Planet RockISU.com
September 08, 2008
Daylights: A Daily Devotional for Great Commission Christians — Instruction: Parenting 3:16 - Monday September 08, 2008
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.John 3:16 NIVThere are three parenting lessons you can take from the Bible's most well-loved and well-known passage.1. You can have eternal life. The greatest truth you can pass on to your kids is the truth of the gospel. Parenting involves a myriad of important things to teach, but this is the most important. We can have eternal life by believing that God sent His Son to die on the cross to pay for our sins. We can't work our way to heaven; and we can't earn salvation. All we can do is believe.2. God loves you. We all want to be loved by someone. The search for love and acceptance can have crippling effects on a child's self-esteem if it continues unfulfilled. A parent's love should be the first love to fill that need in a child's life. As a child ages, he or she needs to be directed toward God. "I love you and Mommy loves you, but God loves you even more. You are one of His dearly loved children."3. You have a life mission. Our love for our fellow man should stir something in us. We have the secret to attaining eternal life, and it is available to "whoever believes." If I had the cure to cancer, I would want to share that treatment with others. My love for them would demand this. Instead, I have the cure for eternal separation from God. This is news that is needed by everyone. Our love for mankind makes us embrace this message as a mission for ourselves and our kids.These three foundational truths will shape your children's identity and value. That will impact their lives forever.
Steve L. Nelson
The Rio Community Church
One Year Reading Plan: Isaiah 1:1-2:22; 2 Corinthians 10:1-18; Psalms 52:1-9; Proverbs 22:26-27
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September 07, 2008
Daily Bible Verse (ESV) — Matthew 28:18-20
And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."Daylights: A Daily Devotional for Great Commission Christians — Instruction: Bad Company - Sunday September 07, 2008
Do not be misled: bad company corrupts good character.1 Corinthians 15:33 NIVBad kids will have a negative influence on your kids. That is just the way it is. We have such a strong desire to fit in and gain the approval of others, that no matter how strong our character, we almost always find some way to blend into the group we are around."Do not be misled!" Do you know why God starts the verse off with these words? It seems as if He thinks we may be prone to doubt Him on this one. Perhaps our tendency is to be misled into thinking that our kids will not be affected by others. Of course we see the danger of negative influences on other people's children, but not on our own. Our kids are strong! They are impervious to bad influences.The funny thing is that we think our kids are so strong, but as far as I can tell from the context of the verse, it isn't even talking about kids! It's talking about adults! God thinks that even adults are highly susceptible to the influence of peers. If it is hard for the mature to stand against the flow, how much more so for the immature!The truth is that our kids are prone to being led astray by negative influences. These influences could be their neighborhood friends, peers at school, or kids in the youth group. Even the average TV gets more time with a child than the average parent. It's not that we need to keep our kids locked into their rooms until they grow up. A wise response would be to closely monitor their time with negative influences and make sure the amount of positive influence is far more significant.
Steve L. Nelson
The Rio Community Church
One Year Reading Plan: Song of Solomon 5:1-8:14; 2 Corinthians 9:1-15; Psalms 51:1-19; Proverbs 22:24-25
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September 06, 2008
Daylights: A Daily Devotional for Great Commission Christians — Instruction: Keeping Them in the Barrel - Saturday September 06, 2008
Stern discipline awaits him who leaves the path; he who hates correction will die. Proverbs 15:10 NIVOne of the reasons a rifle is more accurate than a pistol is that the barrel is longer and therefore keeps the bullet on a straight path longer. By the time it leaves the tip of the gun, it has already been on its path for some time.Imagine a small Super Ball (an extremely bouncy ball) being thrown through a larger-diameter metal pipe. Coming out the other end, its path would generally follow the direction that the pipe was pointing. Now, imagine shooting it through a tube of wrapping paper. The ball's bouncing would be even more constricted, and so when it left the tube it would fly straighter. Now imagine blowing it through a tube that was just slightly larger than the ball. How would the tube affect the flight of the ball? That's exactly what the barrel of a gun does. It constricts the path of the bullet for a time so that when it leaves the barrel it flies straight.Parenting is similar in this respect. The longer children are trained and the more disciplined their training is, the more likely it is that they will head down a path consistent with their training when they leave the home. Of course, just like a gun barrel, you don't want to constrain them so much that the barrel explodes. You don't want them to become exasperated and give up hope. That's one of the keys to training kids. Constrain their path-not too much, and not too little. Help them develop a pattern of following the right path in their life. If you consistently keep them on the right course in your home, you can expect them not to stray too far from it when they are out of your home.
Steve L. Nelson
The Rio Community Church
One Year Reading Plan: Song of Solomon 1:1-4:16; 2 Corinthians 8:16-24; Psalms 50:1-23; Proverbs 22:22-23
[Read online bible]
Daily Bible Verse (ESV) — Mark 12:30-31
"'And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."September 05, 2008
Matt and Nancy Heerema — A letter to my future self from my past self…
Today I recieved a letter in the mail… from myself… age 13. No, seriously.
Daily Bible Verse (ESV) — 2 Corinthians 4:16
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.Daylights: A Daily Devotional for Great Commission Christians — Instruction: Teaching that Sticks - Friday September 05, 2008
My son, keep your father's commands and do not forsake your mother's teaching. Bind them upon your heart forever; fasten them around your neck. When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life. Proverbs 6:20-23 NIVDid you catch that? If our kids lock into our teachings and hold them close to their hearts, those bits of instruction will guide them when they walk, watch over them when they sleep, and speak to them when they are awake. What we teach our kids can light their ways through life, and the times we've corrected them can bring them the good life.The instruction we give our kids will profoundly impact their lives if it is godly teaching and if we can get them to grasp hold of it. The godly teaching part of it is pretty simple. Pass on to them everything written in Proverbs. It is a guide to godly living. It was inspired by God and written by the wisest man who has ever lived.How do you get them to grab hold of it? First, we must give attention to living out what we are trying to impart to our children. It is crucial that we are the pacesetters in life, because much is caught, not taught.Second, we must give our kids a great deal of teaching. Studies show that we only remember 10% of what we hear. Given that piece of information, you may want to start by teaching your kids ten times as much. Repeat simple truths that you want to ingrain in them again, and again, and again.These teachings will continue to ring in their ears, and guide them for their entire lives.
Steve L. Nelson
The Rio Community Church
One Year Reading Plan: Ecclesiastes 10:1-12:14; 2 Corinthians 8:1-15; Psalms 49:1-20; Proverbs 22:20-21
[Read online bible]
September 04, 2008
Tim & Kristen Borseth — Happy 5th Birthday, Isaac!
by Kristen September 3rd, 2003 (5 years ago) Isaac Russell was born. Today he enjoyed a wonderful day of opening gifts, eating cake (or at least the frosting), playing with his gifts (a water gun, and baseball & bat) and...Daylights: A Daily Devotional for Great Commission Christians — Instruction: Impressing God upon Children - Thursday September 04, 2008
These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.Deuteronomy 6:6-9 NIVDo you ever fear that your children will rebel against God because you made them go to church or youth group? We all know people who say that they had religion crammed down their throats when they were younger. What does God say? How much religion should we expose our children to?Our home should be an environment where God is talked about when we get up, when we eat meals, when we go for walks, and when we lie down. In other words, the things of God should be a constant topic of conversation.Many of the people who say they had religion crammed down their throats are simply weary of attending lifeless churches. Others were turned off by hypocrisy they saw in the church they attended. Hopefully that is not what we are exposing our children to. That was the type of meaningless religion Jesus opposed.Is it better to over-educate or under-educate a student? Is it better to over-train or under-train a soldier? Is it better to over-expose or under-expose our kids to God? In each of these cases, more is better! Greater exposure to the things of God should only result in a greater love toward God, and should better equip your kids for life. Don't worry that you might push them away from God! Worry about how you are going to make them excited about God.
Steve L. Nelson
The Rio Community Church
One Year Reading Plan: Ecclesiastes 7:1-9:18; 2 Corinthians 7:8-16; Psalms 48:1-14; Proverbs 22:17-19
[Read online bible]
Daily Bible Verse (ESV) — Proverbs 25:15
With patience a ruler may be persuaded, and a soft tongue will break a bone.September 03, 2008
Kathy Hanson — When Your Platform Shoes are Flip Flops
Let’s play a matching game. Match these three quotation with one of the choices below.
1. “It’s not fair to ask a woman how she plans to balance caring for five children, including a special needs child and a pregnant teenager, with the demands of the vice presidency.”
2. “My dad was a better dad because he was governor of a state. I don’t think it’s any different for a woman.”
3. “Everyone knows a mother’s role is different from a father’s. I have a special needs son and I had to make a choice between a full-time career and caring for him. So I worked part time.”
A.) A liberal media maven
B.) A conservative commentator
C.) The daughter of a conservative politician
The answers:
1. (B)
2. (C)
3. (A)
If I hadn’t seen and heard it myself, I wouldn’t have believed it. I guess the truth is whatever suits your agenda.
But seriously, that’s the trouble with making broad generalizations as though the truth is something that will fit in a box.
So, a word of advice to both parties: the box you’re trying to make your propoganda fit may turn out to be a shoebox. If so, make sure you know the difference between platforms and flip flops.
(Note: This has not turned into a political blog. I just couldn’t help myself, today. Normal blogging will resume shortly.)
The Official Rock Blog™ — Craig's, "Understanding the Bible"
Craig's Monday night classSarah McClanahan — Great Thoughts
Here are some highlights from something Ben Stein wrote and recited on a CBS Sunday Morning. The whole thing is good, but here were some of my favorite thoughts he had:"I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat."
"Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to."
Love this part:
"Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Katrina) Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'"
And this whole part is good:
"In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.
Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK.
Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.
Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'"
Thank you Ben Stein for cutting to the chase and being honest. It's refreshing to hear the truth once in a while in this fallen, broken and utterly confused world.
by Sarah Jayne (Sarah.J.McClanahan@gmail.com) — September 3, 2008 @ 12:38 pm (CST)
The Official Rock Blog™ — All Church Picnic
Stonebrook celebrates its annual fall kickoff with its 10-year anniversary. All church.Adam Vos — same habit
It's 4:30am. I'm writing a blog entry right now. I could be sleeping, but I'm wide awake on some sort of second-wind doing stuff other than sleeping.I was finishing up catching up on my YouTube videos when I was about ready to retire, but then I decided to organize some personal playlists of mine. Then I switched back to this computer and figured I could watch some more YouTube and get caught on up LiveJournal and such. And I got caught up in that. I also organized some files once I'd gotten into this getting-things-done kick. Hours later, I'm way less tired than I was back at midnight when I had just logged on to YouTube, when I was very relaxedly sitting back in my chair dozing off watching random videos. I should have just gone to bed then; it would have been relaxing. You wouldn't think waking up by noon for work at 2pm would be much of a stretch for anyone... but then I stay up until like 6 or 8am...
It's like an evil habit of mine that my psyche has formed to drive me crazy. If I can just get to sleep before sunrise, then I won't have the sun shining through the blinds in the windows to contend with and I'll be able to have a full, peaceful night's/morning's rest.
I was thinking of actually video blogging on YouTube or something to that effect. It's amazing what people can produce on video, what a following they can develop, and how personal it seems when a person can just talk as one would without converting it all into text. I was planning on writing at length on this topic sometime. I've been watching long enough. But, then again, I have enough trouble just writing a text blog on a regular basis. And I don't own a moving video recording device of any sort.
I saw my extended family on Sunday for a Labor Day barbecue at my aunt's house back home in Des Moines. It was enlightening for some reason. I think I've mentioned how being with extended family for events like this is somehow therapeutic for some reason I can't explain. It was sort of like that, yet still awkward in that I didn't have much to talk with them about. My aunts put together a "care package" of sorts with left-over food from the dinner in zip-lock baggies for me to take home. It made me feel loved. Maybe it's because I feel unconditionally a part of them and that they hold me some place special in their minds? I don't get that anywhere else, even though I don't feel terribly close to most of them. I saw my Aunt Evelyn there, and that was nice. I don't get to see her too often.
It's depressing that it's September already. It's a month with "bur" in it. It's already getting too chilly at night for shorts and short-sleeves. I guess that means one less month until I return to school for spring semester, presuming all things go as planned? I suppose I can look forward to that so long as I can make it through these next four months of emptiness and directionlessness.
Megan Blair — Politikeese Translation
Lieberman: McCain Best Choice to Lead Read: "Lieberman: I Want a Cabinet Spot." Though I don't necessarily disagree with his position....Daylights: A Daily Devotional for Great Commission Christians — Leaders Are Writers - Wednesday September 03, 2008
Prescribe these things as well, so that they may be above reproach.1 Timothy 5:7In his instruction to Timothy about how widows are to be cared for in the church, Paul inserts this command: "Prescribe these things..." The word in the Greek means "to transmit a message along from one to another, to declare, announce" or "to command, order or charge." It is interesting that the translators of the New American Standard Version use the word "prescribe" which is a combination of two words "pre" (meaning "before") and "scribe" (meaning "to write.") Thus, the word "prescribe" means to "write beforehand."Harmonizing all of these definitions together, there is a connection between "commanding" and "writing beforehand." When a leader takes the time (and the courage!) to write down what he wants done, he takes a big step. He takes a serious step! Writing down instruction brings both clarity and force to a leader's words.And this is the very step that Paul took with Timothy. He had instructed him face to face how to lead the church (1 Timothy 1:3). But this entire letter took it another step. Paul wrote down his instructions. Writing down instructions not only makes them clear, but also gives a special measure of force to the message. The words in writing convey to the reader that the leader is serious about what is being communicated. This is important-and must be heeded!Whether we are leading in our homes or in our work or in the church, it is important that we lead through our writing.Have you written down what you desire and expect of those you are leading?
John Hopler
Great Commission Churches
One Year Reading Plan: Ecclesiastes 4:1-6:12; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:7; Psalms 47:1-9; Proverbs 22:16
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Daily Bible Verse (ESV) — Mark 13:31
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.September 02, 2008
Megan Blair — Reply to All: How NOT to Use
Brief note: The comment function is currently not working on my blog. I may be moving sites soon. I'll keep you posted. A company-wide email was sent today regarding a new health plan, and a string of replies to all...Tony & Kirsten Hill — Summer 2008 Wrap-Up
It’s the day after Labor Day, so summer is now “officially” over here in Minnesota. While Labor Day is considered to be the last fling of summer in many places, it is even more that way here. The State Fair always ends on Labor Day, the pools close their gates one last time, and the kids go back to school the next morning.
Summer always seems short here in Minnesota. I don’t think it really feels like summer until the neighborhood kids are done with school for the year, and here in Minneapolis it was about mid-June when schools let out for summer break. The pools don’t open until around June 15th, and this year it wouldn’t have been warm enough to go swimming until then anyway.
We did “Mission to the City” with Urban Refuge at the end of June. Looking back on it, it kind of feels like this was the beginning of our summer, because it was only really warm and summer-like outside for maybe a week prior to this. I participated in almost all the Mission to the City activities, while Tony did the night and weekend events. We even brought the kids along for some of the events (they liked helping out at the BBQs). I really enjoyed having the time dedicated to serving in my community and learning more about the city I’m living in.
Fourth of July followed quickly after Mission to the City, which was followed by Tony having back-to-back deadlines at work, during which time he slept very little… …And Tony also had the misfortune of getting sick while not getting much sleep, which resulted in him developing Pneumonia. Tony spent the rest of July recovering and trying to get lots of sleep. During the month of July, the kids and I spent a few days at the lake cabin with my mom, and also tried to get out and enjoy summer with trips to local parks and pools.
We made it to Ames for two weddings in less than a month in late July/mid August and also made a family trip to the lake cabin the first weekend in August. The kids and I crammed in more and more trips to the pools as the month of August wore on, knowing that our outdoor swimming days would soon be over for another long 9+ months. We all went to the Minnesota State Fair a little over a week ago and spent a day enjoying plentiful farm animals, 4-H projects, and, of course, cheese curds and various foods-on-a-stick. We enjoyed our final summer weekend this Labor Day weekend by doing projects around the house, going out for a picnic and concert at Lake Harriet, and having a special Labor Day dinner on our back patio.
We also tried to have a garden this summer, with a only small amount of success. (And by “We” I mostly mean Tony with a bit of help from Madeline.) Our back “yard” is really a big patio with raised garden beds surrounding it. And a huge old Catalpa tree shading the whole thing. We started tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, carrots, sweet corn and beans in small seed trays inside the house this spring. We only wanted to make a minimal financial investment in our vegetable garden, since we knew that our conditions were not ideal for garden success. So far, we have harvested a couple dozen cherry tomatoes (mostly picked and eaten one or two at a time by the kids), about 3 regular-size tomatoes, and one very tiny carrot. Only one stubby corn plant survived, and something ate it’s one ear of corn. The peppers didn’t flower until recently, so won’t have time to develop before the frost. The eggplants never did much. We might still get some beans and a few more carrots. And we’ll still get a few more tomatoes before it gets too cold. At least we can have hope that maybe next summer we can have a better spot for a garden — we’ve already decided not to stay in our current house when our lease expires in 2009, whether that means moving to another house here in Minneapolis or moving back to Iowa or elsewhere if God so leads after Tony’s current job is finished.
The weather today is appropriate for the first day of “fall” — though it was approaching 90 degrees yesterday, today it’s raining and below 70 degrees during the mid-afternoon. I was originally planning on beginning our family’s fall schedule today and starting Madeline’s first day of home preschool for this year. But, my mom asked if Madeline could come and spend a couple more days at her house (Madeline’s third trip to stay at Grandma’s house since the beginning of the summer). So, our “fall” and our preschool year at home will wait until next week.
Kathy Hanson — Pundits Would Have a Field Day if…
…I were nominated as Vice President of the United States.
I say this, of course, in light of Sarah Palin’s nomination and the subsequent revelations about her family.
I agonize for her because I know what they could dig up on me if I were in her shoes. There’s enough grist for the rumor mill from the past three months of my extended family life alone to keep liberals and conservatives slobbering for the next four years.
In reality, my family’s not in imminent danger from this sort of embarrassment. I’ll probably never run for public office, mainly because I’ve never learned to toe the party line. I abhor campaign rhetoric’s empty-headed fervor and its false dichotomies disguised as truth. And I’d rather model my convictions, and inspire people from the grassroots level, than exert influence from the top.
I wouldn’t stand for being drawn into bizarre caricatures of issues that are beyond the scope of the executive branch of government. And defining myself according to the realities of the office would make a very boring campaign.
But since the pundits would have a field day digging up my dirt, they’d never get around to asking me my stance on the issues, anyway.
So, I’ll keep doing what I’m already doing at the obscure, local level on the basis of my convictions .
And my family can breathe a sigh of relief while the pundits slink away to find a new victim.
Daylights: A Daily Devotional for Great Commission Christians — His Eye Is on the Sparrow - Tuesday September 02, 2008
...Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.1 Peter 5:7 NKJVGod showed His care for me in a very personal way recently. I just have to brag about it. Here's the story.I had taken off for my usual Monday afternoon run to the grocery store. Usually my husband, John, gives me $80 cash and hopes I won't exceed that amount. (If I do, I take out my bank card and put the transaction on that.) Often I just fold the four $20 bills and stick them in my pocket and run out the door, a little behind schedule.That particular Monday I went first to another store to mail a couple of cards overseas and buy one item. In the parking lot I discovered I had left my purse at home. That meant, one, I was driving illegally, and two, I had only $80. "Oh, well, Lord," I thought, "I don't have time to go home, so please get me through this." I came out with $75, a quarter, and three pennies. I drove carefully.At the grocery store I put in my quarter to release a cart (ever heard of Aldi?) and went through the aisles, trying not to be extravagant. I'm not good at mental math, but I thought I would come in well below my strict budget, so I wasn't worried.However, as I checked out, I could see it was going to be a close call. I opened my mouth to warn the cashier of my dilemma as the last few items came down the conveyor belt. Before I spoke, he finished, and announced, "$74.99." In a happy daze I confessed that I only had $75, and added, grinning, "I 'm a Christian. God takes care of me."
Dotty Vanderhorst
Cornerstone Community Church
One Year Reading Plan: Ecclesiastes 1:1-3:22; 2 Corinthians 6:1-13; Psalms 46:1-11; Proverbs 22:15
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Daily Bible Verse (ESV) — John 10:27-30
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one."Rebekah Hanson - From The Inside Out — I may be a little bias, but I believe I have the most beautiful...
I may be a little bias, but I believe I have the most beautiful friends!! Catherine Teply, I am so honored that I was able to stand up with you on your wedding day!! I love you so much and I am so blessed by your life!!!
September 01, 2008
Sarah McClanahan — Top Songs for September!!! (actual)
Here's the actual, finished list!!Here we go! O and happy Labor Day!
1. All We Are- OneRepublic
2. Wait for Me- Rebecca St. James (should be the prayer of any single Christian woman!)
3. Better Together- Jack Johnson
4. You Never Let Go- Matt Redman
5. Dearly We're Bought- Red Mountain Church
6. Lead Me To The Cross- Hillsong United
7. Violet Hill- Coldplay
8. Washed By The Water- NeedToBreath
9. Give Me Your Eyes- Brandon Heath
10. Rock & Roll- Eric Hutchinson
11. Lay it Down- Matt Maher
12. Love and Pride- The Great Upset
13. Here (In Your Arms)- Hellogoodbye
14. C.S. Lewis Song- Brooke Fraser
15. Open Your Eyes- SnowPatrol
16. Side by Side- Rebecca St. James
17. Time After Time- Frank Sinatra
18. Love is Here- Tenth Avenue North
19. Lift Your Eyes- Leeland
20. Here I Am- Renee Sandstrom (from “Camp Rock”—haha yep!)
by Sarah Jayne (Sarah.J.McClanahan@gmail.com) — September 1, 2008 @ 4:44 pm (CST)
Daylights: A Daily Devotional for Great Commission Christians — Give It Up - Monday September 01, 2008
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.Romans 12:19 NIVRecently our small group watched a video on forgiveness and then talked about it together. We asked this question: "Why is it so hard to forgive someone who has said or done things that hurt you?" The answer we agreed on was simple: "We want the person to know how deeply we were hurt by what they did or said." As we talked, we recognized that holding onto our hurts, instead of offering forgiveness, is what the world calls (and the Bible calls) revenge. And the speaker had said that revenge just doesn't work.One brother shared his own example of how it doesn't work. For several years he had been holding onto his anger rather than offering forgiveness to the person who hurt him. The result was that he found himself becoming more and more of an angry person. He was tired of living this way-tired of carrying around the emotional anger of revenge. He realized he was almost like a slave to the person who hurt him, and not free to move on with his life. So he made a decision to forgive, even though he didn't feel like it. He gave it up. He gave it to God.Are you holding on to a hurt? You say, "You don't understand. This person hurt me so badly that I can never forgive him." But God says "Don't seek revenge; that's not your responsibility, it's Mine. Just forgive." And when you do, even if you don't feel like it, you'll make an amazing discovery: the person you are setting free is not the one who offended you, but you.
Dennis Clark
Prairie View Community Church
One Year Reading Plan: Job 40:1-42:17; 2 Corinthians 5:11-21; Psalms 45:1-17; Proverbs 22:14
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Daily Bible Verse (ESV) — Galatians 3:24-26
So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.August 31, 2008
Daylights: A Daily Devotional for Great Commission Christians — Ten Commitments for Women-Part 2 - Sunday August 31, 2008
In the same way, their wives must be respected and must not speak evil of others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do. 1 Timothy 3:11 NLTIf yesterday wasn't enough gals, here are the last five Commitments for today. They touch on five more areas, that we as women can be especially tempted in. They address some of the big issues: submission, loyalty, controlling our tongue, forgiving and forgetting, and being passionate women. Again, your assignment is the same as yesterday. Read through them and as you do, pray that God would help you to set the standard with the women that you labor with.6. By God's grace we will embrace the Bible's teaching on submission, whole-heartedly. In a world that does not understand, nor support submission, we will be shining examples.7. We will be women who are loyal to one another as good friends, loyal to our church family and first and foremost, loyal to our Lord and Savior.8. We will not gossip. We will not even tolerate it in our midst. Though challenging, by God's grace, we will be women who control our tongues.9. We will be women who forgive and forget. We will be quick to ask for forgiveness and even quicker to give it and to immediately forget.10. We will be passionate women who are praying and claiming promises-passionate for God, our husbands and our church.It has proven an honor for me to be associated for over twenty years with women who held to these standards. May God help us to increase all the more.
Neva Whitney
Great Commission Northwest
One Year Reading Plan: Job 37:1-39:30; 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:10; Psalms 44:9-26; Proverbs 22:13
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Daily Bible Verse (ESV) — 2 Corinthians 3:4-6
Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.August 30, 2008
Daily Bible Verse (ESV) — Acts 20:32
And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.Daylights: A Daily Devotional for Great Commission Christians — Ten Commitments For Women-Part 1 - Saturday August 30, 2008
Older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to take care of their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God. Titus 2:4,5 NLTIn my files I have these "Ten Commitments for Women." For many years I have shared them with the different gals that I have been teamed up with.. So many people in our day are blown back and forth by the prevailing winds of fashion and fads. Sadly, it is not always the wisest voices that are heeded, but the loudest and most controversial. These commitments speak to some of our needs as women. They set a good, high standard for all of us to attain to. I hope they prove a challenge and encouragement to you. Here are the first five. As you read them, pray that God would help you see them realized in your life.1. First we will seek always to be encouraged in our own spirit. Then as we listen to others, we will respond with faith.2. We will be women who have a solid grasp of our priorities, (God, husband, children, then others) and will to the best of our ability, meet them.3. We will initiate with others, old and new. We will not sit back, feel left out, nor wait for others to love us first.4. We will be quick to serve, as God gives opportunity. We will only compete to out-serve one another, as was our Lord's example.5. We will be team players and support the goals of our church and will strive to help each woman succeed in her arena of service.
Neva Whitney
Great Commission Northwest
One Year Reading Plan: Job 34:1-36:33; 2 Corinthians 4:1-12; Psalms 44:1-8; Proverbs 22:10-12
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August 29, 2008
Kathy Hanson — Friday Philosophy
While I appear to be functioning normally, deep in the dark convolutions of my cerebral cortext, synapses are struggling to fire across the short-curcuit created by this little piece of cognitive dissonace: THE SLIPPERY SLOPE ARGUMENT.
It seems to me that if a premise under question has any traction when subjected to scrutiny, there is no danger of slipping down the slope. Therefore, there is no such thing as a slippery slope–although there may be sloppy logic and/ or slippery motives in a debate.
Please feel free to point out the flaws in my logic.
(Note: I have not researched philosophical approaches to the slippery slope. I want to hear from some of you first.)
Talk amongst yourselves.
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