Approximately one year ago we gave up TV to spend more time with God, family and friends. This weekend we got away and had access to TV for 3 days. We watched a little. What we found was how much we did not miss it. There was very little on that was worth watching. It almost made you feel fat and lazy to sit around and veg on it. It reminded me of whole milk. There was one point in my life where that was all I drank. The thought of 1% or skim made me sick. Now after years on skim I can't do whole milk. Its too thick. Its the same with TV. At one time I didn't think it was possible to live without it. Now it amazes me how sluggish it makes me feel.
Now if I could just give up my phone.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
San Fran vs Circumcision
San Francisco is looking to outlaw circs for anyone under 18. They say there is no medical reason why this needless procedure be done. I have heard just the opposite but regardless of any health benefits would SF be looking into this if it didn't have a religious connection? Just wondering.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Sin
This week my wife was approached by a friend who is big in the family/marriage industry. She wanted her to talk to a woman who was trying to leave an affair but struggling. After hours of phone time and emails the alarming thing that stands out is not that someone had an affair it's how prevalent it is in the Christian life.
This woman and her husband have both been involved in an affair with their spouses knpwledge for 3 years and she is finally thinking it might be wrong! She says they are Christians! Now as she finally gets some of this out of the dark she talks to others and they tell her about similar situations they are in. How sad that being a Christian now has no more meaning than being a blond or a football fan. We have watered down what Christianity is so far that it's no wonder those outside the faith have no desire to join and call us hypocrites.
It's time for us who claim to follow Christ to step up and lead this nation in a revival. It's now time to stop letting our flesh lead us and let God lead us. It's time to give up our desires and fulfill God's. God has warned His people over and over about the tragedy that would befall them if they did not turn from their ways and repent. Time after time God struck down whole cities who were flaunting their sins in God's face. Do we do that today? Do we love our neighbors? Do we submit to our spouses? Do we seek His guidance? Do we covet? What are our idols? We all say we would die for our families but would we serve them?
The old saying goes "there is always tomorrow". What if there isn't? What if God says "that's enough" and decides to pull up shop? Are we prepared for Christ's return? Is our house in order? Not just our personal house but the church. Are we doing our obligatory Sunday AM pew sitting and that's it? Who is challenging the establishment and saying "somethings missing and I think that something is following Christ"! Are we willing to give up all for Him who gave up all for us? I heard a pastor today ask "If you went out of town for a month would God's Kingdom notice?". He wasn't asking would they miss your tithe or would your kids miss their Dad etc. He was asking the big question, are we making any kind of difference? Are we?
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
This woman and her husband have both been involved in an affair with their spouses knpwledge for 3 years and she is finally thinking it might be wrong! She says they are Christians! Now as she finally gets some of this out of the dark she talks to others and they tell her about similar situations they are in. How sad that being a Christian now has no more meaning than being a blond or a football fan. We have watered down what Christianity is so far that it's no wonder those outside the faith have no desire to join and call us hypocrites.
It's time for us who claim to follow Christ to step up and lead this nation in a revival. It's now time to stop letting our flesh lead us and let God lead us. It's time to give up our desires and fulfill God's. God has warned His people over and over about the tragedy that would befall them if they did not turn from their ways and repent. Time after time God struck down whole cities who were flaunting their sins in God's face. Do we do that today? Do we love our neighbors? Do we submit to our spouses? Do we seek His guidance? Do we covet? What are our idols? We all say we would die for our families but would we serve them?
The old saying goes "there is always tomorrow". What if there isn't? What if God says "that's enough" and decides to pull up shop? Are we prepared for Christ's return? Is our house in order? Not just our personal house but the church. Are we doing our obligatory Sunday AM pew sitting and that's it? Who is challenging the establishment and saying "somethings missing and I think that something is following Christ"! Are we willing to give up all for Him who gave up all for us? I heard a pastor today ask "If you went out of town for a month would God's Kingdom notice?". He wasn't asking would they miss your tithe or would your kids miss their Dad etc. He was asking the big question, are we making any kind of difference? Are we?
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Pet peeve of the week
A manufacturer of baby monitors has recalled 2 million units due to the death of 2 children. Now, don't get me wrong. The death of any child is tragic but more children are killed in cars, on bikes, in bathtubs and by abusive parents not to mention the millions who have been killed by abortion. The recalled units did not explode or catch fire. They were placed too close to the cribs and the kids grabbed them and got tangled up. The company is now placing a warning on the packages about the potential for strangulation.
I have an idea. Maybe we should recall the parents who are either so irresponsible or negligent that they put the monitor too close to the crib. While we are at it lets recall cars, tubs, bikes and anything else we could hurt ourselves with. And since humans do so many stupid things maybe God should be recalled. After all He didn't warn us of all the trouble we could get into. Oh wait, He did, it's called the Bible.
Until we take responsibility for our actions society is doomed. Until we die to self and seek the One from Whom all knowledge is derived we will continue to be a blame someone else world. Read the Bible and see how well the people did who forgot about God and relied on their own brains. It's not a pretty picture.
I have an idea. Maybe we should recall the parents who are either so irresponsible or negligent that they put the monitor too close to the crib. While we are at it lets recall cars, tubs, bikes and anything else we could hurt ourselves with. And since humans do so many stupid things maybe God should be recalled. After all He didn't warn us of all the trouble we could get into. Oh wait, He did, it's called the Bible.
Until we take responsibility for our actions society is doomed. Until we die to self and seek the One from Whom all knowledge is derived we will continue to be a blame someone else world. Read the Bible and see how well the people did who forgot about God and relied on their own brains. It's not a pretty picture.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Community
Lately I've been on a community kick. I don't think we take seriously enough the importance of relationships. God calls us to be in relationship, and not just with our self. And community does not mean 45 min. on a Sunday morning. I have been disappointed with how church and therefore many in the congregation dismiss or overlook this important part of following Christ.
Our hot water heater is going bad and needs replacing. I was going to tackle it this weekend. Friday I came home and we had a new hot water heater!!!!!!!!! We recently have been meeting with a younger couple and talking about marriage. The husband works in heating/AC and I had asked him how to go about replacing it. He took it upon himself to buy a heater and stop by at 9 in the morning and install it himself and haul away the old one. It blew my mind!!!!!!!! No one has ever done anything like that before for us. That is community! Helping others without being asked. There isn't a thing that couple could ask me for that I wouldn't try to do. But right now all I can say is Thank You.
With all my disappointment about the Christian community maybe God was showing me all is not lost. Just keep pressing on and don't give up.
Our hot water heater is going bad and needs replacing. I was going to tackle it this weekend. Friday I came home and we had a new hot water heater!!!!!!!!! We recently have been meeting with a younger couple and talking about marriage. The husband works in heating/AC and I had asked him how to go about replacing it. He took it upon himself to buy a heater and stop by at 9 in the morning and install it himself and haul away the old one. It blew my mind!!!!!!!! No one has ever done anything like that before for us. That is community! Helping others without being asked. There isn't a thing that couple could ask me for that I wouldn't try to do. But right now all I can say is Thank You.
With all my disappointment about the Christian community maybe God was showing me all is not lost. Just keep pressing on and don't give up.
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