<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<feed version="0.3" xmlns="http://purl.org/atom/ns#" xml:lang="en">
  <title>Faith</title>
  <tagline></tagline>
  <id>tag:www.pocatelloshops.com,2008-03-15:/archives/18</id>
  <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs" /> 
  <copyright>Copyright (c) http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs</copyright>
  <modified>2008-03-15T20:32:07+00:00</modified>
<entry>
  <title><![CDATA[Are You Willing?]]></title>
  <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/faith.php?id=4132"/>
  <issued>2008-03-15T20:32:06+00:00</issued>
  <modified>2008-03-15T20:32:07+00:00</modified>
  <id>tag:www.pocatelloshops.com,2008-03-15:/archives/18/4132</id>
  <content type="text/html" mode="escaped" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs">
  <![CDATA[By Ed Jordan


	Each day I am more astounded by the diminishing commitment in modern society.   One day a person is flying high and declaring how great a marvelous something is, or a workplace is, or a particular cause or product is.  Then within a week that same person can be turning their back to walk away. Each of our lives have been blessed by people who spent time with us just because they liked us or wanted to help us.  Likewise, each of our lives have been hurt by people who made commitments they didn’t mean, didn’t keep, or by people who only spent time with us because of what they could get out of the relationship. There are many people whose commitment changes as frequently as the weather in Idaho. 	 

	This occurs so frequently today that we have a name for such people. They are referred to as fair-weather people. There are fair-weather friends, fair-weather mates, fair-weather club members, and more recently even fair-weather workers (who only work on projects that are to their liking). 

This is not a new phenomenon that only accompanies modern society. We see these same characteristics in some people of Jesus’ day, 2000 years ago. It can be seen in people from the early days of Jesus’ ministry, during that ministry, and then is depicted in the events leading up to His crucifixion and resurrection.  

In the gospels we see Jesus breaking onto the scene in Galilee, and being an instant crowd getter. He did miracles no one else could do. He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, and He used a little boy’s lunch to feed the thousands of people following Jesus. He taught truths about the Kingdom of God that motivated people to spend their days following Him. He explained to people that they needed to be born again in order to perceive and enter the Kingdom of God.  

When Jesus began to explain that He would sacrificially give His life in order for people to be able to have eternal life, then the religious leaders and some of His followers beg ..]]>
  </content>
  <link rel="related" type="text/html" href="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/faith.php?id=4132" title="Are You Willing?"/>
  <author>
    <name>ejordan</name>
    <url>http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/profile.php?id=40</url>
  </author>
</entry>
<entry>
  <title><![CDATA[Longing for the Smile of God]]></title>
  <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/faith.php?id=4131"/>
  <issued>2008-03-15T20:25:15+00:00</issued>
  <modified>2008-03-15T20:32:07+00:00</modified>
  <id>tag:www.pocatelloshops.com,2008-03-15:/archives/18/4131</id>
  <content type="text/html" mode="escaped" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs">
  <![CDATA[By Ed Jordan


	Have you watched any young people competing in spelling bees, speech contests, or athletics? It is a very stressful time for them as they compete to win the prize over their peers.  But there seems to be a more highly sought prize than the trophy or scholarship they may receive. If you watch closely, and observe their faces when it is announced that they are the winners, the first place their eyes turn is towards their parents or loved ones in the stands.  The greatest prize that provides joy and satisfaction to the soul is the love and approval of our loved ones, as demonstrated by their smiles and shining faces.  
	
We all have a need for love and acceptance. We desire to make those who love us proud of us and pleased with our demeanor, character, or accomplishments.  We want to see the smile of our loved ones and the glow on their faces because of our joy.

	When was the last time you got the smile of approval from the one you love? Can you remember times in your life when you felt frustrated, disappointed, or defeated?  Can you remember how the camaraderie and smiling affirmation of your loved ones began to instantly transform those feelings of disappointment?  

	One of my favorite movies is Mr. Holland’s Opus.  Mr. Holland, a musician who has great visions of being a successful songwriter, becomes a schoolteacher in order to provide for his family.  In the film he has some successes, but has many frustrations and circumstances that just seem to continually push his dream further and further away from fulfillment. The joy of having a child is tempered by the discovery that the child is hearing impaired. Compounding matters are the complications and frustrations of the father and son trying to overcome difficulties in communicating with each other. Many stresses that can occur in most families are portrayed in Mr. Holland’s life.

There are several times in the movie when a glowing smile changes the whole mood of the film, and of the p ..]]>
  </content>
  <link rel="related" type="text/html" href="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/faith.php?id=4131" title="Longing for the Smile of God"/>
  <author>
    <name>ejordan</name>
    <url>http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/profile.php?id=40</url>
  </author>
</entry>
<entry>
  <title><![CDATA[Getting Through Tough Times]]></title>
  <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/faith.php?id=4079"/>
  <issued>2008-02-23T19:22:12+00:00</issued>
  <modified>2008-03-15T20:32:07+00:00</modified>
  <id>tag:www.pocatelloshops.com,2008-03-15:/archives/18/4079</id>
  <content type="text/html" mode="escaped" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs">
  <![CDATA[
By Ed Jordan

	People are restless, and beginning to worry.  After six years of amazing economic growth, some people have gotten into debt beyond their ability to pay, and some loaning institutions were glad to assist them in acquiring debt.  Wages are not keeping pace with the $3 a gallon fuel imported from other countries. Higher fuel costs fuel higher costs of goods and services, because most of our economy is tied to transportation, which relies upon fuel. 

Some people propose the use of ethanol as a solution, because ethanol is renewable. However, using grain to make ethanol raises the price of meat and dairy, because grains are now being diverted to become auto fuel instead of animal fuel.  The higher demand for corn raises its price as well. In the end, everything goes up: grain, milk, eggs, bread, meat, and fuel.

Then there are the political problems that we face.  Some think that having a new President will change everything.  Think again!  Campaign promises are oh, so easy to make, but oh, so difficult to fulfill. A new President will only bring a new unknown to these long-term anxiety-causing issues, because no one can predict how that President will proceed, or whether the hundreds of elected officials in Congress, each implementing their own personal agendas, will cooperate with that President. Added to this is the unpredictability of other countries (both allies and enemies) that each have their own agendas on each issue. 
   
Why am I writing about these things?  I write to remind us that our country is facing difficult, long-standing problems. Our country has an enemy that wants to destroy us. We have some citizens who think that our enemies are merely myths or misunderstood; and we have an economy that is built upon fossil fuels with no quick way to convert to another fuel.  Remember that about 30 years ago Jimmy Carter tried to address both the fuel issue and America being held hostage by Islamic Fundamentalist terrorists. These two Mid ..]]>
  </content>
  <link rel="related" type="text/html" href="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/faith.php?id=4079" title="Getting Through Tough Times"/>
  <author>
    <name>ejordan</name>
    <url>http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/profile.php?id=40</url>
  </author>
</entry>
<entry>
  <title><![CDATA[In Search of Significance]]></title>
  <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/faith.php?id=4041"/>
  <issued>2008-02-09T19:32:36+00:00</issued>
  <modified>2008-03-15T20:32:07+00:00</modified>
  <id>tag:www.pocatelloshops.com,2008-03-15:/archives/18/4041</id>
  <content type="text/html" mode="escaped" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs">
  <![CDATA[
By Ed Jordan

I was recently reading a book by a famous author in which he said that one of a human being’s most prevalent needs is the need to feel important, i.e. to have a sense of significance. I think this is an accurate statement.  We all desire to be appreciated and recognized as people of worth by others, and therefore to be affirmed as important. For very many people the drive to succeed, to climb the corporate ladder, to become wealthy, or to become a celebrity, is a consuming passion that is often an expression of a deeper need to be “someone,” i.e., to be deemed as important to others.  
Many people succumb to excessive behaviors through peer pressure, or the desire to be “liked,” or to become important to a particular person or a group of people. Some people live empty lives because they can’t seem to get adequate affirmation of their value or worth. This is not just a phenomenon with so-called “unaccomplished” people. Seemingly successful people can also be searching for significance or a sense of worth. 

It was interesting to observe the response of Bill Belachick to the Patriot’s loss in this weekend’s Super Bowl. He has led his team to win three Super Bowls in the last several years, but those apparently weren’t adequate affirmations of significance.  Winning 18 games this season also seemed meaningless when compared to this one loss.  Why?  Was it the loss of “perfection,” or loss of the championship? 

For whatever reason, some people’s sense of importance rests upon winning the Super Bowl, not just once, but again and again and again. Like a drug addiction, the dose of glory needed in order to maintain one’s sense of increasing importance apparently must continue to increase. Winning the Super Bowl was formerly the ultimate evidence of success and the affirmation of “significance,” but it somehow loses its ability to make you feel as significant the next time. It apparently takes more glory each year in order to get the same feeling of  ..]]>
  </content>
  <link rel="related" type="text/html" href="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/faith.php?id=4041" title="In Search of Significance"/>
  <author>
    <name>ejordan</name>
    <url>http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/profile.php?id=40</url>
  </author>
</entry>
<entry>
  <title><![CDATA[The Best Don’t Always Win]]></title>
  <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/faith.php?id=4040"/>
  <issued>2008-02-09T19:30:30+00:00</issued>
  <modified>2008-03-15T20:32:07+00:00</modified>
  <id>tag:www.pocatelloshops.com,2008-03-15:/archives/18/4040</id>
  <content type="text/html" mode="escaped" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs">
  <![CDATA[The Best Don’t Always Win
By Ed Jordan

	Do you ever wrestle with why the best team doesn’t always win the game?  How about with why the most skillful potential employee is rarely the one selected for a work position?  I was speaking with an unemployed friend a while ago, and he said, “Well, Ed, as you know it is not ‘what you know’ but ‘who you know’ that makes the difference in who is hired for a position.”  I must be honest that while I know that is true, I wish it were not.  In a perfect world, which ours is not, the best-qualified person would get the job, the best team would win the game, and the best political candidate would be obvious and the one elected.
 
	As you know, we are in the run-up to this year’s Presidential Election.  In one primary or caucus one candidate wins, in a different state another wins, and one wonders why this one or that one wins on any particular day in any particular place. It doesn’t seem that the best candidates necessarily always win, progress, or continue.

	As most of you are aware, we have also just experienced the playoff games of the National Football League, and unfortunately that is another place in life where it is not always the best team, or at least our favorite team, that always wins the game.  All too often the winner seems to only be the better team with the best breaks on that particular day.  On a different day, or with the breaks going to the other team, the team that lost would have won. 

        So there is a serendipity factor in the outcome of many events in life.  This serendipity factor goes by various names, depending upon the perspective of the labeler. For some this serendipity factor is called “coincidence,” to others “luck,” to others  “fate,” and to others “providence.”  The point is that life in an imperfect world is not as predicable as some of us would like it to be.

       That is what Ecclesiastes 9:11 (NLT) says. “I have observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doe ..]]>
  </content>
  <link rel="related" type="text/html" href="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/faith.php?id=4040" title="The Best Don’t Always Win"/>
  <author>
    <name>ejordan</name>
    <url>http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/profile.php?id=40</url>
  </author>
</entry>
<entry>
  <title><![CDATA[Giving Thanks To Whom?]]></title>
  <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/faith.php?id=3732"/>
  <issued>2007-11-07T21:22:08+00:00</issued>
  <modified>2008-03-15T20:32:07+00:00</modified>
  <id>tag:www.pocatelloshops.com,2008-03-15:/archives/18/3732</id>
  <content type="text/html" mode="escaped" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs">
  <![CDATA[By Ed Jordan

	Thanksgiving Day is approaching, so I thought it would be appropriate to explore the theme of “giving thanks” in the next few articles. Hopefully this will help all of us become a little more thankful. As I was thinking about this subject today, the thought came to me that the expression  “Thank you,” or even the abbreviated form “Thanks,” requires a recipient of our gratitude.   Have you ever considered that?  

	We can’t just say “Thank.”   It is always, “Thank God,” or “Thank you.”  Even the secularist who doesn’t believe in God can’t just say “Thank.”  Instead it becomes “Thank my lucky stars.”
The word  “thank” is a relational word, which requires a recipient.  It is a word that helps express appreciation to someone for something done that blessed or assisted us.  “Thanks” needs a recipient in order for it to have any meaning at all.   It is a word of courtesy and respect. It communicates appreciation and value for another person.  This is one reason why giving thanks is so important.

	Giving thanks reminds us that we need others. It reminds us that our lives are in many ways dependent upon relationships with others. It is a reminder that expressing appreciation for the help, encouragement, or assistance of others is important. 

	Have you ever taken the effort to hold the door open for someone, and they walk through as though you owed it to them, giving no expression of gratitude in the least?  I have. How did you feel towards that ungrateful person who, by saying nothing, communicated they deserved what you did?  Did you feel a twinge of anger?  Were you irritated that they were so self-absorbed that they didn’t even notice, or felt entitled to that treatment?  Did you feel like you didn’t want to bother next time? 

	How do you feel when you hold the door open for someone and he or she smiles, and enthusiastically replies, “Thank you!” to you?  You are delighted and respond, “You are very welcome!”  After that, you are ready to ope ..]]>
  </content>
  <link rel="related" type="text/html" href="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/faith.php?id=3732" title="Giving Thanks To Whom?"/>
  <author>
    <name>ejordan</name>
    <url>http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/profile.php?id=40</url>
  </author>
</entry>
<entry>
  <title><![CDATA[A Culture Worth Joining, and Passing On To Others]]></title>
  <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/faith.php?id=3731"/>
  <issued>2007-11-07T21:18:37+00:00</issued>
  <modified>2008-03-15T20:32:07+00:00</modified>
  <id>tag:www.pocatelloshops.com,2008-03-15:/archives/18/3731</id>
  <content type="text/html" mode="escaped" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs">
  <![CDATA[By Ed Jordan

	
Some years ago I was asked to write a curriculum book that could help Christians of many cultures of Europe learn to accurately interpret the Bible, and to be able to discern between the things that are traditionally associated with Christianity (but are in actuality a product of a country or denomination’s culture) and those which are indeed part of the culture of the Kingdom of God.  This is always a valuable, and a very difficult, exercise. 

What is culture? It is the body of beliefs and values that a society of people embrace, embody, and deem worthy of passing on to succeeding generations. It is those things that define who they are as a people. Each culture has its own characteristic values and/or traditions that are woven into the fabric of its people and society, that contribute to a common corporate identity for its people, and that shape their people’s values and behaviors.          

For example, Hungarians value hospitality, wonderful food, education, their families, and deep friendships.  Germans value order, quality workmanship, a good beer, and then long vacations. Russian culture desires to be the best, keep their motherland safe, and “bigness.”  Thus under communism they claimed the world’s biggest trucks, biggest submarines, biggest bureaucracy, etc.  Romanians generally value shrewdness, working smarter instead of harder, and networking.  Generally, we Americans value time, money, speed in accomplishing tasks (productivity), freedom, and personal independence.  We don’t like to have to wait for anything.     

In thinking of the cultural values of the Kingdom of God, and the people who comprise it, what are the identifying cultural traits of a citizen in the Kingdom of God? What values consistently characterize the people who are identified as members of God’s Kingdom?  How would we recognize a member of the Kingdom of God?

Probably the most crucial and important identifier of a person who is a member of the Kingdom of ..]]>
  </content>
  <link rel="related" type="text/html" href="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/faith.php?id=3731" title="A Culture Worth Joining, and Passing On To Others"/>
  <author>
    <name>ejordan</name>
    <url>http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/profile.php?id=40</url>
  </author>
</entry>
<entry>
  <title><![CDATA[Kids Need to Be Kids]]></title>
  <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/faith.php?id=3675"/>
  <issued>2007-10-24T17:55:51+00:00</issued>
  <modified>2008-03-15T20:32:07+00:00</modified>
  <id>tag:www.pocatelloshops.com,2008-03-15:/archives/18/3675</id>
  <content type="text/html" mode="escaped" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs">
  <![CDATA[by Pastor Phil Meyer

Since I began writing this column almost a year ago, my two boys have
turned 8 and 9.  I know I’ve mentioned them before, and this week, I
wanted to mention them again, because they both now have their own email
addresses.  For some reason, they got it in their minds to have their own
email addresses - mainly so that they could communicate with their
grandparents who live in Minnesota.  As this seemed to be a worthwhile
reason, my wife and I agreed to let them do this.  However, we have been
closely monitoring the time that they are spending with the internet, as
we realize the dangers that lay beneath the surface.
While this has been unfolding in our family, though, I’ve been seeing more
and more advertisements for this new show entitled ‘Kid Nation.’  While I
have not watched the show myself, it would be unfair of me to make any
statements about the show itself.  From what I understand though, this
show is centered around a group of children who are unchaperoned - to see
how children can survive under different situations.  My only statement
about the show itself is that it seems to me to be another reality show
that is anything but real.  That’s beside the point though - at least my
point this week.
There used to be a phrase “kids will be kids.”  Is that still a true
statement?  There used to be a show entitled, “Kids Say the Darndest
Things.”  I wonder if a show like that would be received with what many
kids are exposed to and able to say now.  I have come to believe that as a
society we are encouraging our kids to grow up earlier then we used to -
and earlier than we probably ought to.  Just do an internet search on the
topic and you will find countless articles and books on the subject.
Jesus made a claim which has interesting insight on this subject.  He
said:  &quot;Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for
the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.  I tell you the truth, anyone
who will ..]]>
  </content>
  <link rel="related" type="text/html" href="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/faith.php?id=3675" title="Kids Need to Be Kids"/>
  <author>
    <name>pmeyer</name>
    <url>http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/profile.php?id=126</url>
  </author>
</entry>
<entry>
  <title><![CDATA[When You're Stuck, Seek God!]]></title>
  <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/faith.php?id=3672"/>
  <issued>2007-10-24T14:57:43+00:00</issued>
  <modified>2008-03-15T20:32:07+00:00</modified>
  <id>tag:www.pocatelloshops.com,2008-03-15:/archives/18/3672</id>
  <content type="text/html" mode="escaped" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs">
  <![CDATA[by Pastor Phil Meyer

Do you ever have one of those weeks when you feel stuck?  Maybe its a
project you can't seem to get accomplished, maybe its a quarrel that just
can't seem to get resolved.  For me this past week it's been an ill child.
 My youngest is going through yet another bout of strep throat, and it
appears as though tonsil surgery is in his future.  I've been stranded in
my home for the last three days, as my wife works out at the site, and has
not been able to be here.  I've been stuck.
It's always interesting when life deals you this unique opportunities;
although I imagine for some, feeling stuck is a normal or constant
occurence.  What do you do?  How do you cope with the tension or the
trauma that comes from such a wonderful experience (sarcasm, there, in
case you didn't catch it.)?  There are only so many tv shows to watch, and
I can only scrub the kitchen floor so many times.  Oops, more sarcasm.
There are always at least two different ways to view the things that come
our way, I guess.  One is to focus on how unlucky life us, or how unfair
things seem to be.  For many, this is the path that gets chosen because
self pity comes with its own fuel.  The more negative things that happen
only serve to fuel that fire.
I have come to the conclusion though, that there is a better road to take.
 Praising God for the opportunity that I have to experience something that
tests me is the thought behind it.  It may sounnd strange, or even
difficult, and at times it is.  Yet, I have found that God gives the
strength to get through difficult times, and his strength is a whole lot
more helpful than the pity party that I could be in.
The apostle Paul wrote to one of his churches, a three step process that
seems to work:   &quot;be joyful always; pray continually; and give thanks to
God for every circumstance, for this is God's will for you in Christ
Jesus.&quot;  It's a difficult little progression at times, but it has not
failed yet to bring ab ..]]>
  </content>
  <link rel="related" type="text/html" href="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/faith.php?id=3672" title="When You're Stuck, Seek God!"/>
  <author>
    <name>pmeyer</name>
    <url>http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/profile.php?id=126</url>
  </author>
</entry>
<entry>
  <title><![CDATA[The Blood of Jesus Is Most Important]]></title>
  <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/faith.php?id=3670"/>
  <issued>2007-10-24T11:09:01+00:00</issued>
  <modified>2008-03-15T20:32:07+00:00</modified>
  <id>tag:www.pocatelloshops.com,2008-03-15:/archives/18/3670</id>
  <content type="text/html" mode="escaped" xml:lang="en" xml:base="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs">
  <![CDATA[by Pastor Phil Meyer

 My brother and I have a specific memory of being told a story of how
John Dillenger, the infamous outlaw, worked on our family farm as a
hired hand whenever he was not out doing his robbing.  While our father
doesn't remember telling us this story, I did a little research, and in
an biography written on John Dillenger, sure enough, it is stated that
he would take a job on a farm as a hired hand in order to hide from the
law.
  Family histories can be an interesting thing - it is fun to see what
skeletons or celebrities may have crossed your family bloodline, and I
it is amazing to hear about all of the money and time and energy that is
spent by same tracing one's bloodline back in history.
  Bloodline can be an important thing, I guess.  Racehorse are bred and
researched over bloodlines; purebred dogs are more expensive than mutts;
there has even been research done about the predispositions that human
beings have towards certain actions - all because of the bloodline.
  I enjoy learning about my heritage.  My great grandparents came to the
United States from Germany, and one day, it would be fun to travel to
Germany to see where they came from.  My wife's mother was from Japan,
and I know she has a similar dream - that one day, she would be able to
go there and try to locate long lost relatives.
  I had been born already when my last surviving great-grandmoter passed
away.  It would be a stretch to say that I knew her well.  I was very
young when she was called to heaven.  And I am certain that she is now
rejoicing with God - not because of her bloodline or our family tree,
but because she had another bloodline running through her.  She had a
relationship with Christ Jesus and his blood, shed on the the cross of
Calvary, was shed for her - just as it was shed for all.
  My grandparents were all faithful, God-fearing Christian people, too,
and now, they too, are rejoicing in heaven with God - because of the
blood  ..]]>
  </content>
  <link rel="related" type="text/html" href="http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/faith.php?id=3670" title="The Blood of Jesus Is Most Important"/>
  <author>
    <name>pmeyer</name>
    <url>http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/profile.php?id=126</url>
  </author>
</entry>


</feed>