Posts
From Philip Nation: All leaders face the temptation to love their work for God more than God Himself. It is our own temptation toward idolatry. To speakers, I would say that they should love Jesus more than their words about Him. For worship leaders, love God more than the music about Him. No matter what else happens on the platform, it will be obvious where your passion rests.
From Dan Block (per Leah) – The Sunday service should be the culmination of the personal worship you’ve done all week. The purpose of worship is to connect with God, which I should do every day by abiding in fellowship with Him. What He says to me through His Word is probably more important than what I say to Him. (ie. sermon over singing???).
Worship has become too casual and too equated with music. Praise is part of worship but so is lament.
The biblical word ‘worship’ does not mean ‘praise.’ It means ‘prostration.’ Therefore worship is more about surrendering than it is about getting a good feeling in church.
From Carolyn Arends, Christianity Today, Oct 2009:
I suspect I have sometimes used spiritual disciplines as smoke signals to get God’s attention. Now I am learning they are ways of letting Him capture mine.
Re: Evangelism – I don’t have to give a nonbeliever something I have that she does not. I need only invite her to open herself up to God and respond to what He is doing in her life.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
Will You Go to a 'Better Place'?
“We know that he/she is in a better place.” People often say this after a loved one dies, and it provides comfort in the midst of bewilderment and grief. Tuesday’s Salt Lake Tribune had the phrase twice, quoting people whose friends had died due to tragic car crashes.
But how can we know we will depart to a better place? The Bible answers that decisively. It says, “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:11-13).
The key to having eternal life is to have the Son of God, Jesus Christ. But what is eternal life? The best-known verse in the Bible, John 3:16, tells us it is the opposite of perishing. “Whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:15-16). [Note: everlasting and eternal are the same Greek word.]
Jesus illustrated both eternal life and perishing when He told about the rich man and Lazarus. Read the thought-provoking account in Luke 16:19-31.
In their earth-life, the rich man was blessed and comfortable every day while Lazarus, hungry and full of sores, begged at the rich man’s gate.
Both died. They went to opposite places. In their after-life, the rich man was begging for relief from torment, while Lazarus was comfortable in Abraham’s bosom. Lazarus had eternal life while the rich man was perishing. One was in a better place; one was not.
As a biblical truths examiner (www.examiner.com) I will not impose a certain religion or church on my readers. My approach will always be non-denominational but will regard the Bible as truth for all people of all times.
So how does the Bible say we can live eternally in a “better place” after we die? Simply by believing in God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. We learn who He was and what He taught and did for us by reading the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
What does “believing in” Jesus mean? Many people believe He was a true prophet, good teacher, great example, or at least—a historical person. The Greek word for believing means to be persuaded of, place confidence in, to trust and rely upon, not mere credence. When we believe in Jesus Christ for eternal life, we stop putting our faith in our own logic, our good works, our church membership, or in human religious leaders.
Jesus Christ guarantees eternal life to all who believe in Him by faith. Do you trust in Him alone? Then you will go to the “Better Place.”
But how can we know we will depart to a better place? The Bible answers that decisively. It says, “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:11-13).
The key to having eternal life is to have the Son of God, Jesus Christ. But what is eternal life? The best-known verse in the Bible, John 3:16, tells us it is the opposite of perishing. “Whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:15-16). [Note: everlasting and eternal are the same Greek word.]
Jesus illustrated both eternal life and perishing when He told about the rich man and Lazarus. Read the thought-provoking account in Luke 16:19-31.
In their earth-life, the rich man was blessed and comfortable every day while Lazarus, hungry and full of sores, begged at the rich man’s gate.
Both died. They went to opposite places. In their after-life, the rich man was begging for relief from torment, while Lazarus was comfortable in Abraham’s bosom. Lazarus had eternal life while the rich man was perishing. One was in a better place; one was not.
As a biblical truths examiner (www.examiner.com) I will not impose a certain religion or church on my readers. My approach will always be non-denominational but will regard the Bible as truth for all people of all times.
So how does the Bible say we can live eternally in a “better place” after we die? Simply by believing in God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. We learn who He was and what He taught and did for us by reading the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
What does “believing in” Jesus mean? Many people believe He was a true prophet, good teacher, great example, or at least—a historical person. The Greek word for believing means to be persuaded of, place confidence in, to trust and rely upon, not mere credence. When we believe in Jesus Christ for eternal life, we stop putting our faith in our own logic, our good works, our church membership, or in human religious leaders.
Jesus Christ guarantees eternal life to all who believe in Him by faith. Do you trust in Him alone? Then you will go to the “Better Place.”
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Airport Security: Scancer or the Pet Down?
Let me get this straight. If I want to fly, my choices are to have a stranger see me naked or to be fondled by a stranger! Before TSA started the more intense frisking, I always refused the scanner. Not because of someone seeing me virtually naked. A good laugh never hurts anyone.
Doctors and nurses and morticians see people naked all the time—why not TSA scan viewers? Even though I’m at an age where it should be illegal to wear a swim suit in public, that’s not what bothers me about the scan. It’s the radio waves or whatever they shoot you with. How do we know they are safe?
My parents bought my childhood shoes at a store with an x-ray machine. You put the new Buster Browns on and inserted your toes in the machine. When you pressed the x-ray button your parents could see how close your toe bones came to the end of the shoes. Of course, eventually x-rays were found to be harmful and these machines disappeared. It’s a wonder I don’t have toe cancer.
But that’s the thing. I’ve already survived two kinds of cancer. I don’t want to expose myself to another cancer while being exposed at the airport. So I plan to let them frisk me. I might even giggle or moan while they do it—make the frisker feel as uncomfortable as I do!
But what about pilots and flight attendants not being subject to the new rules? Won’t that defeat the purpose of having stricter guidelines? Don’t let terrorists know they can buy a uniform and two fake IDs and get on an airplane without being scanned or patted. That sounds scarier than cancer from radio waves.
What think ye?
Doctors and nurses and morticians see people naked all the time—why not TSA scan viewers? Even though I’m at an age where it should be illegal to wear a swim suit in public, that’s not what bothers me about the scan. It’s the radio waves or whatever they shoot you with. How do we know they are safe?
My parents bought my childhood shoes at a store with an x-ray machine. You put the new Buster Browns on and inserted your toes in the machine. When you pressed the x-ray button your parents could see how close your toe bones came to the end of the shoes. Of course, eventually x-rays were found to be harmful and these machines disappeared. It’s a wonder I don’t have toe cancer.
But that’s the thing. I’ve already survived two kinds of cancer. I don’t want to expose myself to another cancer while being exposed at the airport. So I plan to let them frisk me. I might even giggle or moan while they do it—make the frisker feel as uncomfortable as I do!
But what about pilots and flight attendants not being subject to the new rules? Won’t that defeat the purpose of having stricter guidelines? Don’t let terrorists know they can buy a uniform and two fake IDs and get on an airplane without being scanned or patted. That sounds scarier than cancer from radio waves.
What think ye?
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Cat Humor
“A devotional book about cats? You wrote cat devotionals?”
Yes, and I had as much fun doing it as a kitten in a basket of yarn.
Barbour Publishing asked me to submit two humorous stories about cats and draw a spiritual lesson from them. Okay. Back in 1970-something our cat named Moondust did a funny thing, so I wrote about that. Then I had no more funny cat stories. So I wrote about my friend Kim’s cat who is so obese that when he lays on his side he looks like bagpipes.
Barbour bought the stories and requested eight more. I started asking friends, “What’s the funniest thing your cat has done?” I learned that people enjoy telling stories about their cats and that cats often make us laugh.
Nick’s cat was the best dog he ever had. In Hawaii, Cindy’s cat liked to bite the tails off geckos. Every gecko on the wall in their house was tailless! And Steve had to get married with his hand and wrist completely bandaged because his cat freaked out that morning.
So how do funny cat stories deepen one’s relationship with God? You’ll have to read Heavenly Humor for the Cat Lover’s Soul-75 Fur-Filled Inspirational Readings to find out.
Yes, and I had as much fun doing it as a kitten in a basket of yarn.
Barbour Publishing asked me to submit two humorous stories about cats and draw a spiritual lesson from them. Okay. Back in 1970-something our cat named Moondust did a funny thing, so I wrote about that. Then I had no more funny cat stories. So I wrote about my friend Kim’s cat who is so obese that when he lays on his side he looks like bagpipes.
Barbour bought the stories and requested eight more. I started asking friends, “What’s the funniest thing your cat has done?” I learned that people enjoy telling stories about their cats and that cats often make us laugh.
Nick’s cat was the best dog he ever had. In Hawaii, Cindy’s cat liked to bite the tails off geckos. Every gecko on the wall in their house was tailless! And Steve had to get married with his hand and wrist completely bandaged because his cat freaked out that morning.
So how do funny cat stories deepen one’s relationship with God? You’ll have to read Heavenly Humor for the Cat Lover’s Soul-75 Fur-Filled Inspirational Readings to find out.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Oh Bother
Isn’t one of God’s Big Ten—commandments, that is—not to take His name in vain? I know God’s ‘name’ involves who He is, not only His titles, and we are not to dishonor Him in any way, but using His name as a slang word or exclamation surely breaks God’s third command.
Using any of His names “in vain” means saying them empty of their meaning. This treats God as if He doesn’t matter. One way people do this is by the expression, “Oh, my G__.” It has become popular to use this phrase to express surprise, horror, amazement, fear, disgust, excitement, and what the dog did on the carpet.
You hear it on most TV shows from actors’ mouths and even from non-actors on reality shows. From game shows to antiques road shows, from funny home videos to home makeovers. Producers used to bleep God’s name out, but not anymore.
Now a seven-year-old boy in “The Switch” says it, even in the promo clip to advertise the movie. How will that influence children who view that trailer on TV?
What to do? We need American idols and icons to reverse this degrading trend. Can we convince them to stop using the names of God and Jesus as expletives? This goes for calling various things “holy”—like cows and excrement—as well.
No, the pop stars will probably not embrace my humble opinion. Lacking that, perhaps an Internet grassroots movement would work. What’s your favorite expression for joy? Consider switching to something clean and innocent like Hoo-Rah! Alright! Yippee! Awesome! Excellent! Peachy! Or Gomer Pyle’s Shazam!
For a negative term, consider: Tarnation! Rats! Stink! Winnie the Pooh’s favorite—Bother, or what my son coined as a child—Oh Boo!
I challenge you to set a guard by your lips and let no unwholesome word proceed out of your mouth, especially one that misuses God’s name. If you want to start a trend—copy and send this to all your email friends. That would be Way Cool!
Using any of His names “in vain” means saying them empty of their meaning. This treats God as if He doesn’t matter. One way people do this is by the expression, “Oh, my G__.” It has become popular to use this phrase to express surprise, horror, amazement, fear, disgust, excitement, and what the dog did on the carpet.
You hear it on most TV shows from actors’ mouths and even from non-actors on reality shows. From game shows to antiques road shows, from funny home videos to home makeovers. Producers used to bleep God’s name out, but not anymore.
Now a seven-year-old boy in “The Switch” says it, even in the promo clip to advertise the movie. How will that influence children who view that trailer on TV?
What to do? We need American idols and icons to reverse this degrading trend. Can we convince them to stop using the names of God and Jesus as expletives? This goes for calling various things “holy”—like cows and excrement—as well.
No, the pop stars will probably not embrace my humble opinion. Lacking that, perhaps an Internet grassroots movement would work. What’s your favorite expression for joy? Consider switching to something clean and innocent like Hoo-Rah! Alright! Yippee! Awesome! Excellent! Peachy! Or Gomer Pyle’s Shazam!
For a negative term, consider: Tarnation! Rats! Stink! Winnie the Pooh’s favorite—Bother, or what my son coined as a child—Oh Boo!
I challenge you to set a guard by your lips and let no unwholesome word proceed out of your mouth, especially one that misuses God’s name. If you want to start a trend—copy and send this to all your email friends. That would be Way Cool!
Friday, July 9, 2010
Human, not Racial, Profiling
When our nation elected a so-called “black” president, I thought it would be a giant step toward unifying the races. After all, technically, President Obama is mulatto—half black as well as half white. Surely he would fairly represent all the races.
Perhaps he does or tries to, but this has not trickled down to the media. They still write about “the white vote,” “Latinos losing confidence in the president,” “reverse discrimination,” “racial profiling,” and our president as being “black.”
Why can’t we all just be “Americans”? And view people from other countries as “fellow-humans!” And fellow-humans who live in America without proper documentation as law-breakers who deserve to be caught and prosecuted! Does this make sense to anyone but me?
I work with people from several ethnic and religious backgrounds and from different sexual preferences. I consider myself a friend to each of them, and we all work together for the good of the company.
Being friends, and working for the good of America. Is that too much to ask? I guess it’s just too black and white.
Perhaps he does or tries to, but this has not trickled down to the media. They still write about “the white vote,” “Latinos losing confidence in the president,” “reverse discrimination,” “racial profiling,” and our president as being “black.”
Why can’t we all just be “Americans”? And view people from other countries as “fellow-humans!” And fellow-humans who live in America without proper documentation as law-breakers who deserve to be caught and prosecuted! Does this make sense to anyone but me?
I work with people from several ethnic and religious backgrounds and from different sexual preferences. I consider myself a friend to each of them, and we all work together for the good of the company.
Being friends, and working for the good of America. Is that too much to ask? I guess it’s just too black and white.
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