We are so very different. We are so easily divided. We are so the same.
Got this from RagamuffinSoul.com and Carlos Whittaker. Every time I thought I was ready to stop, another sign came up.
Beyond well-done. Captivating.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Fear: What's It Doing To You?
From Perry Noble:
10 Things Fear Causes January 18, 2012
One of the most frequent commands in the Bible is “do not fear.” (Once again…it is a command, NOT a suggestion!)
And yet every leader I know (including the guy I shaved with this morning) deals with fear. As I’ve traced my own journey through fear in leadership I wanted to share 10 things fear causes in our lives.
(When I speak of fear in this post I am speaking of fear of man – see Proverbs 29:25 – and irrational fear.)
#1 – Fear causes us to reduce the size of God and elevate the size and opinion of man.
#2 – Fear causes us to lead people in the wrong direction. (Remember when the Israelites wanted to GO BACK TO EGYPT and being slaves because they feared going into the land that God had promised them?)
#3 – Fear causes us to stay quiet when we should clearly speak up. (Mostly because many times we are OBSESSED with what others think about us, see Galatians 1:10)
#4 – Fear causes us to be passive about an issue that the Lord has clearly brought to our attention. (As Edmund Burke once said: ”The only thing necessary for the triumph [of evil] is for good men to do nothing.”)
#5 – Fear causes us to seek consensus rather than really seeking the voice of the Lord.
#6 – Fear causes us to not engage the broken, the hurting, the misfits and the neglected because if we include them in our lives and actually invite them into our homes then it could get messy. (I’m so glad Jesus didn’t have that attitude…if He would have then I would have been screwed!)
#7 – Fear causes us to refuse to embrace change because we care way more about being comfortable than being conformed into the image of Christ.
#8 – Fear causes us to control things and take matters into our own hands rather than trusting the Lord and trusting others. (People who are control freaks really do fear when things don’t go their way! BUT…remember, control is the biggest illusion in the world, I wrote about that here.)
#9 – Fear causes us to conceal sin and shame in our lives when God’s Word is so clear that we should ask others for help – James 5:16
#10 – Fear causes us to seek the easy decision rather than seeking the right one.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Book Review: PRIMAL by Mark Batterson
Mark Batterson is a creative writer with an obvious passion to connect his reader to a faith that is full, vibrant, and expressed in an observable way to the world around us. It is a bit ironic that the pastor of a church as technologically savvy, methodoligically progressive and diverse, and multisite focused as National Community Church would make such a strong case to strip down one's faith to the bare essentials. However, in a world that bombards us with media, messages, consumerism, connectedness (not in a good way), and the "always on" syndrome, could anything be more relevant to a Christ follower in our day, bar only the Gospel itself?
This book challenged me to figure out how to better keep and demonstrate a faith that is centered in and solely dependent on Christ. The trappings that go with modern church life must come a distant second, if that close.
Well-done, Mark.
This book challenged me to figure out how to better keep and demonstrate a faith that is centered in and solely dependent on Christ. The trappings that go with modern church life must come a distant second, if that close.
Well-done, Mark.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Mind Fight
So how do you fight the battle of the mind?
What is that? Basically it's what goes on in your head and heart. It can be pride. It can be lust. It can be problems in confidence or feelings of inadequacy. It can come out as sarcasm, hurtfulness, fear of man over fear of God, poor leadership, poor follower-ship. It can ruin your day or damage your influence. It can keep you up late at night or make you sluggish in the day.
The mind has power. When you don't fight that battle well, it impacts every other part of your life. It can be tricky, treacherous, trying battles. However, fighting it is actually pretty simple. Never easy, but simple.
Speak truth to yourself louder than the lies you believe. If you know the Word of God, preach it to yourself. If you don't know it that well, hook up with people who do and listen to them share it. Read the Word. Pray to your Savior (you need to know Him first, however). Surround yourself with Christ-following truth-speakers (in love, folks). Listen to good preaching (there's tons of it available). Read good books about Jesus. Fill your mind with truth that will begin to outweigh, outmatch, outspeak, and outfight the lies.
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.
(2 Corinthians 10:4-6 ESV)
What lies have you been listening to? Start speaking truth and fight well for the Gospel on the battlefield of your mind.
What is that? Basically it's what goes on in your head and heart. It can be pride. It can be lust. It can be problems in confidence or feelings of inadequacy. It can come out as sarcasm, hurtfulness, fear of man over fear of God, poor leadership, poor follower-ship. It can ruin your day or damage your influence. It can keep you up late at night or make you sluggish in the day.
The mind has power. When you don't fight that battle well, it impacts every other part of your life. It can be tricky, treacherous, trying battles. However, fighting it is actually pretty simple. Never easy, but simple.
Speak truth to yourself louder than the lies you believe. If you know the Word of God, preach it to yourself. If you don't know it that well, hook up with people who do and listen to them share it. Read the Word. Pray to your Savior (you need to know Him first, however). Surround yourself with Christ-following truth-speakers (in love, folks). Listen to good preaching (there's tons of it available). Read good books about Jesus. Fill your mind with truth that will begin to outweigh, outmatch, outspeak, and outfight the lies.
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.
(2 Corinthians 10:4-6 ESV)
What lies have you been listening to? Start speaking truth and fight well for the Gospel on the battlefield of your mind.
Friday Video Fun
Having been off the blog for some time, I've probably missed send you some jewels. Here are a few I've saved.
Most epic frog ever.
German guy's puzzlement over the English language. Let's have a laugh at ourselves, shall we? Men, prepare to be amazed. You WISH you had this skill.
Now, THAT's a band on the road...
Most epic frog ever.
German guy's puzzlement over the English language. Let's have a laugh at ourselves, shall we? Men, prepare to be amazed. You WISH you had this skill.
Now, THAT's a band on the road...
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Once Again, Autotune Increases The Awesomeness Factor
As I've stated before, autotune makes everything better... except T-Pain.
Here's George's original interview describing the accident he was involved in. Granted, he's pretty entertaining standing by himself.
George Lindell.... Autotuned. And as you'd expect, more awesome.
Here's George's original interview describing the accident he was involved in. Granted, he's pretty entertaining standing by himself.
George Lindell.... Autotuned. And as you'd expect, more awesome.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
And You're Worried About...
Your church's carpet color? The style of music? How long the sermon is? Which programs we use?
Get over it. There are bigger things to worry about. One of them is in Iran facing execution for his Christian faith.
Read about Youcef Nadarkhani here and here. Click those links to read more. As the second article suggests, write the Iranian embassy in the US at requests@daftar.org. Remember to write that email as Jesus might.
Then pray. Pray that Youcef might be spared. Pray for his courage and, if necessary, to die well for the cause of Christ. Pray for his family. Pray for his church. Pray for other Iranian Christians.
Pray.
Some of the other bigger things to worry about are in our town. Let's roll!
Get over it. There are bigger things to worry about. One of them is in Iran facing execution for his Christian faith.
Read about Youcef Nadarkhani here and here. Click those links to read more. As the second article suggests, write the Iranian embassy in the US at requests@daftar.org. Remember to write that email as Jesus might.
Then pray. Pray that Youcef might be spared. Pray for his courage and, if necessary, to die well for the cause of Christ. Pray for his family. Pray for his church. Pray for other Iranian Christians.
Pray.
Some of the other bigger things to worry about are in our town. Let's roll!
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