A Deeper Insight- November 2008

When you consider the heart of Christian Community Development you must think through shalom in new ways.  Shalom, defined as: the world as God intends it to be.  In Christendom, we truly believe at the core of God’s character that He is love.

1 John 4:7-20: Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.

If people are going to see that God is love in our society today we may need to grasp that His love is expressed in how we treat one another (both in the church and those outside of it).  Princeton scholar, Cornel West said in a recently released “rock-umentary” Call and Response: “Love is what justice looks like in public,” See the trailer at:  www.callandresponse.com.

How we live justice out in public can look like a million and one different expressions.  This can be a home for women coming out of jail/prison.  See www.perpetualhelphome.com.  It can be a coffee house with an internet café that focuses on high school students graduating and going on to college. See http://www.bcfs.net/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=461&srcid=268.  Perhaps it is a medical clinic like Mission East Dallas, http://www.missioneastdallas.org. Or even, the International Justice Mission which addresses children being sold into slavery worldwide at: www.ijm.org.  This is just a sample of several iterations of caring for the “least of these” (see Matthew 25).

This generation like no other wants to see that Christians do what Jesus did, say and act in public like God’s character which they supposedly represent. A demonstration of the power of the Gospel is the “skin on” Jesus for people to see that we are ambassadors of care for those who are victimized, marginalized, and looked down on in our society.

What does justice look like to you? Ask God to show the passionate heart call He has placed in you to serve people with your gifts, skills, talents and abilities!  If you need more resources let us know – see some of our archived Glimpses of Glory concerning Human Trafficking, Addictions Ministries, Restorative Justice, etc.

God has made me an Advocate for the voiceless and Abolitionist of child exploitation at heart! What about you?

Tomi Grover

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A Deeper Insight- October 2008

Down and Dirty, Mark 2:1-5
The ongoing aftermath of Hurricane Ike along the Gulf coast of Texas brings to mind the thought for this month’s Deeper Insights.  A group of Pastors in the Elm Grove Network of Churches across Mansfield and Fort Worth led the men of their churches on a mission trip to Sabine Pass, Texas where First Baptist Sabine Pass and most of the city received extensive flooding and wind damage from Hurricane Ike.  Most of the residents and businesses were affected to the extent that they needed and still need teams of volunteers to assist them in the mudding out of their home or business.  First Baptist Sabine Pass which is a two story facility had its entire first floor submerged under 7 plus feet of water.  The first floor was to be their Outreach Center and they are anxious to get it mudded out and rebuilt so that they can begin to be of service to their community during this time.

Mud out is a dirty job. Due to the fact that the flood waters become contaminated with fuel, raw sewage and chemicals anything that comes in contact with the flood waters have to be decontaminated or thrown away.  So mudding out a home involves clearing out all of the furniture and appliances in the home which in most cases have been damaged and are un-salvageable.  All clothing, utensils, furniture and belongings that cannot be washed and decontaminated must be thrown away.  The mud and slush that’s left in the building has to be shelved out and disposed of.  The flooring in most cases has to be pulled up and thrown away.  The sheet rock has to be cut out one foot above the water line and thrown away.  Now the rooms of the affected home or business are ready to be washed down and treated with bleach, kills, or suitable chemicals to disinfect and protect against mold.  Again, mud out is a dirty job but it is required before any rebuilding can take place.  So where is the deeper insight in this?  I’m glad you asked.

If the truth be told, our lives could be described in a similar fashion.  Sin has lead many of us into deep pits of filth and debauchery.  Because of ungodly choices we have deprived ourselves of God’s righteousness.  In fact the Word of God declares that we all have sinned and fallen short of God’s Glory.  But thanks be to God, He has given His Son Jesus to mud us out!  He has washes and cleanses us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).  But for many of us the mudding out happens through the sacrificial life of another.  God used or is using someone to get down and dirty with the hard to reach.  He uses his children to enter into the lives of others, those that are far from Him so that they might be saved.  He wants to cleanse and makes us whole.  It’s like the men that came bringing the paralytic to Jesus.  They went to great lengths which included carrying him, lifting him up, cutting out an opening to let him down into the presence of Jesus.  And Jesus, seeing their faith healed the paralytic (Mark 2:1-5).  So this bids the question, who are you suffering and sacrificing for so that God’s Spirit can reach a soul that is lost.  How far are you willing to go for the sake of another?  It’s not about you.  Your suffering and sacrifice could be for the sake of someone else so that they might be saved.  What a privilege!  Are we willing to get down and dirty so that some soul can be saved and come into a righteous, peace and eternal relationship with our Lord.  He did it for us, He came down from heaven and gave His life for us so that we could be saved and brought into an eternal relationship with Him.  Thank God for the down and dirty saints that give of themselves for the sake of the lost. AMEN!!

Gerald Davis

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A Deeper Insight- September 2008

Mat 11:28-30

“I will give you rest,” is so good to hear after a long grueling month of back to back projects and activities in fulfilling God’s call to ministry.  This is where many of us find ourselves as we pride ourselves in doing the work of ministry.  Such was the case for me as the ministry where I serve entered into its new church facility.  We were just getting over a Back to School Carnival, a 12 hour Day of Praise Celebration, an Entrance Service, a Dedication Service, and not to mentions the weekly ongoing ministries to the community and duties of being on staff at the church.  Ministry can wear you out.  Aren’t we all guilty?  But listen to Jesus’ invitation to joining him in ministry.  He bids us in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”  The verse in and of itself is so refreshing to hear.

The invitation is first of all an invitation to come in relationship with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Creator of the universe, the Maker of us all.  We are privileged to be united with the almighty God who loves us and bids us to come unto Himself.  He wants to be in a personal relationship with us.  I believe that this is often our first mistake.  We overlook the fact that all we do for Christ is with His help.  We are not independent, our reliance is on Him.  Come unto me all that are heavy laden.  All who are over worked and overburdened, carrying a heavy load.  Could this indicate that if we find ourselves in such a state then it is not from God?  Maybe we have veered away from the will of God and taken on more than God had in mind for us at that moment.  If this is where we are then God wants to give us rest.  He wants to relieve us of the pain and hardship that we are bring upon ourselves.  His promise is to give us rest.  He wants to accomplish this by yoking up with us.  Or should I say by us yoking up with Him.  The invitation calls for submission and obedience.  Our rest and relief from grueling ministry will come when we totally submit and obey the will of God and not ourselves.  We could be our worst enemy.  God wants us to yoke with Him as He make right the wrongs in our communities and lives.  A yoke is a heavy wooden bar that fits over the neck of an ox so that it can pull a cart or a plow.  Imagine this yoke being a double yoke where two animals or in our case two beings can be placed in it to plow forth the mission of God.  Take my yoke upon you; join in this yoke with me as I accomplish my will through your life.  Take the yoke of my leadership / Lordship on you and also learn of me.  Get to know me I want to be intimate with you.  I want to reveal to you the way that will accomplish what I want and it will be easy, it will not be burdensome and grueling.  Isn’t this good news, isn’t this refreshing?  Ministry isn’t so bad after all if we will only do it God’s way.  When we are in proper fellowship with God then we will experience relief and rest.  God will not put more us that we can bear.  He’s right there to help bear the load.  He wants to give you rest.

Gerald Davis

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Your comments and recommended resources are welcome in the comments box below.

Deeper Insights on Hunger

There is an old saying: Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Is that all we hope to do with a hunger ministry? I dare say the next part of the axiom is better: Teach a man to fish and feed him for a life time. But I believe there are more parts to this saying that we rarely hear: Introduce the man to the Creator of the fish (and himself) and feed him for all eternity! But how about we add: teach the man on the journey to be a fisher of men himself (that would be the fulfillment of the Great Commission) and next he would have opportunity to take seriously his stewardship of the pond? That man (or woman) would then have opportunity to recognize God’s sovereignty in their life, their community, and His purpose for them in this world.

How is a ministry in His name able to only serve food to the hungry and not say that this food satisfies for a time but as it is given in the Name of Jesus Christ — he cares for your physical needs and your spiritual needs at the same time? Life is short; let them have the choicest morsels! Some call that dessert. I call that serving Christ.

Frankly, (like a two sides of a coin) serving the Hungry is about two issues. Serving bread to feed the physical stomach is only one aspect of addressing the needs of the hungry. To be really fully fed the person must also have a portion of the “Bread of Life” to make the transaction a purposeful endeavor and to keep the reason for feeding them relevant to the responsibility we take very seriously from our Lord to feed the hungry. The whole story is in Matthew 25:35 and following: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. . .”

In, John 6:35 then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” Do we really believe that?

This begs the question – why would we think we should have audience with hungry people without first helping their stomachs to stop growling “speaking” louder than any words that might be spoken. Certainly, their physical hunger inhibits their ability to hear us?

But more importantly — how do we feed them the Bread of Life without making them feel that they must respond to the message in order to get fed? Or would sharing the Gospel be a violation of the “rules” imposed by the source of the food we use – such as the network of food banks?

The rules set up by the food bank say that you cannot make the persons’ receiving food contingent on their participation in a religious program. Do you think Christ would have required them to sit through an evangelistic message before they’d have access to food? But that rule does not mean that there are not ways to share the gospel part and parcel with delivery of goods. Creativity is the watchword, not just a tract in a sack of groceries. While there have been instances where persons have come to know the Lord through tracks that does not promote a personal relational response to the gospel. And, if we cannot figure out how to share the gospel with the restrictions of the food bank – then frankly, perhaps we need to consider not using the food bank and obey God first and trust Him to provide! Remember, he is the one who multiples Loaves and Fishes?

The Lord, the Bread of Life, is not an afterthought in Hunger Ministries. He is the sole (truly “soul”) reason we would feed hungry people in the first place!

Especially, for Pastors and those of you have opportunity there are a collection of sermons at:
http://www.seedspublishers.org/worship/speaking-of-hunger-sermons-of-challenge-and-hope/

“This collection of sermons is sponsored by the Alliance of Baptists (AOB) and produced by Seeds of Hope. For a number of years, Christian leaders in the anti-hunger movement have been calling for a cache of sermons about hunger. This year the AOB has enabled Seeds to pull together this collection.”

By: Tomi Lee “T.L.” Grover, PhD.

A Deeper Insight- Domestic Violence

Religious teachings can serve as either a resource or a roadblock in addressing the issue of domestic violence. As religious communities, our responsibility is to minimize any barriers facing abused members of our congregations and maximize the resources that exist within our religious traditions.

The following quote by Reverend Al Miles frames the issue of domestic violence within the religious community, identifying complacency among many clergy with confronting abuse and the urgent need to address the problem as a pastoral duty.

“For the most part clergy have hindered rather than helped women break free from their abusive partners. Our apathy, denial, exhortations, ignorance, and misinterpretations of the Bible have added to women’s pain and suffering and placed them in even greater danger. The time is long overdue for us pastors to stop turning our backs on domestic violence and begin speaking out against this sin…We have a responsibility to preach and teach the biblical truths about God’s love, which binds women and men together as equals rather than ordering them in a hierarchy. As long as we refuse to fully carry out our pastoral duties, victims of domestic violence will continue to crumble emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually underneath the weight of brutality and scriptural misinterpretations, which no human deserves.”

- Rev. Al Miles
Domestic Violence: What Every Pastor Needs to Know

A Deeper Insight- A Mustard Seed

He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like unto a mustard seed, which a man took, and planted in his field.  Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.” (NIV).  Jesus again is in dialog with His disciples to help them gain an understanding of the Kingdom of God and how to recognize it once it is revealed.  He uses the idea of a mustard seed which at that time was the smallest seed in the plant world.  Picture this small seed being planted in a farmer’s field.  Note the dichotomy; a small seed verses the large field.  Although it was a small seed each seed could grow into a very large bush.  It would be 12 to 15 feet tall.  The birds would make their nests in it. Jesus was referring to this bush.

Note also the ambiguity of the scene.  How will the farmer know where he planted the seed being that the seed is so small and the field is so large?  If he didn’t have a system to identify where the seed was being planted then how would he know where to relocate the seed in order to water and nurture it to full maturity?  Perhaps this points to Paul’s idea of spiritual growth in the Lord when he says that I planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. (I Cor. 3:6).  When we work for Kingdom sake then we have to leave the results up to the King.  He will nurture and produce the results.

The mustard seed is also known for its rapid and sure growth.  The Kingdom of God will come!  It will come, whether we realize it or not, it will and is happening.  God’s Kingdom will come here on earth as it is in heaven.  Halleluiah!!  I believe I saw a semblance of this the other night while observing the start of “the wave” at a baseball game.  It was in 49,000 seat stadium which happened to be an almost sold-out game.  How do you get 49,000 people to participate in this spectacular phenomenon?  I was fortunate to see it get started.  I observed this one “igniter” (cheerleader) as he shouted repeatedly with enthusiasm, One!, Two!, Three!,  Wheeee!!, as he gestured for the individuals to his left to quickly stand up, with out stretched arms, yell and then sit back down.  It took more than a dozen times but he was persistent and determined to see the anomaly take place.  This one individual out of 49,000 kept at it and low and behold it finally took.  One after another everyone did their part to quickly get up with a yell and out stretched arms and then sat back down.  There it went all the way around the 49,000 seat stadium.  It lasted almost the entire inning.  Can you see it, the Kingdom of God being realized here on earth is like that.  As we each do our part, as small as it might seem God is involving us in a greater phenomenon.  He’s at work to bring this world to where and what He originally intended it to be.  God is redeeming mankind and reconciling the heavens and the earth unto Himself (Col. 1:19-20).  He first reconciled us unto Himself and then He involves us in the ministry of reconciliation and in fact has given us this ministry of reconciliation (2Cor. 5:18-20).  How are you being used to make right the wrongs of this world?  Who are you influencing to have a personal relationship with Jesus?  What are you passionate about in this world where you will give your life for and bring glory to God?  These may seem like huge questions but the answer is in doing the small, simple things for God.  Things that we have been commanded to do; loving your neighbor as yourself, sharing Jesus with those that He puts in our way, praying for one another, and so on.

I think of the Baptist General Convention’s 2010 Initiative which is to bring hope (share Jesus) with everyone in the State of Texas by Resurrection Sunday 2010.  What a huge and awesome task.  How in the world will we get this done?  By each one of us (Texas Baptist) doing our part as small as it may seem.  If each one of us would pray for our role in the initiative, pray for its success and trust God to do what He intends.  If each one of us would care for the need(s) of someone else as God puts them in our way.  If each one of us would Share Jesus, the Gospel message with someone as God brings people one by one into our life then we will see God move in a mighty way.  So One! Two! Three! Pray for how God wants to use you.  One! Two! Three! Help somebody.  One! Two! Three! Tell somebody about Jesus.  Let’s be found faithful doing our part.  I believe if we will do this then we will see the Glory of the coming of our God.  We will see His Kingdom come here on Earth as it is in Heaven.  Amen!

Gerald Davis

A Deeper Insight- Show Me The Kingdom

“Show me the Kingdom,” is the sentiment of many who are not quite convinced that the Kingdom of God is at hand. The Kingdom has come near you, this is the promise and mission of our Lord which is to make His Kingdom apparent and available to you and I here on Earth as it is in Heaven. In fact, are we not instructed to pray for this? Pray “Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in heaven.” So our real question ought to be where is it taking place and what does it look like? I’m glad you asked. Jesus encountered a similar response from His Disciples as He sought to help them understand the Kingdom and how to recognize it when it is revealed. He speaks in parables to unlock the mysteries of the Kingdom for His disciples. Matthew records seven of these parables in Matthew 13:1-50. The parables recorded here are: The Sower, v 3-23, The Tares, v 24-30, The Mustard Seed, v 31-32, The Leaven v 33-35, The Hidden Treasure, v 44, The Pearl v 45-46 and The Net, v 47-50.

Several of these parables have gripped me and the Lord has used them to open my eyes to His Kingdom here on Earth and how I am to live in it. This is what I wish to share with you in this Deeper Insight.

I’m intrigued by the hidden treasure parable. Note, Jesus says: “The Kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.” What’s so intriguing to me is if he found it why didn’t he just keep it (finders keepers – losers weepers) or why didn’t the man just buy what he had found? It’s because the essence of the parable points to the fact that because the treasure meant so much to him he was willing to sell and sacrifice all he had to obtain it. The treasure in my mind represents possessing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Paul puts it this way, “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things, I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in Him…” (Phil. 3:8-9). How are we as followers of Christ living lives of sacrifice for the sake of Jesus? He sacrificed all for us and as His followers our lives should reflect the same. Note that Paul also alludes to not just knowing and being in relationships with Jesus but he desires to be found in Him. To me that’s synonymous to the man in the parable buying the entire field. He not only wanted to posses the valuable treasure but he also desired to own the open field that contained the treasure. The endless benefits and opportunities of the field was also his. Consider the never ending hope and blessings that we have in Jesus and the opportunities of service and sacrifice on behalf of others which comes with having a personal relationship with Jesus. The parable speaks of the joy that the man had which drove him to take this drastic measure to give up all that he had to possess not only the treasure but also the field. Another insight that I see is that what he had was enough. He gave what he had. The parable doesn’t indicate that he was like the wealthy rich young ruler which had much to give up. Regardless of that, he was willing to sacrifice all to possess the treasure and the open field. Maybe he had the idea that the benefits and opportunities of his new acquisition was far greater than all that he possessed. We are beneficiaries of many blessings and hope in Christ Jesus. We have opportunities to share Jesus and the Good News of the Gospel to those that need Him so badly. The fields are white and the harvest is waiting. Not only is the harvest ripe unto salvation but we have endless opportunities to make sacrifices and to serve others for the sake of Christ. Like the parable of the Pearl, the man and the merchant were willing to sacrifice all to purchase their treasure. The Kingdom of God becomes more apparent and a reality to us as we live sacrificially for the sake of Jesus Christ. God then takes our sacrifices and make them monumental blessings so that His Kingdom will come on Earth and apparent to all.

In the next Deeper Insight, I’ll focus on the Mustard Seed parable and how it reveals the Kingdom.

Gerald Davis

A Deeper Insight

Restorative Justice is NOT just another term for Prison Ministry!

The historical paradigm for prison ministry hung its hat on Matthew 25 – I was in prison and you visited me… But just as the criminal justice system has begun to realize that the victims needed a voice in the system our ministries began to respond to the “victim” aspects as the Good Samaritan in Luke 10: 30-37.

In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ 36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Ministries to the family members of those entangled in the system also have come more into view as additional opportunities as well. The most challenging area remains the in area of prisoners returning to their communities. The concepts of Restorative Justice must include aftercare and re-entry because the majority of offenders are at some point returning to their communities.

Further Biblical discussions of these and related topics can be found Michael Hadley’s book “The Spiritual Roots of Restorative Justice,” (chapter 5) see http://www.sunypress.edu/details.asp?id=60297.

Additionally: The Baptist Faith and Message - Section XV. The Christian and the Social Order

All Christians are under obligation to seek to make the will of Christ supreme in our own lives and in human society. Means and methods used for the improvement of society and the establishment of righteousness among men can be truly and permanently helpful only when they are rooted in the regeneration of the individual by the saving grace of God in Jesus Christ. In the spirit of Christ, Christians should oppose racism, every form of greed, selfishness, and vice, and all forms of sexual immorality, including adultery, homosexuality, and pornography. We should work to provide for the orphaned, the needy, the abused, the aged, the helpless, and the sick. We should speak on behalf of the unborn and contend for the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death. Every Christian should seek to bring industry, government, and society as a whole under the sway of the principles of righteousness, truth, and brotherly love. In order to promote these ends Christians should be ready to work with all men of good will in any good cause, always being careful to act in the spirit of love without compromising their loyalty to Christ and His truth.

Exodus 20:3-17; Leviticus 6:2-5; Deuteronomy 10:12; 27:17; Psalm 101:5; Micah 6:8; Zechariah 8:16; Matthew 5:13-16,43-48; 22:36-40; 25:35; Mark 1:29-34; 2:3ff.; 10:21; Luke 4:18-21; 10:27-37; 20:25; John 15:12; 17:15; Romans 12–14; 1Corinthians 5:9-10; 6:1-7; 7:20-24; 10:23-11:1; Galatians 3:26-28; Ephesians 6:5-9; Colossians 3:12-17; 1 Thessalonians 3:12; Philemon; James 1:27; 2:8.

A Deeper Insight- Could the Dream be Shalom?

“I Have A Dream”, by Martin Luther King, Jr. is the historic speech that was delivered by him on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC on August 28, 1963. Could Dr. King have been purporting Shalom, the world as God intended it to be? He says “I have a dream that one day this nation will live out the true meaning of its creed that all men are created equal. A day when even the state of Mississippi, a state of injustice and oppression will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. A day when his four children will not be judge by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. He sees a day when the Glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. He says that this is our hope that we will realize a day of freedom, a day of justice, a day when we can all join together in a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. Certainly Dr. King must have had Shalom in mind.

Read on…

A Deeper Insight

“Open our eyes Lord; we want to see Jesus” are the words to a very familiar hymn. We often exclaim, show me Jesus. We even pray the Lord’s Prayer “Thy Kingdom come Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” These prayers and lyrics reveal our desire to see God at work in the lives of people and in our world. For many God’s presence and work among people and throughout this world goes unnoticed and unappreciated. Jesus’ sole mission and reason for coming to this world is to let us know that God’s Kingdom is available to us. Even though we are in a fallen state God is passionately working, even now to make our lives and our world to be as He intended it to be. As it is in heaven, so it will be here on earth. I know that seem s impossible but Jesus said it and He instructs us to pray it, to desire it and to live and work for it. The ”it” is His Shalom, as God intends it to be. In every aspect of our lives we ought to be living for God’s Shalom so that we can see the Glory of God in and around our world.

- Gerald Davis