I Can Do It!

My blog has been completely dormant. My goal when I started this blog was to add weekly insights in to biblical texts that I have been studying. As you can see that has not happened.

Last week I told everyone about running in my first race. Well we did it! Valerie I made our way down to Visalia and ran in the Thanksgiving 5K. It was a great experience. Our “race team” consisted of: Valerie (my wife), David Boggs (my brother in law), Cliff Sabroe (Good friend who is the preacher in Visalia), Andrea Robinson (a young lady who used to be in my youth group) and Jim Robinson (an Elder in Visalia).

The race broke out like this. Cliff who used to run track took off near the front of the pack and finished with a 22 minute time. Jim ran the 5K in just under 30 minutes. David ran the entire race with Valerie and they finished in around 38 minutes. It was a major accomplishment for Valerie because she ran the entire way without walking. When the horn blew (unexpectedly) Andrea took off. I tailed her the entire race until the last part of the race as she was paced in at an 8:15 mile. When we got to the last part of the race I kicked it up a notch and passed Andrea. I finished with a 25:36 time which was well over 2 minutes faster then I have ever ran this distance. I’m excited because this was a huge accomplishment for me.

The big lesson here is that I can do things I did not think I could. That means that I can blog regularly too! That will be my goal next year. I have purchased the domain http://www.calebohara.com/ and I will begin using that to post more regularly. As I noted in my first blog post this is more of a help for me than it is for anyone else.

I must be going now. I’m taking 3 classes through Regions University this semester so that I can get my accredited bachelors degree in Bible. At the same time I am taking classes through the Bear Valley Bible Institute of Denver as I work towards my Master’s Degree. When this semester ends I will be able to breathe more! I’m looking forward to it!

Sow the Seed Faithfully,
Caleb O’Hara

Running...

Until eight weeks ago I was a couch potato. My day consisted of waking up and going into my office and sitting there studying. It was easy not to find time to engage in any sort of physical exercise. My wife changed my life by getting me into running.

Well this is it. Thanksgiving morning I'm running in my first race. The race is a 5K (3.11 miles). It's going to be exciting because I will be running it with my wife and some other friends. Part of me wants to be concerned about making a certain time during the race. The fact of the matter is that if I cross the finish line I have done it. To think that I went from never having run over a mile in my life to running 3.11 miles is a major accomplishment.

One of the most frustrating things to hear as a preacher is "I can't do it." The lesson I have learned from all of this is that I can do things I never thought I could. God has built us with the capacity to do so much more than we allow ourselves to do. All of the material and ability is there the only thing that is lacking is our dedication to do it.

Sow the Seed,
Caleb

Exegesis of Romans 10:1-13

Romans 10:1-13

Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. 2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. 3 For not knowing about God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. 5 For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on law shall live by that righteousness. 6 But the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows: "DO NOT SAY IN YOUR HEART, 'WHO WILL ASCEND INTO HEAVEN?' (that is, to bring Christ down), 7 or 'WHO WILL DESCEND INTO THE ABYSS?' (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead)." 8 But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART "-- that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, 9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13 for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED." (NASU)

Since last June I have been taking classes through the Bear Valley Bible Institute of Denver to get my Masters of Biblical Studies. Last March I took a blitz week Romans class. After the class I have but one assignment left - an exegesis of Romans 10:1-13. The problem is it is due by June 1st and it is now May 24th. Every time I have sat down to write this paper someone calls or something comes up. My plan was to hammer out a good portion of it this Friday and guess what - Jury Duty!!!!

Why is it that Jury Duty always comes up at inconvenient times? Why can't you get jury duty when...

• You are supposed to go on a vacation with in-laws?
• Your wife has scheduled for you to watch the kids so she can go shopping for a day or two
• You have an appointment to talk with Mr. pain-in-the-side?
• The list could go on
  

It seems like my luck is terrible with these sorts of things. All it means though is later nights and early mornings so I can get this paper done. Hey - at least the class was really good. It could be worse - I could be writing a paper I hate!

What am I doing typing a blog? I need to get back to my paper!

This blog is like 9 out of 10 or 90%

Up until right now this blog looked just like, I would guess, 90% of all blogs in existence – it only had one post. Well I am here to change that right now!

Life is oh so busy sometimes that it’s easy to forget which way is up. Last week Warren and Carolyn Wilcox arrived here in Ripon to do a Teacher’s Workshop for us. It was a great program that has helped us to jump start our education program. After the program Warren and Carolyn stayed here for a couple extra days and we took them over to the most beautiful place in the world - Monterey, California!

This week is moving week. We have had a terrible landlord and it finally came to a head. The elders here in Ripon take good care of us and they are moving us into a rental place that is newer and in much better shape. As fate would have it, we found out when we turned in our application that our new Landlord who lives in San Ramon is a member of the Lord’s church in Hayward! Think of the odds!

Well I must end this blog now. We are in the middle of moving and I have a manuscript due to Sean Hochdorf in Visalia, California for a lectureship book. After writing these two articles I am arriving at the conclusion that I don’t like writing manuscripts much. But I can’t complain too much because I have toooo much to do and I am speaking at the lectureship in just a couple weeks, AHHHHHHHHH! I better run.

Sow the Seed Faithfully,
Caleb O’Hara

A Tree Falling In the Forest

There is the old adage, "If a tree falls in the forest when no one is around, does it make a sound?" When I decided to create a blog, and started typing my first entry, the old adage popped in my head. There is a good possibility that the tree falling of my fingers hitting the keys will go unread and heard. Thus I ask myself, "Does a blog do any good if nobody reads it?" Well does it? Yes it does!

First, a blog is good if nobody reads it because it helps the writer to think out loud. As a preacher there are many days where I spend hours in a small compartment, in a chair, under florescent lights, reading and thinking and reading and thinking. Sometimes you need to just expresses with words what you are reading and thinking. This is where the blog fits in. Now, when I need to just express some words I am thinking about I will blog them. It does me good even if nobody reads them.

Second, a blog is good if nobody reads it because it helps the writer become a better writer. There any many times when I have been absolutely frustrated with the fact that I have something important I want to communicate and can't think of the right words! Or, how to use those words effectively. By writing in a blog like this it gives me experience with writing and expressing what's on my mind. Hopefully, in the end, I will be a better writer (communicator) because of it.

Third, a blog is good if nobody reads it because it gives you the hope that maybe someone is reading it. There have been countless hours spent by this author to better himself so as to be of service to people. To be of service by relaying effectively the Message that has been entrusted. It is a message that has profound impact. A message that has changed this author’s life! A message that has the power to change the world! There is a constant effort on the prophets part to get the message out. When that day comes I don't want to have to give an answer to the question, "I gave you how much training, ability, and time and you didn't do anything with it?!?!" Maybe, just maybe, through this blog the Message might fall on good soil.

So, if a blog is typed and nobody reads it, does it do any good? Yes! It does lots of good. And hopefully someday someone just might be walking through that forest to hear that tree fall! If not, I am satisfied with just sowing the seed!

Sow the Seed Faithfully,
Preacher Caleb