seeking God...

Vacation Bible School at our church this summer was titled "Camp E.D.G.E." where the word "edge" was an acronym for "Experiencing and Discovering God Everywhere".  I kept thinking that it should have stood for "Experiencing and Discovering God Everyday"...  but it really doesn't matter which, because both are important ideas....  we should remember that God is with us everywhere we are and that we can experience God's love everyday in our lives!!  The Bible tells us that we will find God when we seek with all our hearts!!  [Jeremiah 31:13]  What a wonderful promise....   

But what exactly does it mean to "seek God with all our hearts"?  Although many things could be said in answer to this question, I will let you think about and pray over this question for yourselves...  and if you are not yet seeking God, I encourage you to do this...  to seek God with all your heart!!  It's a safe bet that while there may be many things you might do in life that you might later regret, seeking God with all your heart will not be one of them!!

Happy 4th of July to all!!

The muppets celebrate the 4th of July... as only they can!!



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Faith Reflections: Witnessing for Christ

Throughout the New Testament, there are calls for God’s people to be witnesses for Christ. Many people think this is a very challenging thing to do and shy away from it. The idea of walking up to a total stranger on the street and asking if they know Jesus is something that sometimes frightens even the most faithful of Christians.

However, being a witness for Christ does not have to be so difficult. As Christians we are called to live our lives in such a way that others might see our good deeds and give glory to God [Matt. 5:16]. In Paul’s letter to the Colossians, he tells the believers that they should live wisely among non-believers and make the most of the opportunities that come their way [Col. 4:5]. In this, Paul is not suggesting that believers confront non-believers on the street and ask if they know Jesus. Rather, he is suggesting to all of us that we live in such a way that opportunities will be created for witnessing when non-believers see how we live and ask questions.

Remember, as Christ-followers, we are to be a light in the darkness, pointing the way to Christ!!

a life changing faith...

How can we do it?  How can we help youth experience the power of God's Presence and love?  I think I struggle mainly with that...   I believe that if my "kids" knew and felt God's Presence, and knew for themselves, apart from anything anyone else tells them, that God loves them...  I think if they knew that, they might want to begin to explore and grow in a relationship with the Lord...  they might want to see how faith can speak to their lives and the issues they face...  they just might be willing to try to learn how God wants them to live...  and they just might make a positive difference in their world...

In The Book of 1 Kings [Bible - Old Testament], there is a story of the prophet Elijah who challenged all the priests of Baal [one of the gods worshiped by Canaanites] to a "duel"...  Elijah would prepare a sacrifice to God, and the priests would prepare a sacrifice to Baal.  Then the priests of Baal would call on their god and Elijah would call on his God...   and those watching would know who truly was God by which sacrifice was consumed by fire sent from heaven.

To make a long story short, there was no response from Baal, even after hours of pleading calling and ritual dancing and cutting by the priests of Baal...   but with only a simple prayer, the God of Elijah sent fire and consumed Elijah's sacrifice.  And all those who watched, fell to the ground to worship Elijah's God... because they knew that Elijah's God, the God of creation, the same God that we who are Christ-followers proclaim today, was truly the only God!

 

In a world where bulls are no longer sacrificed as a way to worship God, what can be done to challenge the "gods" of our world today?  How can we live so that the "fire" of God's Holy Spirit will be seen in our lives and as a result, influence our youth to live a life of faith in God? 

Ultimately, youth must choose for themselves....  whether to follow the Creator and Redeemer God, who makes all things new....  or whether to follow the gods of the world whose promises lead to hopelessness and despair...

anyone can be a hero...

"Be on guard.  Stand firm in the faith.  Be courageous.  Be strong.  And do everything with love."   1 Corinthians 16:13-14  [New Living Translation of the Bible]




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can you hear me now?

What do you think? Comments?





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what if?

In Paul's letter to the Christ-followers in Rome, we read: "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect" [Romans 12:2 New Living Translation of the Bible]... 

And in his letter to the believers in Ephesus, he says: "Instead, let [God's Holy] Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God-truly righteous and holy... Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you" [Ephesians 4:23-24,31-32 New Living Translation of the Bible]...

What if?  With God, all things are possible!!



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why are they called "bills"? why not "bobs" or "teds"?

"We would be delighted if you would pay your electric bill....  you will be de-lighted if you don't."  

I read this once a long time ago on some page of puns and jokes...   I was just thinking about it 'cause I have to pay my electric bill.  I complain to myself sometimes about how much it is, and the fact that I have to pay it in the first place...   but then I remember that there are those people who do not even have electricity...   and there are those people who have it, but don't have enough money to pay the bill...   and so they are "de-lighted"...  their electricity is cut off.

It is all about perspective, isn't it?  I may not like to pay bills, but at least I am fortunate enough to be able to pay them.   

We all need to keep things in perspective...  What, in your life, do you need to keep "in perspective"?  And while you're thinking about this, say a prayer for those people not as fortunate as you... 

question of the day... favorite pizza toppings

ok - so what are the weirdest things you would eat on pizza?  I don't know that what I like would be considered "weird", but one of my favorite combinations of toppings on a pizza include onions, tomatoes, green peppers, mushrooms and pineapples.

oh, what a tangled web... or how'd i get into this??

So an interesting thing happened in my Sunday school class this past week.  Three of the boys were goofing around with some yarn they had found, and after about fifteen minutes, they found themselves more tangled up in the yarn that they had originally planned to be.  With a little help from a couple of people, a knife and a pair of scissors, they were able to get untangled.

Although it was a bit distracting in class, a day or so later I was thinking about it and realized that sin is a lot like that yarn...  we play around with it, many times knowing that what we are doing is wrong...  but after all, we're just playing... and it might even be fun...  for awhile...  but then after a while, we find ourselves more tangled up in it than we wanted to be and we may not know how to get out...  or we may not be able to get out on our own...

That's where Jesus comes in...  Jesus is the one who can help us out when there seems to be no one else who can...  and Jesus can even help us get right with God, since he is the one who took our place and paid the "ultimate price" [death] for the sins that we do.

You can learn a lot from a little bit of yarn...  and it was even red yarn...  

new year's resolutions - revisited

so why am I bring up new year's resolutions at the beginning of February?  these are things that people usually only talk about the first few days of January...  that is, if they even remember them by Jan. 2nd...  

in my post on Dec. 30th, I mentioned that I quit making resolutions because I rarely keep them...  well, this year I actually did make one...  I am reading the Bible through this year.  I began on Jan 1st with Matthew [first book of the New Testament], reading 4 chapters a day...   and have continued from there.  when I finish reading through the New Testament, I will go back to the Old Testament, starting with Genesis, and continue...

I have to admit that I have gotten a few days behind, and so will have to read a few extra chapters each day to catch up to where I should be, but as of now, I have managed to get through the 4 gospels.

from time to time I will post about what I have read, and any comments or questions that you may have are welcome!!  

back in the game

ok...   I admit...  I've been a little bummed that not that many people seem to be checking out this blog, or commenting...  and obviously, I took a little "vacation" from posting...  but, I am "back in the game" so to speak and will start posting again.  Hopefully, more people will check out the blog...  and maybe even leave comments from time to time...   

question of the day... new year's resolutions

It is that time of the year...  when we close out the old year and start the new...  some people make new year's resolutions....   you know, those things you promise yourself that you are going to do in order to make some change in your life...  like maybe you promise yourself you're going to keep your room clean, or exercise every day, or lose 10 pounds, or be nice to a brother or sister, or....   well, you get the idea.  I've quit making them cause I rarely keep them...  

So the question of the day is...   are you going to make any New Year's resolutions?  If so, what are they?

Oh yeah...   and have a happy [and safe] New Year's celebration!!

It's raining outside...

It's raining outside...  a steady, moderately heavy rain.  Out my backdoor, I have a covered, well, not really a carport, but something similar.  I stood out there and watched as my backyard filled with birds of all kinds, some on the ground and some in the trees surrounding my yard.  They were singing and chirping and seemed to be thoroughly enjoying their bath in the rain.  It is amazing how other creatures seem to revel in and enjoy the very things that we humans sometimes think "ruin" the day. 

Breaking the Laws of Physics...

One of the "things to ponder" today asked:  If you break the laws of physics, do you go to jail?"  But my question is:  Is it even possible to break the laws of physics?