Tag: Bible Studies

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Small Steps to Making Huge Impacts

My new blog friend Brad Ruggles had this post and this post on his blog for the past couple of days. The conversations have been great, a little rough at times, but honest and interesting to say the least.

I want to continue to conversation here…

My friend Neely McQueen is the PDYM Community Guru. She keeps all of the state mentors in line and coordinates our state wide network lunches. Her husband Josh is a Student Minister in Washington (the state).

They are adopting a little girl (Little Girl McQueen) from overseas and I am asking you to help them. This is one more way that we can take a small step to make a huge impact. With your coffee purchase, 40% of the proceeds go directly towards helping bring Little Girl McQueen home to the US. Most of you out there love coffee, you buy it for your house, you buy it for the office, so why not continue doing what you always do, but make an impact in the life of a little girl and an entire family?

Click Here to purchase through Neely and Josh’s Affiliate Number so they get credit. Remember, birthday’s, anniversaries, Christimas, and Just Becauses are always great time to buy your family members or friends a great fresh bag of coffee. You will love it! Thank you for being Jesus by drinking coffee! You must order from the Affiliate Link for credit. Spread the word, I’m keeping a permanent link on my right hand sidebar to make re-orders easy for you, I’m all about customer service! 🙂

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Does God Promise Protection?

I was reading the entry for My Utmost for His Highest this morning and was a little torn. Here is the section that brings me to this blog post:

. . . I am with you to deliver you,’ says the Lord —Jeremiah 1:8

God promised Jeremiah that He would deliver him personally— “. . . your life shall be as a prize to you . . .” (Jeremiah 39:18 ). That is all God promises His children. Wherever God sends us, He will guard our lives.

Now, I am fairly new at reading Oswald Chambers’ stuff. There are times that I read it and I can hear some of his influence or at least an identical influence in some of the people who have helped form my thinking. One of those people, once again today, is Louie Giglio. Yesterday, as I piggy backed on Pete Wilson’s blog, I posted an audio message from Louie called “Prayer-a-Remix” where Louie points out how unbiblical many of our cliche’ American prayers are. [Download the Full Message Here – Requires Quick Time]

In the message Louie talks about how one of the typical things that we pray is “Lord Protect Me!” – However, in the post Cross/Resurrection teaching of the Gospel, we are never promised protection or safety. Louie points out that in the Old Testament all the heroes (David, Daniel, Noah, Etc.) were victorious and lived, but in the post Cross/Resurrection portion of the New Testament all the heroes suffered and died (Jesus, Peter, Paul, Etc.) – The bottom line is that sure we can pray for protection, and trust me I pray for protection for my family daily, but in reality, if you are living totally abandoned to Christ and truly mean that He can use your life to further His mission no matter what, then I believe there is no promise of protection, because sometimes His mission is greater than our lives!

**You have got to listen to the audio message about Louie’s example of Graham Stains – It puts this into perfect perspective – I admit I have used the illustration numerous times now!**

Join the Conversation, What Do You Think?

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Do We Even Understand God?

I was wondering what I should blog about today, but after reading Pete Wilson’s post (God Bless America?) and watching the video he linked to, there is nothing more I need to say. I encourage you to go read the post and watch the video of a young boy who’s family had to give up their custody to the government because they could no longer afford to keep him. Pete’s post reminded me of a message that I heard in 2005 at the PDYM Conference by Louie Giglio called “Prayer-a-Remix” You can download the entire message for Free HERE

Warning: After listening to this message your prayer life will be totally messed up, so do not listen to it if you are comfortable praying the average cliche’ Americanized Chritian prayers and living the typical self-serving Americanized Christian life…I warned you!

Here is an excerpt from Pete, be sure to go check out the rest of his post HERE and watch the video:

I saw this bumper sticker the other day when I was walking into Blockbuster. It says, “My Pastor Says God Bless America.” Since seeing the bumper sticker I’ve discovered it’s linked to a political movement.

I want to be clear that I’m neither condemning nor endorsing this organization. I know nothing about it, but this bumper sticker just prompted the following thoughts.

I’m tired of praying “God Bless America.” Now, before you try to stone me at the county courthouse, let me clearly state, “I’m proud of our country.” I’m indebted to people who have served her to give me the freedoms I have. So we’re cool. I shoot fireworks off on the 4th and everything.

Join the Conversation, What’s Your Thoughts?

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“Hi, My Name is Nick and I Am A…

…Control Freak!”

It really sounds bad, but its true. I would much rather put God on a leash and be in full control of everything, rather than to be submissive to him and wait on his timing, to play by his rules, and to follow his path. Unfortunately, I have seen enough and I have learned enough in my ancient 27 years of living to know that I am out of luck, because God is in control and no matter how much I would rather him be on a leash, he will never assume that position. However, my knowledge of this does not make it easier for me, sure I have gotten better at giving up control, but I still struggle with it.

I believe God is huge on Integrity (John 1:45-48). I have been given an opportunity to speak at my church on July 6th. Now you may be reading this and think, “What’s the big deal? I speak at my church all the time!” Well, it is a big deal. I was a part of the teaching team at my former church and have been at my current church as a volunteer leader for less than two years, so #1 They don’t lay hands on any man suddenly (which is cool by me) and #2 Its been about two years since I did a message in “BIG” church, I speak with teens all the time. But, for two years God has put a passion in my heart for a particular subject a main theme for Christians and the church…its nothing new, but its what the Lord’s given to me, so in a way it is new. It focuses on the total abandonment of the people who say they are followers of the Christ. So, as I have been struggling to put all of the pieces to this message together, God has been building the message out of me. I have been living it for the past couple of weeks, and I just realized what was going on, and in the meantime learning that I have a serious problem if I am going to live out this message that is on my heart!

So there it is. Seriously ashamed. I am a control freak and it must stop! My wife would probably have a heart attack just for me admitting it. I never let her drive the family around with me in the car. I’ve always seen my dad drive and I always thought it was the gentlemen thing to do. I’ve let my wife drive me when I was very sick, but it was at those times that I could care less if I was in control. Nicki drives our boys (and Hailey) everywhere, so why is it any different when I am in the car? Because I must control. Though it is a small start, tonight when we go get dinner, I am having Nicki drive us everywhere! And when it comes to spiritual things, I realize I must give up my selfish ambitions, my understanding, my timing, and my plans to live totally abandoned to Jesus.

Join the Conversation…is there anything God is revealing to you lately?