Danny's Men's Studies

I watched this morning a Japanese TV program called [in Japanese] "Business Future" where a woman started a unique program: she took over an inn as the head manager and hired young people to live and work there and also took the time to meet together with her staff at night to discuss business opportunities after interacting with the guests and people in the community during the day. The one thing which struck me as eye opening was that by living 24x7 with her staff, she can see each one's unique talents and help direct their interests not only to improve the inn [like one staff member who was into computers put in wireless LAN for guests] but also create ideas which can become independent business that can grow in the local community [either to support the community and/or guests of the inn].

What's also appropriate is that she hires youths who are not sure of their life purpose or career and puts them to work at the inn [doing anything and everything from cleaning to cooking] and helps them find and/or polish their talent.

Isn't this what discipleship should be? Jesus did that Himself: He lived with His disciples day and night. He ate and cleaned Himself like any other human and the disciples were witness to it all. He give them responsibilities and jobs to do and taught them as well. All the while, living an example for them to follow after His death. [He worked hard but partied hard (Matthew 11:19), too.]

The questions for me are: what should the church be like and how should I set the pace for myself and my sons.

Copyright 2006, DannyHSDad, All Rights Reserved.

Here's something I read this morning that opened my eyes:

After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod's household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means. Luke 8:1-3

Note the words I highlighted in bold: These women financially supported Jesus and His disciples. In today's terms, Jesus was a pimp! Or a sweet talker to women? Presumably He and His disciples kept themselves sexually pure so I'm guessing that these women were useful for only one purpose: to help pay for day to day expenses. [Where they got their pocket money is a wonder: if they weren't prostituting (which is assumed since it is a sin of Old Testament Leviticus 19:29), what were they doing?] He was more of a gangsta than I originally thought!

Copyright 2006, DannyHSDad, All Rights Reserved.

As I was reading:

For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners." ' Luke 7:33-34.

Doesn't He sound like a gangsta of 21st century? He seemed religious to the local leaders but He did His own thing: He didn't attend local "church" (synagogue would be the right term for His time) in any regular fashion. He wasn't even a member of one. He was under the radar from the national police (i.e., Romans) but not by the local police (religious leaders like the Pharisees wanted Him dead).

And, wow, did He know how to party:

the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now." John 2:9-10

Most Christians I know today would have dumped the wine or replaced it with nonalcohol wine. But Jesus did one better instead: Made the best wine they have ever tasted!

[I haven't the time to today to go over His cussing style but that can wait. Stay tuned! (grin)]

Copyright 2006, DannyHSDad, All Rights Reserved.

Here's something I've been meaning to blog for some time:

And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
Luke 1:17

Compare this with:

See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse. Malachi 5:5,6

Note that the Angel in Luke 1 is talking about only the fathers turning to their children [but not children to the fathers]! So will the real arrival of the second Elijah [not John the Baptist] turn the hearts of the children?

Copyright 2006, DannyHSDad, All Rights Reserved.