Jars of Clay For a Second Novel

“Diversity” is the word coined to best describe the remarkable creativity of Matt Bronleewe who will speak this week at Saddleback Church’s much anticipated Worship Conference and Festival in Lake Forest, California. Bronleewe will co-spearhead panels at the mega-church event on subjects that include studio production, song critique, vocal productions  and  a recording panel Q&A session for an anticipated registration of more than 1,500 worship pastors, senior pastors, and worship team members from across the U.S. and overseas. An award winning record producer to an impressive list of top names in both pop and Christian music, Bronleewe’s creativity both behind the control board as well as his creditability as a hit songwriter has to date produced multi-platinum successes and sales of more than 20 million units.

McCain Meets Billy Graham

Republican presidential nominee John McCain had the chance to pray with an old acquaintance of his family on Sunday. He met privately with Billy Graham and his son Franklin at Graham’s home in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. The three men met for almost an hour. It was McCain’s first time to meet the evangelist. The elder Graham had prayed with McCain’s parents twice while John was being held as a prisoner of war in Hanoi during the Vietnam War. Franklin Graham said his father “expressed gratitude for the senator’s long and brave service” to the country. McCain has been trying to court the religious and conservative vote, but he insists the meeting wasn’t a political one. “They have known my family and me for many years, and the great leaders of this nation,” McCain said. “I appreciate the opportunity to visit with him and am very grateful for the time they spent with me.”

The Governors Seek Energy

TETON VILLAGE, Wyo. – Governors from several Western states voted Sunday to form a council that will study ways to protect wildlife habitat in the face of ever-increasing demand for energy development in their region. The governors were attending the first day of the annual Western Governors’ Association conference, held this year in the valley of Jackson Hole in Wyoming’s northwestern corner. The task of the Western Wildlife Habitat Council will be to identify key wildlife corridors and habitats for animals such as pronghorn antelope, sage grouse and bear. It is also considering the potential impact of energy development, both in the form of oil and gas drilling and new construction of solar and wind generation plants, as well as the matter of infrastructure for the rising population in the region and the effects of climate change.

U.S. Ship Arrives in N Korea

SEOUL, South Korea – A U.S. ship carrying thousands of tons of food aid has arrived in North Korea, after the communist nation agreed to expanded international assistance for its impoverished people, the U.N. food agency said Monday. The World Food Program said the American ship that arrived Sunday carried 37,000 tons of wheat, the first installment of 500,000 tons in promised U.S. aid that will be distributed by the United Nations. The aid was not directly related to the ongoing nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang, as the U.S. says it does not use food as a means of diplomatic coercion. However, the shipment came just days after the North handed over its delayed atomic declaration and blew up the cooling tower at its main reactor site. In exchange, Washington has removed some economic sanctions against the North and said it would remove the country from a U.S. State Department list of state sponsors of terrorism.

The Power of Prayer

Psalm 149, Praise ye the Lord, Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.
Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.
For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.
Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.
Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand;
To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people;
To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;
To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints,
Praise ye the Lord.

The power of prayer should not be underestimated, James 5:16-18 declares, “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us, he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.” God most definitely listens to prayers, answers prayers, and moves in response to prayers. Jesus taught, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move… Nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20). 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 tells us, “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” The Bible urges us, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:18). The power of prayer is not the result of the person praying. Rather, the power resides in the God who is being prayed to. 1 John 5:14-15 tells us, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him.” No matter the person praying, the passion behind the prayer, or the purpose of the prayer – God answers prayers that are in agreement with His will. His answers are not always yes, but are always in our best interest. When our desires line up with His will, we will come to understand that in time. When we pray passionately and purposefully, according to God’s will, God responds powerfully!

June 2008 Bible lesson

Proverbs 17:26-28(KJV):
26 Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity.
27 He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.
28 Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

Proverbs 17:26-28(Amp):
26 Also to punish or fine the righteous is not good, nor to smite the noble for their uprightness.
27 He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding has a cool spirit.
28 Even a fool when he holds peace is considered wise; when he closes his lips he is esteemed a man of understanding.

These verses in Proverbs continue to compare the actions of the righteous with the actions of the wicked. Verse 26 states that punishing the just and smiting noble people because of their uprightness is not a good thing. Throughout history those who have punished the righteous to make an example of them in some way, would usually find that it backfired, as the people would make martyrs of them. Whatever cause they were punished or killed for, in the eyes of the people they became heroes. Their followers were inspired to fight even stronger for their faith and/or goals. Those who die for their beliefs are honored by others who hold that same belief.

May 2008 Bible lesson

Proverbs 15:28-29(KJV):
28 The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.
29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

The book of Proverbs continues to compare the righteous and the wicked. We notice in verse 28 that the righteous are wise, in that they are not quick to speak, but rather, they ponder and think about how they should answer a person. The wicked just allow all the evil that is in their heart to pour out of their mouth. The evil things that they say have been stored in their hearts. We can store up good things in our hearts or we can allow the devil to put his evil ideas in our hearts. It is not a sin to have an evil thought. An evil thought that comes to our mind is simply the devil tempting us to act upon that thought that stems from our sinful nature.

April 2008 Bible lesson

Proverbs 13:25: “The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul: but the belly of the wicked shall want.”

Many of the statements in the book of Proverbs are observations of what happens to the righteous as opposed to what happens to the wicked. Proverbs 13:25 says that the righteous will never go hungry, while the wicked shall want. There are other scriptures that tell us the same thing.

Psalm 37:25-26: “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.”

God’s Word makes many promises to those who follow and obey Him. One of those promises is that His people and their children will not lack food. In fact, when we follow God and obey Him, we will have more than enough to be able to lend and give to others. Over the years, I have heard of many amazing testimonies of people who had no food and yet, they prayed and had faith in God to supply. He did not fail them, and some, through miracles, had food provided for them.

March 2008 Bible lesson

Proverbs 10:18-21(KJV):
18 He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.
19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.
20 The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.
21 The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.”

These scriptures in Proverbs deal with advice about the things that we speak. Notice the words listed here in reference to speaking — lips, utterances, words and the tongue. The things that we “say” and the things that we “pray” will either bless others or cause harm to others. We are told in the book of James how deadly the tongue can be. Unless we allow the Lord to control our mouths, we can be guilty of cursing others, instead of blessing them.

February 2008 Bible lesson

Proverbs 5:14-23 (Amplified): “[The extent and boldness of] my sin involved almost all evil in the estimation of the congregation and the community.
15 Drink waters out of your own cistern [of pure marriage relationship], and fresh, running waters out of your own well.
16 Should your offspring be dispersed abroad as water-brooks in the streets?
17 [Confine yourself to your own wife] let your children be for you alone, and not the children of strangers with you.
18 Let your fountain–of human life–be blessed [with the rewards of fidelity], and rejoice with the wife of your youth.
19 Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant doe [tender, gentle, attractive]; let her bosom satisfy you at all times; and always be transported with delight in her love.
20 Why should you, my son, be infatuated with a loose woman, embrace the bosom of an outsider, and go astray?
21 For the ways of man are directly before the eyes of the LORD, and He [Who would have us live soberly, chastely and godly] carefully weighs all man’s goings.
22 His own iniquities shall ensnare the wicked, and he shall be held with the cords of his sins.
23 He will die for lack of discipline and instruction, and in the greatness of his folly he will go astray and be lost.”

The Bible often uses poetic symbolism when describing the details of life. The above verses in the book of Proverbs reflect the principle of monogamy that is found in the Ten Commandments. In fact, we might say that the entire book of Proverbs is a detailed discussion of the Ten Commandments and the folly of disregarding them. Proverbs pays particular attention to the destruction that is caused by the sin of adultery. Verse 14 begins by stating that an individual’s sin will affect the whole community.