absolute full capacity of "what He intends". Should He stop giving because we make the wrong choice?

My point: where did we get the idea that our giving should only happen when we either “feel lead to give” or when the individual gives us a guarantee that it will be used “correctly”? Yeah, um, let’s not even get into whether they would lie or not.

Or seen from the angle of the other Beatitudes, are we supposed to pray only when we feel lead to pray or when we can get a guarantee that our prayers will have the outcome that we intended? Or, rather, could God’s primary point for prayer have mostly to do with our heart and with us partnering with who He is?

Are we supposed to fast only when we feel lead to fast or when we can get a guarantee that our fasting will have the outcome that we intended? Or, rather, could God’s primary point for fasting have mostly to do with our heart and with us partnering with who He is?

Are we supposed to only bless and forgive others (including our enemies) when we can get a guarantee that our blessing and forgiving will have the outcome that we intended? Or, rather, could God’s primary point for blessing and forgiving have mostly to do with our heart and with us partnering with who He is?

Are we supposed to only serve (including our enemies) when we can get a guarantee that our service and sacrifice will have the outcome (usually that means public applause) that we hoped would come our way? Or, rather, could God’s primary point for serving and sacrificing have mostly to do with our heart and with us partnering with who He is?

Whether we receive Him or not, Jesus has already been given by the Father to mankind. He is not waiting to give Jesus until we either do or promise to do something first; Jesus has already been given and He has no guarantee that every human will accept Him. It is not contingent upon us, and thankfully so because we still mess it up even after the fact. Does God give only when He either “feels lead to give” or when the individual gives Him a guarantee that it will be used “correctly”?

And let’s not even get into whether we would lie or not.

Olivia Update

We had the doctor's appointment last week. They thought she was doing fine, but this week we're not so sure. Her color is a bit more blue (bad sign) and she has been sleeping a lot more lately; she's not awake for more than about forty-five minutes. That's not normal for a three month old, but we don't know what it means. Could her next surgery be soon? We don't know. We're going to get a hold of our cardiologist next week and ask these questions.

Other than that, she's a normal kid. She's now laughing and cooing, and we found that her neck is incredibly ticklish. Here's a few pictures of the third muskateer.

Thought

No matter how many Taco Bell commercials you see, it's still the same eight ingredients.

"But this time the cheese in inside instead of on top..."