I am a dorky Christian, husband to my beautiful wife & best friend and father of three amazing children. In my spare time, I like to play guitar and coach little kids' baseball.
I use this website to log my random thoughts (which doesn't seem to be that frequent).
I am a designer, developer and web analyst for my company, Visual Notion.
Contact me if you need something.
1 John 2:3-6 is pretty convicting on the Talk-It-and-Walk-It front.
"And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked."
I just read the article, 'Rob Bell says he has no regrets over Love Wins'
I noticed how Rob Bell twists, "universalizes" and generalizes specific, absolutely-defined terms to say what better fits his personal, unbiblical theology. Making well-defined and established words to have vague all-encompassing definitions just shows you can't sidestep what you don't like so you have to redefine it.
It seems the "Americanized" church is devoid of two crucial characteristics:
Christians should be trained to follow Christ through leaders who are upright and excellent examples every day of the week. to be more like Him. A Bible Study buffet of "topics" doesn't constitute discipleship.
Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
– 1 Peter 2:2-3
They are the next generation of leaders and not just "things" that should warrant a baby-sitter (aka programs that keep them from "bothering" adults) at all times.
Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”
– Matthew 19:13-14
For hundreds of years, Christians have quietly repeated fragments of Scripture or short prayers throughout the day to remain present to God. As the Russian Christian writer Anthony Bloom put it, “God is never absent . . . We complain that He does not make Himself present to us for the few minutes we reserve for Him, but what about the twenty-three-and-a-half hours during which God may be knocking at our door and we answer ‘I am busy, I am sorry’ or when we do not answer at all because we do not hear the knock . . . we are a great deal more absent than He ever is.” Having a simple refrain to call upon during the day helps us maintain connection to Christ and tunes the heart to hear him knocking at its door.
In the Crowded Mind: Learning to Pray Without Ceasing By Cameron Lawrence
From the article at InTouch.org
Last night, my 8 year old son wanted me to see what he had typed up on the old word processor we gave our children to play with. I told him I'd look after I finished cleaning up in the kitchen and he was nice enough to offer to help and, together, we loaded the dishwasher.
He was telling me that he thought what he had typed up was 'strongly'. I didn't understand what he meant and told him that didn't make sense to me. His statement seemed incomplete, to me... the adult. After we finished loading the dishwasher Jennifer and I went to look at what he wrote.
Moral relativism requires neutrality which is impossible. You can't proclaim to be neutral unless you are silent on an issue. Everyone has a point of view and once you express your view, you are no longer considered to be neutral.
If you take a stand on a moral issue and others judge you as being 'intolerant', you are thus judged as 'wrong' which is a moral judgment. To state that one person is wrong is to state they should accept your view to be judged as right, which, again is a moral judgment.
Men, notice the last portion of this verse (emphasis mine).
"Husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered." — 1 Peter 3:7 (ESV)
There are two reasons for this: 1) For her good and the good of your relationship, 2) so your spiritual growth isn't hindered.
Psalm 25:4-5 (ESV)
4 Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.
5 Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.
If you feel "disrespected" because someone else celebrates their American heritage in their own country, the United States of America, you obviously don't have a strong sense of contentment and self-respect for your own heritage.
No matter the day, I will not apologize for my heritage and country of origin.
My thoughts after Rick sent me the link to this story.
Attempting to isolate God to a particular day of the week and specific areas of our lives only, leads to a pretty pathetic existence.
To only "allow" God access to us and our life shows not only do we not trust Him or follow Him, but we don't really want Him to follow us, either.
This just shows that we want to look good; to look pious at a given time that may suit our whims.
It is not at all Biblical. It is not piety. It is merely hypocrisy at it's finest.