Tag: Opinion

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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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I am Evil

Well, today I found out that one of Nicki’s aunts and uncles thinks that I am evil because I am associated with the Purpose Driven Youth Ministry (Purpose Driven in general) and because I freely and willingly will give the PD Life book to someone who is searching for “purpose” to their life or a PDYM Book for any youth pastor who is looking to bring balance to his or her ministry.

Hmmm…I guess there is nothing to worry about since this is the same couple who will place their hands on you as if they are giving you a friendly gesture, but what they are really doing is “silently casting evil spirits out of you.” I wondered why they always laid their hands on my shoulders!? Their friend has admittedly said that she has tried on several occasions to cast an evil spirit out of my wife’s step dad who is a devoted follower of Christ. I wonder if I can get them to help me fund my trip to the Gathering in September? Probably not.

So do you have any weird family members? What makes them weird or different?