River Valley Rockford Blog

Onomatopoeia

Drip. You can hear the water slowly letting go and begin to tumble through the air when you say that word. That is an example of onomatopoeia, a word that sounds like it's meaning. We talked on Sunday about how the Luke used an onomatopoeia word in Acts 6:1 to explain the "grumbling" or "murmuring" (Greek=goggysmos) of the Grecian Jews whose widows were being neglected. Of course, the big lesson from Acts 6:1-7 is that we all have a ministry, and we need to serve right where God has called us to serve. If we do our part, no one gets distracted from their part to cover us, and there is no need for goggysmos.

On a lighter note, language is fascinating. I shared some onomatopoeia-type words: drip, sizzle, chatter, babbling brook, neigh, beep, rustle, hiccup, bam, swoosh, slurp, vroom, whack, woof. I wonder if you might have some favorites you might like to share. I'd love to hear them. Drop them in the comment section below.

The Generous Gifts

On Sunday, we passed out "gifts" at church. The gifts came in these nifty boxes, and inside there were specific ideas (assignments/challenges) for the gift-getter to do for someone else. They were things like shovel a neighbor's driveway (that is shovel "snow" for you southerners), take a homeless person to lunch, bake cookies for the fire department, or do the unwanted chore at the office. The idea was that by giving we really experience the good; that is why we called the idea a "gift." It seemed like a pretty good plan, and then my family went to lunch and realized it was a better plan than we thought.

Getting Sex Right

Sunday we tackled a tough but relevant topic:  sex.  At the heart of the message was the biblical truth that God designed sex to be deeply joyful, passionate and wonder-filled.  Yet, the attraction of sex and lust outside of marriage is powerful and terribly flawed.  Many people struggle to believe the right thing and behave the right way.  I am passionate about this topic because I hate seeing people duped into living a lower life than what God wants.  Many people settle for second-rate pleasure because they refuse to trust God:  they don’t wait to experience sex until marriage, they don’t protect their eyes from erotic images and pornographic videos, and they don’t work to make their marriages safe, intimate, and passionate.

Dreams of River Valley People

At the end of our InLife series on April 5, 2009, we taught and thought about dreams. Then people wrote down their dreams and posted them for others to see. These touched me deeply. God truly created us to live incredible lives. What would our world look like if we all worked diligently toward our dreams? Most of these are too large to for us to do alone. They are God-sized, and they require God to empower and assist. But, that is what he loves to do.  Here they are to inspire you:

Experience The Treasure

This message series called The Treasure intrigued me before it ever started.  For months I prepared for it with this one guiding question at the top of my research page:  Besides heaven, what are the perks of salvation?  I put the “besides heaven” in there not because it is minimal but because it is familiar.  Everyone knows that heaven is a primary perk of salvation.  Avoiding hell is a primary incentive often teased out by preachers and evangelists, especially by those who sweat and beat the pulpit.  And it is no slouchy perk.  Hell is a real and terrible place, and heaven is apparently going to be much more relaxing and a lot cleaner.  But everyone knows that and many want to know why salvation is so great for this life, the one on earth.  As I thought about that, I noticed a whole herd of believers who couldn’t articulate much of an answer to such questions.  Which, for me, meant they probably weren’t living in the perks themselves.  That seemed like a sad thing.  Sort of like inheriting an amusement park but being told you can’t ride the roller coasters until you die.  What a bummer.

Your OMTL Stories

During the One Month to Live series, we have tried to learn and live out four universal principles: to live passionately, to love completely, to learn humbly and to leave boldly. Many people have made some positive and even risky decisions during the last 30 days. Your story can be encouraging to other people's lives. Please click "comments" below and share a part of your story.

One Month to Live: Enter the Story

Recently I told the church about the terrifying time I was chased from the house by a scar-faced man slashing a knife. I barely escaped out the back door and barricaded it shut. Catching my breath, I eventually leaked out a smile and shouted, “This was the best haunted house ever!” I’m inviting you to the same experience right now.

It isn’t a haunted house to which you are invited, but it is to the same intentional suspension of disbelief, to the same potential emotional-state change. A haunted house is fun only if you get scared. And the only way to get scared is to stop criticizing the obvious make-up scar and the fake headless horseman. You have to allow yourself to believe it could be real. You have to suspend your disbelief. Then the fun begins.

You are invited to do the same right now with this scenario: you have been told you have one month to live.

Broken Cisterns

If there were a fresh, spring water fountain available, why would we want a cistern? I’ve been consumed with this question since Sunday. Here is God’s powerful accusation in Jeremiah 2:13, “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.”
Why would someone do that?

The spring water is there free of charge. Just bend down and drink. No maintenance required. No cost charged. Just take it and relish the refreshment—ahhh.

Would Jesus Wear Camo?

Does the Bible support war?  Tough question.  In our Why-Fi on this topic, we saw how Jesus taught a personal, moral ethic of non-resistance.  To turn the other cheek and to not return evil for evil (Matthew 5), that is the way of the Christian.  But we also saw how he affirmed Kings leading out in war and seemed to affirm that while people are to be non-resistant, there are times when governments must act with force.   

Is It Really a Sin to Be Gay?

In secular and Christian culture, there are various answers to this upcoming Sunday's question, "Is It Really a Sin to Be Gay?" Some believe people are born with a certain sexual orientation and whatever that is, they should be allowed to enjoy it. Others believe God created all people with only a desire for the opposite sex. Some believe you can't be a Christian and also be a practicing homosexual, often going as far as hating or fearing gay people. Others believe there is nothing wrong with homosexuality, claiming that homosexual people can serve in leadership positions within the church. This past week the topic surfaced as the California Supreme Court struck down the state's ban on same-sex marriage. This upcoming Sunday, we will look into the Bible for answers. Until then, I would encourage you to consider what you believe and especially WHY you believe it.