Crocker Land

8lbs 15 oz

2009-05-29T22:59:00.001-06:00

“Oh! So good!”

2009-05-27T14:23:00.001-06:00

The Lord was, is and continues to be good! This has been exciting month in the Crocker home! The last two years have been an adventure in faith and in spiritual, mental, emotional, relational, and physical stamina.

The Lord was good when Toni’s dad chose an “elective” heart repair about two years ago so that he could better care for mom as she entered the middle stages of her Alzheimer’s. But the “normal” operation resulted in many weeks of being hospitalized and his real home coming a month after coming back to the ranch.

The Lord was good that fall when Toni discovered “the lump,” and when we heard those words “It is cancer, and it is aggressive.” He was good when we started 2008 with chemo treatments and doctor appointment followed by appointment, over and over again! The Lord was good when we discovered in 2009 that the herceptin treatments had to be stopped because it had caused significant loss of her heart function!

The Lord was good two weeks ago on the Friday before Mother’s Day when we heard the good news from her cardiologist that her heart was doing very well. God was so very good when we heard today from her oncologist that she is “good to go!” We all had a few weepy moments in the doctor’s office knowing that the treatment was successful with no needed visits until Toni has her “six month” check up.

So May has been a good month! David was “in his cave” that he likened to a “prison” when he cried to the Lord that he trusted and had found in his past to be “Oh! So good!” Psalm 142:7, Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.

With David we praise God and want to speak to those who have gather around us. Our Dear Lord has been good by walking with us! He has provided us with great medical care! He has called His children to pray; and they did! He asked them to surround and support us; and they did! He has been “Oh! So good!” He gave us a Shepherding Team at Cheyenne Berean that shepherded us and they were “Oh! So good!”

So forgive us if we take the time to be reminded that He has been “Oh! So good!” and if we take the time to say one more time to you that you have been “Oh! So good!”

Saved, Sanctified and Secured Grace?

2009-03-25T12:24:00.005-06:00

Saved, sanctified and secured by grace? This is not a question for me, I strongly affirm that I am saved, sanctified and secured by God's grace alone! Recently I was asked about a doctrinal belief concerning a Wesleyan church. They are an evangelical church and we would have many points of agreement on essential doctrines. But as well there are several differences. Here is how I approached the question.

1. Local Church Statement: I check out their own statement on the web, realizing in many cases that they will have a “light” statement for the public that is non-threatening. In this case I saw that their statement about the Holy Spirit says, “That God is able and does fill entirely the believer who seeks the fullness of His Holy Spirit.” This appears to suggest a “sinless perfection” sanctification theology.

Also I note the statement that they believe “in the bodily resurrection of everyone who has lived, an everlasting blessedness and reward for those who continue in a right relationship with God.” This is apparently referring to the loss of salvation.

2. Denominational Statements: I then check out the fuller statements from the denominational headquarter, http://www.wesleyan.org/beliefs. I find that they believe in “a gradual or progressive sanctification as the believer walks with God and daily grows in grace and in a more perfect obedience to God. This prepares for the crisis of entire sanctification which is wrought instantaneously … effected by the baptism with the Holy Spirit.”

I also note that concerning the atonement, “It is unconditionally effective in the salvation of those mentally incompetent from birth, of those converted persons who have become mentally incompetent, and of children under the age of accountability.”

I have now learned that they believe that at a “crisis of entire sanctification” they can receive a second baptism of the Holy Spirit that will allow them to reach a place of complete holiness but if they fail to stay in that condition and lapse into sin they can loss their salvation, unless they have become mentally incompetent.

3. Web search: I then do a quick web search on Wesleyan Arminian Doctrine and find http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conditional_preservation_of_the_saints and note several things about their beliefs. “Wesleyan Arminianism holds that:
· Conscious, unconfessed sin (without any expression of regret) is the beginning point for the fall from grace
· Repentance (confession and change) is a necessary part of the Christian walk and restores holiness and salvation
· It is possible for long periods of backsliding to create a “shipwreck” of faith and loss of eternal life should it continue untended, but in spite of this God can radically call one back to saving grace”

In the same article I note this explanation and illustration. “The term Conditional Preservation of the Saints is used to describe the belief that a Christian’s salvation can be lost. The central tenet holds that believers are preserved from all attempts to “snatch them from the Father’s hand” but can willingly reject the Gospel after it has been accepted, thus being conditional on remaining faithful to Jesus.

Pastor and theologian David Pawson comments, “The Arminian position is accurately portrayed by someone throwing a lifeline to a drowning man and saying ‘grab hold of this and keep holding on tightly until I pull you to safety.’ I would maintain that no one rescued in this way would dream that he had saved himself or even made a ‘contribution’ which merited his rescue. He would be filled with gratitude towards his rescuer.”

Biblical Position: Paul teaches in Ephesians 4:30, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption,” (NIV). Paul uses the passive “were sealed,” indicating that God did the sealing, not the believer (see Eph. 1:13). Also Paul notes that the sealing was until the “day of redemption.”

Commentaries:

UBS New Testament Handbook Series, Ephesians 4:30, This “seal” is a guarantee of the final and complete redemption.

Wuest’s Word Studies from the Greek New Testament, Ephesians 4:30, The Holy Spirit …is the seal, indicating that the transaction whereby the Son of God paid the penalty of human sin at the Cross is a finished transaction, and that God owns us as His property by right of purchase, also that because of the two preceding facts the saints are secure in salvation “unto the day of redemption,” that is, with a view to the day (at the Rapture) when our physical bodies will be glorified. The Holy Spirit is the seal God places upon the saints which guarantees all this.

Wuest’s Word Studies from the Greek New Testament, Ephesians 1:13, The word “sealed” is sphragizœ, “to set a seal upon, mark with a seal.” The papyri afford the following examples of its use: “If the fruit is sealed, then everything is in order: the sealing is the last thing that must be done prior to delivering;” “let him seal a sample,” obviously to prevent the corn from being tampered with during its transit; “I gave the letter sealed (to the messenger);” “send the ass to be branded” (Moulton and Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament).

Church Position:

Salvation: We believe we are saved solely by the grace of God through faith in Christ alone. This salvation was purchased by the substitutionary death and shed blood of Jesus Christ for the sins of every person and is offered to everyone as a free gift. The person who has trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior is eternally secure, and can enjoy the assurance of salvation. We believe that at death believers enter eternal glory and that unbelievers enter eternal torment.Acts 16:31; 20:20-21; Rom 3:28; 10:9; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; John 1:12; 3:16; 10:28; Eph. 2:8-9; Phil. 1:6

Sanctification: We believe that every believer has been sanctified, set apart with a perfect standing before God. As we yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit, we will experience spiritual growth in holiness, but we will not experience perfection in conduct. Future rewards are determined by our obedience to the Lord. Heb. 10:10; Phil. 3:12; Rom. 6:13-19; 1 Cor. 3:8

Quotes

2009-03-24T15:10:00.007-06:00

Here are some favorite quotes, at least they are today.

5. "A hot dog at the ball park is better than steak at the Ritz." Humphrey Bogart

4. "Surplus wealth is a sacred trust which its possessor is bound to administer in his lifetime for the good of the community." Andrew Carnegie

3.” Live in such a way that every morning Satan says, ‘Oh no, he's awake!’" anonymous

2. "Our love to others is not our making much of them, but our helping them to find eternal satisfaction in making much of God." John Piper

1. "Faith is living without scheming." anonymous

Friday, March 13, 2009

2009-03-11T10:22:00.002-06:00

I found this on a calendar I use that has various pieces of history trivia.

“In the 19th century, the British Royal Navy attempted to dispel the superstition that Friday is an unlucky day to embark on a ship. The keel of a new ship was laid on a Friday, she was named H.M.S. Friday, commanded by a Captain Friday, and finally went to sea on a Friday. Neither the ship nor her crew were ever heard of again.”

WOW! Makes you think twice about Friday the 13th doesn’t it. Even the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) had an article about it. It is a myth!

1 Timothy 4:7, “Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.”

Hardly a week goes by before a friend sends me a recently discovered truth or an historical fact that has been suppressed by the media. Both ancient and modern cultures have been fascinated with superstitions. Paul exhorts Timothy to “keep on refusing to get sucked into superstitious beliefs. Instead of the quick to believe syndrome we need to be good “Bereans” (Acts 17:11) and check out the facts. When Paul instructs his young friend to “train” himself in godliness, he uses a verb with athletic overtones. In fact “train” comes from the “gymnaze” were we get our English word “gymnasium.”

Who I Am in Christ

2009-03-05T10:42:00.005-07:00

I am accepted...
John 1:12 I am God's child.
John 15:15 As a disciple, I am a friend of Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:1 I have been justified.
1 Corinthians 6:17 I am united with the Lord, and I am one with Him in spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 I have been bought with a price and I belong to God.
1 Corinthians 12:27 I am a member of Christ's body.
Ephesians 1:3-8 I have been chosen by God and adopted as His child.
Colossians 1:13-14 I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins.
Colossians 2:9-10 I am complete in Christ.
Hebrews 4:14-16 I have direct access to the throne of grace through Jesus Christ.

I am secure...
Romans 8:1-2 I am free from condemnation.
Romans 8:28 I am assured that God works for my good in all circumstances.
Romans 8:31-39 I am free from any condemnation brought against me and I cannot be separated from the love of God.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 I have been established, anointed and sealed by God.
Colossians 3:1-4 I am hidden with Christ in God.
Philippians 1:6 I am confident that God will complete the good work He started in me.
Philippians 3:20 I am a citizen of heaven.
2 Timothy 1:7 I have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind.
1 John 5:18 I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me.

I am significant...
John 15:5 I am a branch of Jesus Christ, the true vine, and a channel of His life.
John 15:16 I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit.
1 Corinthians 3:16 I am God's temple.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 I am a minister of reconciliation for God.
Ephesians 2:6 I am seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm.
Ephesians 2:10 I am God's workmanship.
Ephesians 3:12 I may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.

"The more you reaffirm who you are in Christ, the more your behavior will begin to reflect your true identity!" (From Victory Over the Darkness , by Dr. Neil Anderson)

Put on ... Put off

2009-03-05T10:35:00.003-07:00

Many have noted that it takes about six weeks to actually break a habit and another six weeks to establish a good one. But this is not true of addiction! The process can and will often take longer.

Besides the time factor involved for yourself; it often takes more time to gain full trust with those around you that you have broken truth with in the past. It takes significant time and commitment to break your unhealthy thinking. Breaking a sinful habit takes prayerful thought and intentionality. Breaking a destructive habit requires honestly deciding why you find it so compelling; even when you realize it is so destructive to you and your relationships with others and with Christ. You should ask, "What am I getting from this behavior and what am I willing to lose because of it?" Also ask, "Why am I willing to trade healthy behavior for this negative one?"

You must be honest and ask are you willing to believe the truth about who you are in Christ and the power that resides within you in the person of the Holy Spirit! Paul as he writes to the Ephesians reminds them of the "put-off … put-one" principle. "You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:22-24, NIV).

Yes...But

2009-03-05T10:28:00.003-07:00

My Utmost for His Highest
May 30, by Oswald Chambers
Lord, I will follow Thee; but …" Luke 9:61

Supposing God tells you to do something which is an enormous test to your common sense, what are you going to do? Hang back? If you get into the habit of doing a thing in the physical domain, you will do it every time until you break the habit determinedly; and the same is true spiritually. Again and again you will get up to what Jesus Christ wants, and every time you will turn back when it comes to the point, until you abandon resolutely. "Yes, but - supposing I do obey God in this matter, what about . . . ?" "Yes, I will obey God if He will let me use my common sense, but don't ask me to take a step in the dark." Jesus Christ demands of the man who trusts Him the same reckless sporting spirit that the natural man exhibits. If a man is going to do anything worth while, there are times when he has to risk everything on his leap, and in the spiritual domain Jesus Christ demands that you risk everything you hold by common sense and leap into what He says, and immediately you do, you find that what He says fits on as solidly as common sense. At the bar of common sense Jesus Christ's statements may seem mad; but bring them to the bar of faith, and you begin to find with awestruck spirit that they are the words of God. Trust entirely in God, and when He brings you to the venture, see that you take it. We act like pagans in a crisis, only one out of a crowd is daring enough to bank his faith in the character of God.
______________
Matthew 14:28-29, "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. NIV
Joshua 3:15-16, Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. NIV

St. Crispin's Day Speech by Lawrence Olivier,

2009-03-05T10:16:00.002-07:00

Henry V, Shakespeare

WESTMORELAND. O that we now had here
But one ten thousand of those men in England
That do no work to-day!

KING. What's he that wishes so?
My cousin Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin;
If we are mark'd to die, we are enow
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires.
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England.
God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour
As one man more methinks would share from me
For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made,
And crowns for convoy put into his purse;
We would not die in that man's company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is call'd the feast of Crispian.
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian.'
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say 'These wounds I had on Crispian's day.'
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words-
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester-
Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb'red.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

St. Crispin's Day Speech by Kenneth Branagh

2009-03-05T10:09:00.003-07:00

Henry V, Shakespeare

Aragorn's Speech

2009-03-05T10:02:00.003-07:00

"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King"

My brothers. I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of Men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields when the Age of Men comes crashing down, but it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!

The Patience Of Faith

2009-03-05T09:50:00.002-07:00

My Utmost for His Highest
May 8, by Oswald Chambers
Because thou hast kept the word of My patience Revelation 3:10

Patience is more than endurance. A saint's life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, and He stretches and strains, and every now and again the saint says - "I cannot stand any more." God does not heed, He goes on stretching till His purpose is in sight, then He lets fly. Trust yourself in God's hands. For what have you need of patience just now? Maintain your relationship to Jesus Christ by the patience of faith. "Though He slay me, yet will I wait for Him." Faith is not a pathetic sentiment, but robust vigorous confidence built on the fact that God is holy love. You cannot see Him just now, you cannot understand what He is doing, but you know Him. Shipwreck occurs where there is not that mental poise which comes from being established on the eternal truth that God is holy love. Faith is the heroic effort of your life, you fling yourself in reckless confidence on God. God has ventured all in Jesus Christ to save us, now He wants us to venture our all in abandoned confidence in Him. There are spots where that faith has not worked in us as yet, places untouched by the life of God. There were none of those spots in Jesus Christ's life, and there are to be none in ours. "This is life eternal, that they might know Thee." The real meaning of eternal life is a life that can face anything it has to face without wavering. If we take this view, life becomes one great romance, a glorious opportunity for seeing marvelous things all the time. God is disciplining us to get us into this central place of power.
____________
Psalm 66:10-12, "For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver. You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance."

Leadership Thoughts

2009-03-05T09:48:00.000-07:00

1.Leaders are best trained by having them learn to serve first; 2 Kings 3:11, … "Elisha … He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah." NIV

2.Leaders, if they want an abundant harvest, will be willing to be in, around and through the mess of ministry; Proverbs 14:4, Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox comes an abundant harvest. NIV

3.Leaders should identify who God has placed over them and then intentionally submit and encourage that person; Hebrews 13:17, Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you. NIV

4.Leaders must earnestly seek for opportunities for mutual submission because by default natural leaders are more inclined to focus on influencing others and can forget that God has place others in their path to influence them; Ephesians 5:21, Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. NIV

5.Leaders should find and train men who will be the next generation leaders; Deuteronomy 1:38, But your assistant, Joshua son of Nun, will enter it. Encourage him, because he will lead Israel to inherit it. NIV

6.Leaders who would have broad spiritual influence in the community need to appreciate and support their wife's gifts, strengths and needs; Proverbs 31:23, Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. NIV

7.Leaders who are too cautious don't did the job done and might be playing the excuse game; Ecclesiastes 11:4, Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap. NIV

8.Leaders should look for God's confirmation and when they have it plunge in headlong into the assignment; 1 Samuel 10:7, Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you. NIV

9.Leaders have a long view and will endure because they want to please Christ more than others or themselves; like a soldier the commander has control over every aspect of their assignment; 2 Timothy 2:3-4, Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs — he wants to please his commanding officer.NIV

10.Leaders need to put aside self and help those who are losing true perspective; 2 Timothy 2:25-26, Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. NIV

Man Proposes, but God Disposes

2009-02-12T11:15:00.006-07:00

Thomas a Kempis in his "Of the Imitation of Christ" reminded those of his generation, "For the resolutions of the just depend rather on the grace of God than on their own wisdom; and in Him they always put their trust, whatever they take in hand. For man proposes, but God disposes…"
_____________

Habakkuk 2:1-4, I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint. Then the Lord replied: "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. "See, he is puffed up; his desires are not upright — but the righteous will live by his faith —(NIV).

Sprint HTC Touch

2009-02-11T19:00:00.001-07:00

Several devices were considered before I landed on the Touch. CNET is a usual stopping place to get some basic info. I read numerous online comments to get a sense of the problems associated with the Touch and looked for solutions before I made a purchased.

For example the default weather report on the Touch is limited to more populous cities. I found a work around to this problem on a site in the UK and downloaded a free trial version of Resco Registry Editor and now I have local weather. I also wanted to be able to customize the Touch Cube so I found a freeware Cube Configuration Tool. My Touch is now personalized to maximize how I use a PDA. The was some concern if the Touch would read a Sandisk 8GB MicroSDHC Card but my Touch read it immediately and it functions great. People had complained about the keyboard so I went to Handango and added a ZoomBoard to make the Touch even less dependent on the stylus.

There I also found a simple, but useful Finance Diary. I then added my Laridian Bible program and my Pocket Chess that transferred from my old PDA and I was ready to go! And this article is being send by email to the blog!

Crocker Land

2009-02-10T18:00:00.002-07:00

Astonishingly, a continent, twice discovered, was just a mirage! Called Crocker Land, it is picture of the life of this Crocker. Like the Israelites of the Old Testament I was eager to be mislead by the mirages of life. My journey has been an expedition seeking “the really real” and avoiding “the misleading mirages.”

In 1913 the American Museum of Natural History, the American Geographical Society, and the University of Illinois' Museum of Natural History sponsored an expedition to explore a new land with the promise of “strange animals” and a “new race of men.” A ship wreck, desertions, sub zero temperatures and a trek of 1,200 miles … resources, passions and sacrifices failed to reach Crocker Land. Mirages always remain out reach.

As a youth a favorite verse was, Ecclesiastes 1:2, “Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” Life seemed like cotton candy to me. I would go to the Topsham Fair and exchange coins for that inviting tower of pink confection … only to be disappointed because it dissolved so quickly. Life has all too often been about attraction and dissatisfaction. But there are moments and seasons of encountering the Reality…the True Guide!

Welcome to my Crocker Land!

The Difference Maker!

2009-02-10T17:00:00.000-07:00

Toni is the one who has been the bright light of my life!