I went mountain biking today with a couple of good friends at Land Between the Lakes. It was a perfect day to ride. As we were coming around a corner, we spooked a turkey (just a little goblett of a dude). And, to my surprise, this turkey (instead of racing through the woods away from us) bolted down the bike trail in front of us. Man, could that thing run! I tried my best to catch up with it, but he was nature's version of the Road Runner. He was kickin' up some dust!
The things that God has placed in nature never cease to amaze me. "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord." (Psalm 150:6)
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEWED: HELL: SEPARATE TRUTH FROM FICTION AND GET YOUR TOUGHEST QUESTIONS ANSWERED
BOOK AUTHOR: BILL WIESE
PICKED UP AT: BORDERS
PUBLISHED BY: CHARISMA HOUSE - 2008
While on vacation in Florida, my wife and mother-in-law took an afternoon to go shopping…I took the afternoon to sit in Borders and read some stuff. I came across this book while strolling through the “religious” section in the back, and the cover intrigued me more than anything. However, as I scrolled through the Table of Contents, I found questions like: Don’t All Roads Lead to God? Does the Crime Fit the Punishment? We Wouldn’t Want to Offend Anyone, Would We? Why Does a Christian Need to Know About Hell? These questions came to be a sermon series we’re doing at Union Hill (at present) on Sunday nights.
Excerpt: “Suppose you knocked on the door of the most expensive home in the country and told the owners, “I’m moving in with you.” What do you think they would say? Of course they would say ‘no’! And you wouldn’t expect them to welcome you. You have no relationship with them. So you, who question God’s fairness, live your entire life having nothing to do with Him, even denying that Jesus is the Son of God, you then come knocking on God’s door at your death and say, “Excuse me, I’m moving in with You!” Why would you think that you have a right to move into His house…(John 14:6)… (Page 12 - 2nd Par.)
This book is good sermon stimulation, but there’s quite a bit of doctrinal difficulty to wade through. For instance, in chapter 14, he tells of his own “vision” that God allowed him to see of hell. However, even in that questionable chapter, he breaks down the description of what he saw with truthful excerpts from the Bible about torment (sermon fodder much). There is a LOT of Scripture given in this book (more than I thought there was going to be), and most of the thoughts given by the author on this topic are correct. Just be careful.
BOOK AUTHOR: BILL WIESE
PICKED UP AT: BORDERS
PUBLISHED BY: CHARISMA HOUSE - 2008
While on vacation in Florida, my wife and mother-in-law took an afternoon to go shopping…I took the afternoon to sit in Borders and read some stuff. I came across this book while strolling through the “religious” section in the back, and the cover intrigued me more than anything. However, as I scrolled through the Table of Contents, I found questions like: Don’t All Roads Lead to God? Does the Crime Fit the Punishment? We Wouldn’t Want to Offend Anyone, Would We? Why Does a Christian Need to Know About Hell? These questions came to be a sermon series we’re doing at Union Hill (at present) on Sunday nights.
Excerpt: “Suppose you knocked on the door of the most expensive home in the country and told the owners, “I’m moving in with you.” What do you think they would say? Of course they would say ‘no’! And you wouldn’t expect them to welcome you. You have no relationship with them. So you, who question God’s fairness, live your entire life having nothing to do with Him, even denying that Jesus is the Son of God, you then come knocking on God’s door at your death and say, “Excuse me, I’m moving in with You!” Why would you think that you have a right to move into His house…(John 14:6)… (Page 12 - 2nd Par.)
This book is good sermon stimulation, but there’s quite a bit of doctrinal difficulty to wade through. For instance, in chapter 14, he tells of his own “vision” that God allowed him to see of hell. However, even in that questionable chapter, he breaks down the description of what he saw with truthful excerpts from the Bible about torment (sermon fodder much). There is a LOT of Scripture given in this book (more than I thought there was going to be), and most of the thoughts given by the author on this topic are correct. Just be careful.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Life is Like a Garden
From day to day, the landscape of a garden changes. Take, for instance, the few days of drought we've had in West Kentucky, compounded by 100 degree weather, and that tends to change green plants to yellow...then brown. Also, there are these things called "weeds" that have to be tilled up and hoed out from around the fruits of your labor...and it doesn't take long for those weeds to take over.
Gardening is a constant, daily battle. There is always something to do...and the Christian life is very similar. There are days in our lives where we're not focused on God, where we don't come to the fountain of Christ to drink, and our souls begin to wilt. "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord." (Acts 3:19 - NIV). At other times, we let the world take over our focus, and our spiritual lives begin to be choked out by our fleshly desires.
From day to day our spiritual landscape changes. There will be times of plenty, and times of want, but always remember that there is a time of refreshing waiting to be seized.
Gardening is a constant, daily battle. There is always something to do...and the Christian life is very similar. There are days in our lives where we're not focused on God, where we don't come to the fountain of Christ to drink, and our souls begin to wilt. "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord." (Acts 3:19 - NIV). At other times, we let the world take over our focus, and our spiritual lives begin to be choked out by our fleshly desires.
From day to day our spiritual landscape changes. There will be times of plenty, and times of want, but always remember that there is a time of refreshing waiting to be seized.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Lightbulbs
It was Teen Week at West Kentucky Youth Camp this past week. During this week, the kids had ten (45 minute long) Bible lessons along with daily chapel, daily devos, singings, and free time. This was an awesome week...there was so much growth and fellowship...everybody seemed to have a Christ-like spirit...the kids were great!
In my class, we were studying Gideon in Judges 6-8. The main point of the whole lesson was: "what God says...goes!" In other words, when God tells us to do something, we better do it, and do it the way He tells us! We approached the pinnacle of Gideon's story of faith where he takes his 300 men, and defeats an army of Midianites with nothing but clay pots and trumpets (Judges 7:20) THAT WAS IT! Clay pots and trumpets!
Then...came the application: when God tells us to do something, we better do it, and do it the way He tells us. It was like the lightbulb in their heads suddenly lit up their whole brain! The switch was flicked from darkness to light. Watching the expressions on their faces...I could see that they got it! When God commands something to be done (no matter what others may think about it) you do it... period! Was it dumb to the rest of the world to carry pots and trumpets to a battle? Absolutely! But that's not the point! God said it...so Gideon did it!
So many times I find myself weighing the opinion of the world against what I do, or weighing the opinion of my friends against what I do. Listen, self, the only weight I need to balance myself with is God and His Word! If what I am doing, or saying, or posting, or typing, or Googling, or watching isn't balancing out with what GOD has said...that's all I need to know. Easier said than done, I know...but it's the truth, nonetheless. Has your lightbulb went off?
In my class, we were studying Gideon in Judges 6-8. The main point of the whole lesson was: "what God says...goes!" In other words, when God tells us to do something, we better do it, and do it the way He tells us! We approached the pinnacle of Gideon's story of faith where he takes his 300 men, and defeats an army of Midianites with nothing but clay pots and trumpets (Judges 7:20) THAT WAS IT! Clay pots and trumpets!
Then...came the application: when God tells us to do something, we better do it, and do it the way He tells us. It was like the lightbulb in their heads suddenly lit up their whole brain! The switch was flicked from darkness to light. Watching the expressions on their faces...I could see that they got it! When God commands something to be done (no matter what others may think about it) you do it... period! Was it dumb to the rest of the world to carry pots and trumpets to a battle? Absolutely! But that's not the point! God said it...so Gideon did it!
So many times I find myself weighing the opinion of the world against what I do, or weighing the opinion of my friends against what I do. Listen, self, the only weight I need to balance myself with is God and His Word! If what I am doing, or saying, or posting, or typing, or Googling, or watching isn't balancing out with what GOD has said...that's all I need to know. Easier said than done, I know...but it's the truth, nonetheless. Has your lightbulb went off?
Monday, June 21, 2010
Exercise and Preaching: Workin' Off the Potluck
If you ever start talking to a preacher about exercise (especially an overweight preacher like myself rounding out a 6 foot frame at 205)...immediately the spiritual six-shooter starts blasting First Timothy 4:8 - "for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." (ESV)
However, preachers honestly need to see the benefit of exercise in the ministry. When you put your body through any kind of workout, whether it be at the gym or riding the mountain bike trails at Land Between the Lakes (which is an awesome cardio kicker)...you will find yourself to have more energy and stamina, both of which are helpful while preaching. I'm not saying that exercise is more important than living a holy life, but it sure does help with all the stress. Think about it.
However, preachers honestly need to see the benefit of exercise in the ministry. When you put your body through any kind of workout, whether it be at the gym or riding the mountain bike trails at Land Between the Lakes (which is an awesome cardio kicker)...you will find yourself to have more energy and stamina, both of which are helpful while preaching. I'm not saying that exercise is more important than living a holy life, but it sure does help with all the stress. Think about it.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Good Sense!
"Good sense is a fountain of life to him who has it..." (Proverbs 16:22) The Christ-like perspective we're to have in this life gets so blurred by the material-world in which we live. All the sin, that so easily ensnares us, aids in our loss of focus. Common sense has been replaced by common sin, and apathy reigns supreme. Make sure your "fountain of life" doesn't dry up! Have some backbone...some conviction...and stand up for the truth. A muscle that's not used ends up deteriorating, and the same goes for our faith, so TAKE A STAND! It just makes good sense.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
A Life-Long Example: An Everlasting Impression
Before I was even a teenager...I can remember going to Reelfoot Youth Camp in Tennessee. It was a place I looked forward to attending every year, not just because it got me out of work on the farm for a week, but also because it was a Christian camp filled with Christian people. It didn't take long for me to create memories that would last forever, but also...to meet people I would never forget. Those counselors and teachers and campers are forever etched into the sculpture of my life. They have made an everlasting impression on me.
One such counselor was named Preston. He was a guy with a rough past. I was ten years old, and I still remember the tattoos on his arms, his firm demeanor, but also his concern for our future. He didn't want us to make the same mistakes he did. Every night, during our nightly devo in the cabin, he would do his best to tell us why making the right choices was so important. I was ten! But I still remember his words to this day.
This past week I was teaching at West Kentucky Youth Camp, and I couldn't help but realize that I was now "Preston" to these kids. They are going to remember me (and hopefully the lessons I tried to teach them) for the rest of their lives. I was now a part of their memories. It felt like such a weight, but it was also an honor to be selected to mold the lives of future Christians...and influence the hearts of the future leaders of the church. Always watch what you say and do...you never know who's watching and learning.
"Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned..." (Titus 2:6-8)
One such counselor was named Preston. He was a guy with a rough past. I was ten years old, and I still remember the tattoos on his arms, his firm demeanor, but also his concern for our future. He didn't want us to make the same mistakes he did. Every night, during our nightly devo in the cabin, he would do his best to tell us why making the right choices was so important. I was ten! But I still remember his words to this day.
This past week I was teaching at West Kentucky Youth Camp, and I couldn't help but realize that I was now "Preston" to these kids. They are going to remember me (and hopefully the lessons I tried to teach them) for the rest of their lives. I was now a part of their memories. It felt like such a weight, but it was also an honor to be selected to mold the lives of future Christians...and influence the hearts of the future leaders of the church. Always watch what you say and do...you never know who's watching and learning.
"Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned..." (Titus 2:6-8)
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