A new website I came across is called Kingdom People. Titles are a key to catching someone’s attention. So this one caught my eye. Read through and see if there is anything that needs adjusting. It came from this website. Enjoy.
Raising kids that truly love Jesus is hard work. That’s why so many of parents settle for plan B.
What would happen if you were actually trying to raise a pretend believer? Here are some 9 steps you might take.
My point is not to encourage this type of parenting, only to point out where we might be doing it on accident.
1. Look down on others: Psalm One is sound advice, but it’s no permit for raising sanctimonious kids.
2. Practice route prayers: Religious habits can serve children well, but it’s no substitute for knowing God as Father.
3. Confess only acceptable sins: This sets up a safe duality, some sins you talk about and some you keep secret. The end condition kills any hope of real accountability.
4. Crank up the K-love: Our family loves to sing along in the car, but I never want my kids to think Jesus is an entertainment choice. Don’t let your kids confuse music preference for Christian spirituality.
5. Never miss church: Another good habit that can quietly becomes the basis of our assurance.
6. Pray aloud to your Daddy-God: I doubt Jesus has changed his mind about showoffs.
7. Buy the t-shirt(s): They may know us by the t-shirts we wear, but God looks at the heart.
8. In a phrase Prosperity Gospel: Children who want their best life now may miss out of God’s best later.
9. Lead by example: Playing religion comes natural when kids see their parents do the same thing.
Obviously we don’t want you raising fake Christians. I’m afraid this is what’s happening to many kids on accident. My point is to show how so-called christian behavior does not always equal belief in Jesus.
Just the other night a bunch of us went to the Wells Fargo Theater downtown Denver for a Chris Tomlin/Louie Giglio deal.
If you have never been to a Chris Tomlin worship concert go here and make some serious plans to get there. You will not regret it.
I think one of the best things about Chris’ music is the focus of his songs. Recently I read an article on worship titled “The Show is Over” in Charisma Magazine all about the state of worship music in some of our churches in the States. Stertzer interviewed folks from all over and makes some provocotive points. Quoting the article she makes the statement- “Then in the ’90s, a lot of songs were in first person, with a focus on self: “I need” and “Lord, what can You do for me?” In reflecting on Chris’ songs, I can’t recall his being of this ilk. As we all sang together, what came to my mind was how each song pointed to, reflected on, and illuminated something about Father, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit. We sang to and about God the entire time. This was super refreshing.
Continue reading →
Wow we are now 82% of the way through the entire Bible. Admirable of you to stick with it so faithfully. Good work.
If ‘promise’ is a key word for the entire Old Testament, ‘fulfillment’ is a key word for the New Testament. We read promise after promise by Father towards his people and the world. Promises to Adam, Noah, Abraham, David, Solomon, and others. Those promises are all fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Jesus is the key figure in the New Testament.
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Posted in B90X
Tagged Acts, Bible, Epistles, Father, Hebrews, Jesus, John, John the Baptist, Luke, Mark, Matthew, NewTestament, Paul, Revelation
I went ahead and ripped through the rest of Zechariah and Malachi. Hard to believe we knocked out that much reading in 67 days! Quite an accomplishment with everything else going on in life. Stay faithful friends and saints. The riches of reading all of God’s words far outweigh any knowledge and satisfaction gained from watching Celebrity Apprentice.
Just a few books to highlight and we are moving on to the New Testament~~
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Posted in B90X
Tagged Babylon, complaint, Esther, Ezra, Father, God, Habakkuk, Jerusalem, Josiah, joyful, judgment, justice, lament, Lord, Malachi, Manasseh, Nahum, nations, Nehemiah, New Testament, oracle, Savior, Word, Zechariah, Zephaniah
“Care For the Hair Under There”
Rendition of Ezekiel's vision of the wheel and creatures.
I know that on Sunday, I mentioned that Jeremiah was full of drama. I should have waited just a few days to give the “drama” label to Ezekiel. My, my, my. Without a doubt if there is anyone in the Bible any more dramatic than Ezekiel it has yet to be seen. His vision, making maps of Jerusalem, eating scrolls, lying on his side for over a year, then flipping over and lying on the other for 40 days, eating Ezekiel 4:9 bread, shaving his head with a sword, cooking with human dung (changed to cow fortunately), cooking pots and meat, repetition of words and pictures, not mourning for his wife’s death, useless vines, eagles, comparing Jerusalem to prostitutes, it goes on and on. Continue reading →
Posted in B90X
Tagged Babylon, Daniel, drama, Ezekiel, faithfulness, Father, Jeremiah, Jerusalem, Lord, Nebuchadnezzar, prophet, Psalms
Good work Saints! I get many great words of encouragement from some of you which propel me to further discipline and faithfulness. We are about a good thing!
"Jeremiah Lamentations" Chagall
Lamentations- Originally the title of the book was “Ah, how!” from the Hebrew words ‘ek ah.
This short book is not connected to a specific author or prophet, however, tradition puts it in the lap of Jeremiah. It is mainly composed of funeral songs for Jerusalem. Since Jeremiah does not deport in the exile, he has time to survey the damage left by the departure of the presence of Father. The year is 586 B.C., the Babylonian King is furious with his Vassal Zedekiah who would not keep his word. The temple is completely sacked and the city is left in piles of rubble. The people weep from the feeling that God has abandoned them. The poems show the people’s sense of guilt, confession, and repentance as they realize how deeply they have hurt God by their sin and unfaithfulness. Continue reading →
Posted in B90X
Tagged discipline, Father, God, Jeremiah, Jerusalem, Lamentations, Lord, prayer, presence, prophet, repentance, Zedekiah
