Don't Dodge Doctrine

I just returned to my desk from the studio.

Can I just say "Thank you Lord" for the conversation I had with pastor/author Joshua Harris?

We were chatting about his new book "Dug Down Deep: Unearthing What I believe and Why It Matters".

This is a must read!

We have to be grounded in the truths of Scripture.. who God REALLY is... what Jesus has done.. what it means to follow Christ.. God's sovereignty... His love.

The fancy word for it is doctrine.

I know.

Scary word.

Dry word.

But God is bigger than the word.

It leads us to worship the God who is.. not the God we create in our minds.

I'll be sharing portions of my interview with Josh on the FLN afternoon show soon.

Stay tunned.

Even better: Buy the book and read it.

Slowly.

And then read it again.

It'll do your life good.

It Really IS An Adventure!!

Hey Stranger..... how have you been?

It feels so good to sit down and write this blog entry!

The past few months have been such fun. Between the move and the new radio show.. it's been crazy. But what a privilege!

God has been so good to us all. Serving at the Family Life Network is a blast! And meaningful!

The afternoon show launched in mid-October and from the very first day the FLN listeners embraced us with open arms. God is at work big time in this part of the United States!

Thank you Lord for such kindness.. and thank you FLN Family!!

We've been using Facebook a ton for "Afternoons with Kurt & Jean".

Here's the link: http://www.fln.org/about-us/facebook-directory/

Just click on the afternoons page.

This is the verse that God impressed on me many times as we made the decision to move to New York:

Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. "

As God's wonderful plan unfolds I can tell you from personal experience God is faithful!

When you feel lost.

When you feel like giving up.

When the heat is on.

When you're confused.

When the money is running low.

Or running out.

When you're trying to be faithful on the job and things get worse.

When you're out of answers.

Out of hope.

He walks with you through it.

Then he carries you.

And when he brings you out it'll be so swift and so overwhelming you'll barely be able to catch your breath.

I know.

I'm still trying to catch mine.

A New Adventure!

Change is in the air.

I guess you could say change is on the air too!

After 8 and-a-half awesome years at the SOS Radio Network in Las Vegas, I'm moving on to a new assignment: Co-Hosting the Afternoon Show on The Family Life Network.

FLN is a non-commercial Christian radio network based in beautiful Upstate New York.

Right now the network has about 70 broadcast outlets throughout New York and Pennsylvania.

They're growing by leaps and bounds!

God is doing some amazing things through this group of godly people.

There are so many new and exciting things going on at the ministry that I can't list them all.

So.....click on this video to see what I mean:

Discover: Family Life Network (full resolution) from Family Life on Vimeo.

You can't have a beginning without an ending though.

Sigh.

How can I put it into words?

SOS listeners thank you!

Thank you for listening.

Thank you for making me smile.

Thank you for your calls and thoughts on the show.

Thank you for your many kind words.

Thank you for your prayers. For me and my family.

Thank you for being such good friends.

Some of you in Southern Nevada remember my days on TV.

Has it really been that long ago?!

Some of you I've met face to face.

Others on the phone.

Still others through email.

I have always walked away from these encounters thanking God for the honor of serving Him by serving you.

I don't deserve to serve such an awesome God.

Even on my best days I fall way short.

But because of His grace, I can embrace the role He has for me.

And you can too. Believe it!

I hope you'll keep checking in with the blog.

And you can listen to the new show online at http://www.fln.org/

Looks like I'll be starting there on Monday, October 12th.

See ya on the Internet.... or.....

See ya on the radio!

Is Mom Always Right?

She always seemed so confident when she said things like....

"Don't sit so close to the TV. You'll ruin your eyes!"

"Don't frown, you'll get wrinkles!"

"Put on a coat, you'll catch cold!"

You remember those don't you?

Maybe if you're a mom you've said some of the same things.

Well...the researchers put mom to the test.

Was she... is she... right about some of this stuff?

Click on the link to find out.

Is Mom Always Right? http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/09/11/parenting.rules.mom/index.html

Feeling Sleepy

There's one thing that absolutely drives me nuts.

Waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to go back to sleep.

Do you deal with the same problem?

Here are some tips that make a lot of sense:

Keep the room dark when you wake up. Keep a small book light or mini flashlight next to your bed and use it to navigate your way to the bathroom, or put a dim night-light in the bathroom and leave the door cracked, so you can find your way there. Whatever you do, don't turn on the overhead light in the bathroom once you're there.

Don't turn on the TV or computer. Nope, not even for a few minutes—the light from the screen "resets" your internal clock, stimulating your central nervous system and making it harder for you to fall back asleep.

Don't eat unless you're truly hungry. Getting your digestive system revved up can keep you awake, so avoid snacking unless a growling stomach is going to keep you awake. Better yet, learn the foods that help you sleep as well as the foods that interfere with sleeping.
Keep a pen and paper next to your bed.

If you're often kept awake by racing thoughts and worries and you tend to make to-do lists in your head, keep a pen or pencil and a small pad of paper handy and write them down. As you put each item down on paper, imagine yourself setting aside that concern. (Again, use a book light; don't turn on the overhead or a bright bedside light to write.)

Do a simple isolation and relaxation exercise. Relax methodically, starting with your feet: Tense the muscles as hard as you can, then relax each area completely. Do the same with your calves, thighs, buttocks, hands, arms and on up. By the time you get to your neck and head, you should have banished much of the tension."-Courtesy of Caring.com

All of that is good and practical advice.

But for the Christ follower, prayer can make a big difference.

Use the opportunity to pray for others.. and yourself.

End your prayer with a request: "Lord, will you help me get back to sleep?"

Remember this verse as you drift off:

Psalm 127:2 (NIV) "..... He grants sleep to those he loves."

Don't you feel sleepy already?

Stop Child Trafficking Now

Maybe you've seen the news stories about the tragedy of child trafficking for the sex trade.

Your blood boils... and you've asked yourself.."What can I do to help stop this?"

There's a national organization you need to know about.

It's called Stop Child Trafficking Now: http://www.sctnow.org/

While other organizations work on rescuing the kids, this group focuses on the predators.

For the details click and listen to my recent conversation with Joseph South from the Las Vegas office:

Stop Child Trafficking Now-Las Vegas: http://www.box.net/shared/3gfok50c8u

One of the things we talk about is the walk to raise awareness coming up on Saturday, September 26th in downtown Las Vegas.

Here's a link to register and get more details: http://sctnow.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.eventDetails&eventID=570&destination=E

Thanks for caring about the kids!

Nick Scores Again!

When I first interviewed Nick Vujicic, he had just appeared on ABC's 20/20.

I knew he was something special.

But I was floored when I had the chance to speak with him.

I can't recall a more powerful and inspiring conversation in my 8+ years here.

You see, Nick was born without arms or legs.

As a child he tried to commit suicide.

"Why am I like this?" he cried to God.

God doesn't always answer the "Why Question".

But this time He did.

Nick picked up his Bible and read these words:

John 9:1-3 (ESV) "As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" "Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him."

"I was born this way for the glory of God."

"To point others to Him."

Nick accepted Christ and began to grow in the faith.

And God has given him opportunities to share the good news of Jesus in places other people would never be able go.

Sunday night he was given the opportunity to speak a huge audience at the Salt Lake Mormon Tabernacle.

Amazing!!!!

He's only the third evangelical Christian to do that in the past 100 years.

Here are some articles from the local Salt Lake City News Media

Click here for Deseret News Article

Click here for KSL-TV News link

Click here for Salt Lake Tribune link

Here's his website: http://www.lifewithoutlimbs.org/

You'll find all kinds of great videos there.

Here's one I like a lot.

Nick visits with Greg Laurie:

Freebies

Free.

A great word.

A word filled with many possibilities.

A word not limited by phrases like....

"It's not in the budget!"

"We can't afford that!"

"It costs... how much?!"

Maybe it's time to embrace your inner tightwad.

Click and read on for a few freebies courtesy of Kiplinger.com:

http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting/article/107638/fabulous-freebies-2009.html?mod=banking-budgeting

Tips you can use.

At no extra charge.

A Friday Funny

And so the Israelites spent 40 years wandering in the desert wilderness.....

Trial By Fire

Are you in the midst of some kind of fiery trial right now?

You're in the furnace.

The heat keeps getting turned up.

"Does the Bible have anything to say to me today?" you ask.

It sure does.

Just one example: What happened to three guys named Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

Remember them?

Their story is in the book of Daniel Chapter 3.

They're in Babylon when King Nebuchadnezzar sets up this huge statue of himself.

When the music plays.. everyone has to bow down and worship the statue.

Not our three heroes from Israel.

They only worship the one true God.

This leads to a trial by fire.

Literally.

Because they refuse to worship the idol, they're thrown into a blazing hot furnace.

Daniel 3:21-27 (ESV) "Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace.

Because the king's order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.

Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king."

He answered and said, "But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods."

Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!"

Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men.

The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them."

Yes... they were thrown into the fire.

Circumstances were bad.

Very bad.

But they never let go of their faith.

I think this snapshot BEFORE they were tossed into the furnace really highlights a faith that trusts in God no matter what the outcome might be:

Daniel 3:16-18 (ESV) "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.

If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."

"God is able to deliver us...........BUT IF NOT....."

God can do it.

But in his infinite love and wisdom He may not.

That's okay.

He knows best.

He's sovereign.

At that point they didn't know how this whole thing was going to turn out.

Either way God was to be worshipped.

And even though he let them be thrown into the fire, He was with them.

They were in trouble but with God.

A safe place to be even if it doesn't look all that safe.

Isaiah 43:2 (ESV) "..... when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you."

Clear the smoke from your eyes.

You'll see Someone standing right there with you.

Okay. So Now I'm Afraid.

Danger is lurking in the most unlikely of places.

It's germ warfare.

Every time one of these articles appears I tell myself I'm not going to read it.

And every time I do.

Call it morbid curiosity.

Call it news you can use.

You know you're just as curious as I am.

Click if you dare:

8 Things in Your Home That May Be Harming You:
http://health.msn.com/health-topics/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=100243934&GT1=31036

Level 3 Wisdom

Happy Tuesday!

I always love having Ray Pritchard on the show.

He's a former pastor, longtime author, and now the head of Keep Believing Ministries.

Here's some insight from his blog today:

"I received an e-mail from a friend who endured a very difficult trial that lasted for several years. He wrote to say how his ordeal has changed his view of what it means to know God.

There are three levels of knowing God, he wrote....

"First, there is the level of experience. All of us who know the Lord have some experiences with him that we can use to help others.

Second, there is the level of knowledge. This comes from going to church, listening to sermons, reading the Bible, reading good books, going to a Christian college or to a seminary.

Most people consider knowledge a higher level of the spiritual life. “This is a level I tried to work from, but it did not seem adequate,” my friend said. But there is a third level, which he called the level of wisdom. This level comes only by prayer.

He offers this very helpful insight about a Level 3 relationship with God:

We begin to see things through God’s eyes and less through our eyes. Peace only comes from this level. It is not measurable, explainable, nor understandable.

Levels 1 and 2 are not prerequisites. I see prayer lifting the illiterate to great levels of peace and wisdom where certain PhDs in religion may feel empty. Our prayers become less “gimme” and more “Help me see what you want me to learn through this—to deepen my relationship with you."

God invites us to seek his face. He wants us to know him better. It’s not as if our Heavenly Father is hiding himself from us.

As my friend has discovered, out of pain comes prayer and out of prayer comes a closer walk with God who is the source of all wisdom."

Isn't that good stuff?

Check out his ministry: http://www.keepbelieving.com/

See ya on the radio!

Face Decorations

It's amazing what you can do with a little facial hair.

Or a lot of it.

This guy to my left looks like he's wearing a white octopus on his face.

I mean that in the nicest possible way, of course.

He's a contestant in The World Beard and Moustache Championships.

I know.

I didn't think there was such a thing either.

Some of the photos are so cool they make a guy seriously consider entering next year's competition.

For about a half a second.

Until he thinks about breaking the news to his wife.

He pictures her threatening to wear a bag over her head when they go out together.

It's only then that he realizes the true ramifications of his decision to turn into a walking canvas for facial art.

For a few grins check out some photos from the competition:

The World Beard and Moustache Competition:

http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1658835_1439509,00.html

Catch The Wind

Are your sails up?

Or are you simply exhausted from trying to row the boat yourself?

The Christian life isn't supposed to be lived based on what WE can do.

It's God's Holy Spirit working in us that carries us through life.

Isn't it interesting that the Holy Spirit is often linked with wind?

Acts 2:1-2 (ESV) "When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting."

Jesus said....

John 3:8 (ESV) " The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

The Apostle Paul wrote....

Ephesians 5:18 (ESV) "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.."

This verse is really interesting.

In the original Greek the word "filled" presents a word picture of a sail being filled with wind.

We aren't alone on the sea of life with only a pair of oars.

Prepare your heart and you'll find the sail.

Put it up.

Can't you feel a breeze stirring already?

Books As Missionaries

On Monday I mentioned how valuable good Christian books can be.

That's why I was excited to find a ministry that firmly believes these kinds of books are missionaries.

Going places and impacting lives.

Christian Library International distributes donated Christian books to US prisons.

The mission of CLI is to bring Christ to the imprisoned.

Since its founding in 1996, CLI has helped thousands of incarcerated men and women find new hope in the healing powers of Christ.

With a small Christian staff and a team of devoted volunteers, CLI maintains a low overhead, ensuring that the bulk of the resources go directly to the prisons it supports.

CLI's success depends on the prayers and generosity of individual donors as well as local churches, foundations and Christian publishers.

To learn more click on the link:

Christian Library International:
http://www.christianlibraryinternational.org/

Whiplash The Cowboy Monkey

Yesterday on the show I told you about a small cowboy who triggers big smiles.

It's... Whiplash... The Cowboy Monkey!

When I was working in TV news back in Colorado Springs, I was assigned to "get a cowboy story" at the local rodeo.

I'd covered my share of rodeos while working in Texas and Oklahoma, so I yawned.

But imagine my surprise when I ran into Whiplash and his trainer at the rodeo grounds!

I couldn't believe it.

I struck feature story gold.

Whiplash was riding high in the saddle.

Decked out in the finest cowboy wear.

The western shirt.

The scarf.

Ten ounce hat.

Chaps with big W'S on them.

Riding on a border collie.

Rounding up goats.

Loving every minute of it.

I think that story ended up on CNN Headline News.

Since that time, he's been on The Today Show, Good Morning America, ESPN Sportscenter, Etc.

When I decided to Google him, I found all kinds of fun stuff.

Check out this commercial he starred in:



Here he is in action at the rodeo:



Also... you know everybody has a website.

Here's Whiplash's: http://www.whiplashrides.com/

Also, more details on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whiplash_the_Cowboy_Monkey

Ride Whiplash!

Ride like the wind!

And one more thing.

Don't forget to hang on.

Encouragement From Dusty Pages

I guess you might say my main hobby is reading.

It's all about the books.

The Bible is number one.

But good Christian books that can encourage, instruct, and make me think are priceless too.

My books are my friends.

Old classics.

Forgotten titles that shouldn't be forgotten.

New titles that bring old truths into the 21st Century.

Biographies.

Commentaries on the Bible.

A library filled with these kinds of books is a living library.

When life happens I can grab my Bible.

I can also grab a Christian book that speaks to me at that moment.

I may have read it months or years ago.

But I open it and God uses the words to speak anew.

It's a fresh dose of encouragement from dusty pages.

These books travel with me through life.

Just yesterday I picked up "Made For His Pleasure" by Alistair Begg.

I opened it to a chapter with the title "Finding The Ideal Place To Serve God."

A few words hit the sweet spot of my soul:

"The Bible makes it clear that God's call is not primarily about geography. We are called...

According to God's purpose (Romans 8:28)

By His grace (Galatians 1:15)

Through the gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:14)

Heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14)

Out of darkness (1 Peter 2:9)

To belong to Jesus (Romans 1:6)

To be saints (Romans 1:7)

To be holy (1 Corinthians 1:2)

To live in peace (1Corinthians 7:15)

To one hope (Ephesians 4:4)

To His eternal glory (1 Peter 5:10)

Even in this brief selection, it's apparent that God is more concerned about what is happening than where it's happening.

We need to be thinking theologically rather than geographically."

Seems to me that's a healthy word for all of us.

Where is the ideal place of service?

It's where God puts us.

I think of Jesus calling the disciples to follow him in Luke 5:11:

"And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him."

The first disciples, in obedience to the call of Jesus, left behind normality and security and began a journey into the unknown.

A place where theology and geography collide.

A place where I know I'm supposed to be.

A Parable from the Beach

I always enjoy having pastor/evangelist Greg Laurie on the show.

I ran across a recent video he made where he brings the Parable of the Sower to life at the beach near his home in Southern California.

I think it's very cool because Mark records that Jesus taught this parable "by the sea". (Mark 4:1).

If you have a few minutes... take a look.

You'll be blessed.

Somebody Loves You

This weekend the message of God's amazing grace gets kicked up a notch here in Las Vegas.

Raul Ries and the Somebody Loves You team will be coming back to the Thomas & Mack Center at UNLV.

Everything is free!

Really it's two events in one.

On Saturday, it's the Exit Concert.

On Sunday, it's The Somebody Loves You Worship Event.

Exit will focus on the kids.... and the potential for reaching them for Christ is HUGE!

Raul will be speaking at both events.

I chatted with him recently about his upcoming visit to Vegas:

Raul Ries: http://www.box.net/shared/ovrcf98xld

No matter where you live I hope you'll be in prayer for the outreach.

Here's a link to get more info: http://www.somebodylovesyou.org/news/index/las_vegas_fact_sheet.html

Walking In Circles

Ever feel like no matter how hard you try, you're walking in circles?

A preliminary study by European scientists says that you may be.

According to the study carried out using global positioning software, the myth that people who try to walk a straight line and find themselves going in circles is actually true.

The study was carried out by researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics and published in Current Biology.

Studies of nine people walking in the desert and in a forest found that all tended to go in circles and/or veer from a straight line if there was nothing to guide their way.

Walkers were only able to walk in a straight line when they could see either the sun or the moon.

Our walk through life can be like that.

Clouds can roll in to obscure Jesus.

A health crisis.

A tough relationship.

A financial setback.

A child turning away from the faith.

A rejection.

A misunderstanding.

But even on a cloudy day the sun is still shining above the clouds.

We know it's true.

Even if we can't see it right now.

Keep walking.

Use your Bible as your compass.

Psalm 119:105 "Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path."

It'll help you see Jesus with the eyes of faith.

2 Corinthians 5:7 (ESV) "... for we walk by faith, not by sight."

God makes straight the crooked path.

Proverbs 3:6 (ESV) "In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."

We might as well practice living this way as Christ followers.

That way it'll be business as usual when we walk the streets of the New Jerusalem in the age to come.

Revelation 21:23 (ESV) "And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb."