Monday, July 27, 2009

SIGNS OF CESSATION

New topic. This below is taken from Charles Simpson’s June 2009 letter. You can find it online at http://www.csmpublishing.com/pastoral.php.

SIGNS OF CESSATION

When the Holy Spirit begins to lift the intensity of revival, our own misunderstanding of what He is doing can lead to burn out, disappointment, and burned over fields. How do we know that the Lord is saying the revival season is over? Here are some signs:

-Real Revival usually comes suddenly in power and spontaneity. When that electric sense of spontaneity ceases or subsides and attendance at special gatherings declines, it’s over.

-Real Revival brings dramatic testimonies. When testimonies are more forced and less significant, it’s over.

-When leaders have to work harder to get a response, it’s over.

-When leaders try to export or duplicate the experience, it is probably over.

-When leaders fail to exercise discernment and allow obvious moral problems, excessive displays, or unbiblical error, it will soon be over.

39 comments:

steve H said...

This is a worthwhile topic. And there is a companion topic -- for this or for another string? If we were to conclude that a revival is over and another awakening has not yet begun, "how should we then live?" in the interval. How do we be faithful to that which was awakened in us without "calcifying" or without falling back to the familiar -- the tried, whether or not really true.

Joseph Holbrook said...

I personally don’t like the word “revival.” It certainly does not seem like a biblical word, and reviving a dead corpse is not the same as resurrection. Nor does revival give the image of lasting transformation. Probably visitation, refreshing or initiative of the Spirit are words that work for me. Historically, areas that have experienced revival such as Wales or upstate New York often end up worse off than they started. I think this is because humans focus on the wrong things in revival: we are enthralled by the dramatic buzz and miss the quiet and steady work of the kingdom. This is why Jesus actively discouraged the buzz ….and thinned out the crowds. The true work of the Spirit in the kingdom is like a mustard seed or leaven.

To answer your question Steve, when revival ceases and the tide goes out, what is left (which is often much, much less) is the real work of the kingdom. The soulish froth goes away. When revival ceases, we then seek to love God, love our neighbor and follow Jesus in mundane and normal ways among a pluralistic society. The kingdom of God is like a net that catches a bunch of fish … but then the fish get sorted out by the angels … and what is left after the sorting process is the real fruit left over after a genuine visitation of the Spirit.

Remember all the buzz about the revival in Lakeland? I remember going to their web site after Tod Bently stepped down from leadership and on their web site was an announcement; REVIVAL CANCELLED – that said it all.

steve H said...

Personal anecdote #1: In the tradition in which I grew up there was a great emphasis on the work of the Spirit. There was much good imparted to me through that emphasis. Often, however, what I saw/experienced was more of the emotions than of the Spirit. My experience-oriented walk was up-and-down to say the least. In my early 20s I saw this and made a decision, before God I believe, to seek a steady incline in growth toward maturity. Without denying emotions, I decided to enjoy the positive emotions but not take them too seriously. Likewise, I decided to recognize negative emotions but not give them too much weight. Haven't done so perfectly, but it's made for a more stable walk than when I overemphasized revivalistic fervor and experience.

Personal anecdote #2: The Christian school operated by our church in Lexington experienced two remarkable "revivals" in the mid-80s. My family had come to town and our son was in 6th grade by the time of the 2nd of these. It was powerful: there were many apparent conversions and healings and other manifestations of "revival." My son saw this, experienced this, and was part of it. However, his testimony later was that many of those students who were most dramatically involved in the "revival" appeared worse off spiritually a few weeks later than they had been before. He was suspicious of "revival" for the rest of his life.

steve H said...

Point of the 2 anecdotes: There is a legitimate need for "refreshing," "renewal," and "revival" from time to time; however, I identify with Bruce Longstreth who once said he wanted to be an "abodist" (John 15, abide in the vine), not a "revivalist."

We do indeed desperately need a fresh move of God--one that will transform God's people and the surrounding cultures! But, other than pray and be faithful, can we produce one? I think not! It has to be a God-thing.

Thus we need to invest in a life of "little by little" and "from generation to generation" (the mustard seed and leaven approach) growth in the purposes of God.

Brian Emmet said...

Back after a good, sad, difficult, blessed time in NC. My parents moved to Asheville in 1970, right after my high school graduation and before I set off for college. After 26 years in their first home there, they moved in '96 to a Methodist retirement community, which was a wonderful home for them for the last 13 years. Just wanted to say hey, and thanks fro your prayers and expressions of support.

Joseph Holbrook said...

I began experiencing some of Charles’ signs of cessation about 12 or 13 years ago. Especially this one:

-When leaders have to work harder to get a response, it’s over.

It is amazing when the Spirit has your back, how good he can make you look. But when he is gone, look out. Somewhere between 1996 and 1999 the tools that had always worked well in my leadership tool box, simply stopped working. It took me at least 5 or 6 years to figure that out. I kept trying different things, moving the deck chairs around, fiddling with the knobs, but I continually had to worker harder, and harder to get the same response that was so easy a few years earlier. Finally, I just stopped trying.

Until recently I have interpreted that as something unique and personal that God was doing in me, although Billy Long has shared with me a similar dynamic that he went through. That’s part of the reason why this topic is interesting to me … and why I want to discern what is going on and how much of it is God’s favor being lifted from me, and how much is God’s favor being lifted off of certain activities or paradigms in the church.

Joseph Holbrook said...

By-the-way, I urge you to watch the latest episode of “Kings” (8 pm Saturdays on NBC) even if you don’t agree with some of the liberties they have taken with the series. Keep in mind they are not trying to simply dramatize the biblical story of Saul and David; they are trying to tell a similar story with similar themes in a modern context. I personally think that some of the “earthiness” is very consistent with the kind of fallen humanity that is revealed in the biblical story – ok, as far as we know, the Jonathan in the Bible was not gay (although he might have been as far as we know), but there was plenty of adultery, fornication, incest, rape and other stuff going on … IN THE BIBLE.

Anyway … the last episode is where king Silas has an encounter with God (after an amazing feat of regaining his kingdom with help from David Shepherd) in which Silas sincerely attempts to “hear” God … and finds out that God has removed his favor from him and placed divine favor on the younger man. You can find the episode on hulu.com or click HERE.

It resonated with me on several levels: one is my own age. I often wonder if God is through with me. Another level is the move of God; has God written us off? Have we been tried in the scales and found wanting? Will God ever move again? if he does, will he allow us to participate? or will he move on to young people? If he does move again, will we even have eyes to “see” what he is doing? Or will we become the enemies of the fresh move of God, as so many other have done? (we were reading Matt.8 this morning and I wondered why Jesus was warning the 12 against the 'contaminating yeast' of the pharisees)

Even if you don’t like the series, this latest episode is well worth watching and contemplating along the lines of our topic.

It is called The New King, Part 2.

steve H said...

Welcome back, Brian. I'm sure these most have been difficult times. And I pray that many good memories along with the hope we share will make the losses all the richer.

Joseph, I'm quite often not sure about how to know when God's favor is lifted (whether on an individual or a corporate entity. Certainly it happens. In the Old Testament it happened because of sin. Yet even in severe judgment of his people wasn't God's favor actually at work, calling out a remnant who had been faithful or who would repent and return to faithfulness?

The kingdom is advanced through suffering, isn't it? When is character being developed and faith being proved genuine -- as in Rom. 5:1-5, James 1:2-4, and 1 Peter? When is the life of Jesus spreading through our experience of the death of Jesus (2 Corinthians)? Are these things true of individuals only? Or is it the call and way of God for his people corporately also -- and for various groups within his people?

When does one change direction? And when does one continue with "Long Obedience in the Same Direction?

Or, is it mostly a matter of methods changing. When do methods change to meet the needs of a different season? Or a changing culture?

God's purpose doesn't change. God's word doesn't change. In what sense do his ways change, or do they?

steve H said...

I remember Bob Mumford saying that God gets us to make promises from us in times of peace, promises that he calls in during times of war. How does that play into to the seasons of "revival" and the times in-between? Or does it?

Laurel Long said...

I can't tell you how moving your comments are, all of you. Just this morning the Lord made me cry over Is.54 one more time. He did not even consider the fact that I had just applied my make-up for the day. It all melted down my face in the tenderest encounter.
You will remember that this chapter speaks about barrenness and abandonment, but also of how He will teach our children and defend us against our enemies, which echoes your concerns. Billy and I have lived in this type of desolation for many years, but not without His enduring comfort and hope.
Please forgive me if I sound if I am sermonizing, but, I must reiterate my former comments. Let's get pregnant. Think about Sarah and Abraham. They enjoyed quite a bit of fame in their early endeavors of faith, but then they faded into the daily routine of faithful living; as we all have done. But! there came a time when the Lord visited them and reminded them that they would bear fruit in old age(Gen. 17 and Ps.92:14) We can all produce a son of promise if we will just be willing to get pregnant again.
Brother Charles is soooooo right. But we can stop "cessation" if we will only get pregnant with the purpose of God again. Our God is a God of perpetual and eternal Life, not cessation.
Whoa, I better stop now.

Joseph Holbrook said...

not to make light of any of your comments Laurel, but don't worry about me getting pregnant. If you saw me from a profile, you would know that i look 9 months.

John M. said...

Joseph, you're not only pregnant, you have a several new babies on your patio every Tues. night and a bunch more in gestation. You'd better start looking for nannies to change diapers and raise them!

The questions you are asking are big. I look forward to discussing them, but the short answer is that God had not lifted his favor from either of you or Steve. Both of you have and are bearing fruit in both natural and spiritual family.

Joseph, I think you are right in the middle of the next move of God. God has prepared your heart and positioned you strategically to be in the harvest as he moves on the next generation. What you describe in your updates is not the work of man, although He is using you as a catalyst; it is the work of God. My prayer is that it will continue and multiply and be repeated over and over on decks and patios and in bars and coffee shops and wherever...

One comment on Steve's observations of the New Covenant Academy "revivals". There is no doubt that they were sovereign moves... No man started or stopped them. (I believe Steve agrees with that.) But in that kind of sovereign move, especially with kids, there is a need for a steady hand on the till from leadership and for clear teaching and instruction about how to respond, how to steward the outpouring, and how to live and go on after things return to "normal". In hindsight, I think most of us as leaders just enjoyed what was happening and either participated or kept a hands off approach (most of us were afraid to intervene much, lest we mess things up), when we should have perhaps offered more guidance and instruction.

Secondly, I'm sure Elijah's observations were accurate, I saw some of that too. But I'm also aware of several, including my own daughter, who were deeply touched in life-changing encounters with God, and whose lives have shown good fruit into adulthood.

Sovereign outpourings seem to soften you, call you to repentance, bring restored intimacy and sometimes healing, but the one thing they don't do is mature you and sanctify you -- that is a life-long process. I think many times everyone involved, including the leaders, get confused and expect that because they are touching God's presence and power so profoundly, that they are also becoming mature. Then when real life kicks back in, as it has to at some point, they are disillusioned to find that their same old character flaws and besetting sins still loom large and need to be disciplined and dealt with, when they expected all that to be gone now that they had the encounter. Those things do recede so thoroughly during the move, that they seem to be gone, so it is a real shock when you find that they're still there, and it can be very disillusioning. So we tend to feel that something was "wrong" with the "revival", when it was actually our expectations that were faulty. Outpourings also usually include deep revelation, and that, too, can be confused with maturity and the new-found knowledge and understanding can either be a source of growth or of pride.

Joseph Holbrook said...

By-the-way, just in case you want to add one more blog to visit, my son-in-law, Carlos, has started a film review blog called filmTrace. He has two reviews on there, one of the new Star Trek movie and the current one on the Terminator film.

Laurel: let’s change the metaphor a bit: The Spirit is bringing forth something new, even as something older perhaps is dying (Signs of Cessation) We, as a movement, or at least our leaders, chose a long time ago not to institutionalize but to be “organic.” We have almost prided ourselves in the word--organic. Now we must realize that the beauty of anything organic—it does not last forever. It grows old, it dies, it corrupts, and it provides the fertilizer for whatever is being born. There is absolutely no point in holding on to dying organic matter – we can honor it, we can grieve for it, but we have to let it go. There is no preserving it.

So… I see our job as mid-wifery. We need to get over grieving about Saul, and focus on David (mixing metaphors). We need to discern, not what is passing away, but what is in the throes of labour … what is about to be birthed—protect it, nourish it and watch over it.

John: I personally don’t think Jesus liked revival either. We just read yesterday about Jesus leading a blind man out of the village in Mark 8 in order to heal him without creating a big stir. After he was healed, Jesus asked him not to go back through the village and not to tell anyone. The clear pattern of scriptures is that Jesus actively discouraged the froth and buzz of revivalistic drama. In the middle of John 6, when Jesus realizes that the crowd had grown as a result of the feeding of the five thousand, he deliberately gave a hard message about his body and blood to end the revival and thin the crowds down. Jesus was not seeking revival, he was seeking transformational discipleship. I’m not praying for revival, I am praying to have eyes to see where the Spirit is going and what the Spirit is initiating.

Billy Long said...

The Lord lifted His hand off of the work I was trying to start in SC a decade ago. I was like the fellow who walked into church wearing jumper cables instead of a necktie, and was told, “You can enter the meeting, but just don’t start anything.”
When that happened, nothing I did would “work.” I brought in Bro Charles, Mahesh Chavda, prophetic ministers, etc, but still it never got off the ground. It was like pumping air into a tire with a hole in it. It was like running a car with a bad alternator or generator. You could use a jumper cable and start it, but as soon as you removed the jumper cable the car would die. There was no conflict; it as a simple matter of the switches all being turned off.

These times can show whether we are spiritual or soulish. My experience has been that usually it takes more discernment to know when God lifts his hand off of a move or activity than to know when He places it on. It is fairly easy to see when God is at work. But the trouble comes when He is finished with that particular phase and moves on to the next thing. And if we have to wait in a lull while that wave recedes and there is no sign of the next one, we tend to hang on even harder.
The lifting of God’s hand off of an activity, ministry, or move can be a very real test of our motives also. A person has to have a heart after God’s heart to follow Him through the various transitions, stops and starts, actions and waits.
Some legitimate and strange things can happen in a genuine revival. But those very things become really strange when we perpetuate them in the flesh after God has moved on to other things. New wineskin becomes dead and empty “old wineskin” when we try to perpetuate it when God is bringing “new wine.” Spiritual activity and methods become soulish when God lifts his hand and Christians try to keep it going by duplication and empty imitation. This resulted in the emotionalism of various Pentecostal waves of the past.

The main thing is not to panic or think God has forsaken us, but to sit at His feet in anticipation of the “next thing.” We have to follow Him rather than the things He does. It may mean witnessing the mighty power of God as did those Israelites from the Red Sea to the conquest of Canaan. But it could also mean being faithful among those who carry the baton during the 400 years of silence as in Egpyt or as those during the process of the preparation of the fullness of time between old and new testaments.

Billy Long said...

One other thought. When the meetings of the new church plant seemed dead, there was "life" in other more "unorthodox" activities in our life. At that time I had a slight glimpse of the fact that the future could hold a new paradigm for Laurel and me. But all that is yet to unfold while we are still in the waiting (as far as "ministry" is concernerd), but in proactive and aggressive seeking in terms of our walk with the Lord.

Laurel Long said...

Joseph,
I am not sure I understand your response to my comments.
Please be assured that I am fully free from anything that looks like the "old,"in fact, I prefer it; even if I occasionally use it as a reference point. I was personalizing my comment, mine and Billy's journey together, not relating it to the Covenant movement. What Billy and I are doing right now is proof of that. Truly, my comments had nothing to do with the "movement." They are a fresh perspective that we are not obsolete, we have determined to walk in and follow the Spirit, even if the Spirit would lead us into obsolescence, we were willing to go if it would serve the Kingdom.
One of the best things the Lord ever did in my life was to separate me from the work He had called us to. I had the privilege of being a part of revival, a work, and a movement. The work, the revival, the movement, can easily become our mistaken identity and when the Lord takes His hand off of any or all, we get our feelings hurt and wonder what we did wrong. It took me a long time to realize that I wasn't the revival, the work, or the movement, that I had done nothing wrong.
And I completely agree with what you said. I just wish I had something to guard and watch over right now. But we don't, so we just keep asking the Lord to "remember His word unto His servants." I know we are not done yet.

John M. said...

Joseph, I'm completely on board with your comments about "revival". You seem to have read my comments as a case "for" revival. That was not my intent. I was, though, acknowledging that at times God sovereignly interrupts us with his manifest presence and begins to do extraordinary things; and I was reflecting on how best to respond and interpret those times. Whatever we call these: revivals, moves, outpourings, refreshings, etc., they do happen periodically. I think the problems arise in our wrong expectations and immature seeking after experiences, rahter than the problem being on God's end.

"I’m not praying for revival, I am praying to have eyes to see where the Spirit is going and what the Spirit is initiating." -- Amen, me too.

We need transformation, not reviving.

Laurel Long said...

You know Joseph,
I feel a bit like Hannah right now. I may be a bit mad (crazy) about being so spiritually barren. When the Priest observed her incoherent manifestations of grief, he thought she was drunk or crazy. Maybe this is why I don't make much sense to you. It's perfectly okay.
Your comment about your profile is hilarious. If this particular view is evidence of pregnancy then we are all with child.

Laurel Long said...

I must clarify:
"I prefer the new," not the old.

Joseph Holbrook said...

hi Laurel, my comments were not aimed at you in any way, nor were they meant to be critical of our movement. Among the men for many years we had discussions about organic versus intitutional, structures versus relationships that were a bit fruitless. I am simply point out that a long time ago we opted to stay relational and organic ... and to avoid institutions, thus, when the people start to age and die, so does the movement.

It is the children that carry on the work. My point is in agreement with yours -- whether you want to say that we need to get pregnant, or that we need to be mid-wives, the goal is the same. Invest in the fresh and new move of God in young people.

Joseph Holbrook said...

no, John, I think I understood you--we are in agreement. I was just piggybacking on David's impressions about the revival.

I have thought long and hard about why Jesus discouraged dramatic manifestations in public. If we were to count the occasions he asked people to be quiet or not tell anyone, I'm guessing it was nearly a dozen. Thats too many to just be a coincidence. There is a lesson for us there.

Laurel Long said...

Joseph,
You said that your "comments are not aimed at me in any way," but you addressed me exclusively. I have no other choice but to take your comments personally. Your comments are of great value to me, I take them very seriously.
I have just downloaded and printed Bro. Charles article and have read over it quickly. It is very insightful and demonstrates Bro. Charles' inimitable tone and eternal wisdom. I will limit my comments on this thread from now on to his article.
I am alone (barren) because I don't believe in the institution, I am alone (barren) because I am committed to the organic. I am in a spiritual wilderness with no organic material, I am in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water or nothing to produce life... (When I say I, I mean, Billy and I) I must trust that the Lord will do Is 42:-Consider not the former things, nor consider the things of old, Behold I will do a new thing, and shall it not spring forth,...
It is a good thing I know how to feed myself otherwise I would have starved to death years ago. My spiritual life menu has been quite extraordinary...Not much to choose from. Starving women are not fertile! I have a godly jealousy of yours and Debbie's fertility. I think the Lord approves. It is acceptable! Billy and I think we could do the same given the opportunity.

Joseph Holbrook said...

Laurel, the only part that was directly addressing you was the idea of slightly changing the metaphor, from pregancy to mid-wifrey. The rest of the comment about the life-cycle of the "organic" was a general comment addressed to anybody in the blog. Both views of the metaphor are valid, I just personally find myself a bit detached, more like a mid-wife than a pregnant woman, or impregnating man. Perhaps because I have released all my vision and have allowed it to go into the grave.

I can relate to St. Paul when he said "in me nothing good dwells." Perhaps I am like Abraham, getting old and feeling childless (in the spiritual sense).

I am still looking for a good profile pic that will do justice to my expanding middle ... Deb might have one on her computer.

Billy: thanks for sharing your journey of cessation. I can really relate to your experience and I think you can understand more than most what we are trying to get at in this particular discussion.

steve H said...

Whatever IS NOT happpening in terms of "ministry" with you two, Billy and Laurel, it is what IS happening that is really wonderful.

You are being filled with good things -- we taste them and derived benefit from them in your comments here and in the blog entries you have written.

God has obviously been doing a marvelous work to fill your clay vessels with his perfume, light, oil, prescence... It will be wonderful to see what he has in mind when this season is past and he begins to release in greater measure the life he has been filling you with and working into you!

Joseph Holbrook said...

Ditto that Steve!

Steve and I were talking about what we would do differently with discipleship, and he mentioned that he would encourage disciples to focus less on the exterior stuff and more on the interior. I totally agree. And that is what is happening with some of us; God has stripped away some of our outward activities and ministries to work deeply in our hearts. That is most precious to him; not what we do but who we are in him.

We need to develop a "spiritual theology of the interior life" that helps young people shape their hearts for a life in God.

Laurel Long said...

I am definitely going give the pregnancy metaphor a rest. Thanks for allowing me to exploit it a bit.

John M. said...

Laurel, ditto what Steve said.

Joseph and Steve, I agree with the interior work focus rather than a focus on more visible outward activities... I am in a season where it is vital for me to face my interior and work on it... I pray that at age 60 I can learn the interior lessons that I need in order to abide in the Vine, and be transformed by the renewing of my mind. I am realizing that despite cultivating what I have considered an intimate relationship with the Lord spirit to Spirit, I have neglected my soul and the inner disciplines, and recalibrating (to use Dr. Sam's word) that need to happen mentally and emotionally. God is gracious and merciful not to leave us alone, but to pursue us until we finally run out of steam in our own strength and submit to what He is after.

Billy Long said...

Joseph and Steve, thanks for your kind and encouraging words to Laurel and me. We do appreciate it. One source of strength over the recent years has been the encouragement we have received from godly people we love and trust.

I have to say AMEN to both of your comments about the inner life. If we are not strengthened in the inner man we will fail when the “outward man perishes.” It seems that the Lord has to kill the outward man to expose the realities of the inward man. The inner life sustains the outer, and it is the eternal perspective that helps us to us to be sober in our temporal perplexities.

I believe the Lord wants us to hold to Him and be faithful during times of contrasting extremes (sometimes simultaneous) and in the midst of the inexplicable. Too often we are environmental Christians. We are fine “on the mountain” and in “fair weather” but give up or quit during the storm or in times of darkness. So the Lord moves us from the peak to the pit and everywhere in between, and we have to be fixed in Him from one end of the spectrum of experience to the other. We hold to the Lord from the heights of Herman to the valley of the Jordon, as David said. We have to be faithful and consistent in our commitment to the Lord regardless of the landscape, whether we are familiar with it or not, whether we are comfortable with it or not. I think the Lord gives us the opportunity (as He did to Israel- Josh 11-12) to conquer on the mountains, on the plains (a plateau can seem like the worst place), on the slopes (some upward, some downward), in the valleys and lowlands, and the South (desert, dry places).
It is interesting to note that if the inner man is not “right” a person will “screw things up” at any point along the spectrum. On the mountain he will become proud and forget God, in the pit he will become angry at God. The aged English minister Arthur Burt said, “At what point down in the valley that you begin to squeal and be angry at God, at that same corresponding point up the mountain you will forget God.”

I did not mean to get off track in the conversation, but Steve’s and Joseph’s comments about the inner life struck a cord with me.
I did not mean to sound preachy, but these are principles that I have had to live by over the recent years.

Billy Long said...

John, I also meant to include you in my "thank you."

steve H said...

"Preach" on, Billy! Those are rich words -- sound like one of the Fathers.

steve H said...

"Preach" on, Billy! Those are rich words -- sound like one of the Fathers.

John M. said...

Amen to Steve's dual amen!

Billy Long said...

I am going to do like the old pentecostal preacher in the mountains of Kentucky who would give a deep "Yea-men" when he heard something he liked. So to all of you brethren I add my, "YEA-MEN!"

Billy Long said...

Hey! Where did everybody go???

John M. said...

Hey Billy, haven't visited all weekend. I'm trying to work on my internal stuff, while attending two weddings, a family birthday party, and breakfast this morning with my 1st cousin who was in town for one of the weddings! "Yeh-Men" to your "Yeh-Men"!

Joseph Holbrook said...

Hi Billy, it has been a blessing to have you and Laurel “fellowshipping” with us in here. Most of the time we barely keep up a quorum for a conversation: two or three, but I personally enriched by substance and quality of the experience and thoughtfulness of this group. And Laurel definitely livens things up around here!

Speaking of the interior life, here is one of my favorite scriptures. It is taken from the verse on the sermon of the mount that says the “pure in heart will see God.” Eugene Peterson’s version:

Matt. 5:8"You're blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

This has become my mission in life: to get my mind and heart aligned with him so that I can see him around me and I can know and love him.

You all will not hear anymore from me until Wed. night or Thurs. After I finish one more cup of coffee, I am on my way to the university to pick up my comps questions.

Laurel Long said...

Joseph,
I have no doubt that you will disarm your intellectual inquisitors, demand respect from your interrogators, fully incite provocative thought from your evaluators, and sustain commaradaree with your competitors, and all will be done in the most genial, humble way. You are in our prayers now.
Give them everything you are and everything you now. This is the foundation of a great teacher and scholar.

Billy Long said...

Joseph, your Mat 5:8 comment about being pure in heart and seeing God seems like a logical transition into the other topic we were discussing in the email ("Searching and finding").
Billy

Brian Emmet said...

New post now available!