I was nearing the end of my semi-routine run along Lady Bird Lake in Austin Texas when on the trail in front of me was a yellow sign announcing the filming of the movie “When Angels Sing” and warned that traveling beyond the sign “constitutes your consent to be recorded.” Naturally I did what most American men would do; I pepped up my step, fixed my posture, and ran on...
In the Parable of the Good Shepherd (Or Parable of the Lost Sheep) the Pharisees come face to face with the prophesy of Ezekiel, they have failed as the shepherds go intended them to be and through their religion, have neglected the lost sheep. The main point of the parable is that God loves his sheep and only through the good shepherd (Jesus) will the lost sheep be found and there will be great...
Scripture Reading: Luke 15:1-7 1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep...
In a previous post I quoted John Maxell who observed that older and “insecure leaders view change as a threat rather than an opportunity. ” But what if you have to change. Many small churches are facing declining membership because their traditions have not changed in decades. The prevailing belief is worship traditions are Biblical and any deviation must certainly be a sin. Even...
NOTE: Originally posted on thepracticalCHRISTian.net The New Year is a time of renewal reminiscent of the fresh starts each school year brought when we were children. Starting fresh is intoxicating to those of us encumbered with a litany of bad habits and regrets we would like to leave behind. Overwhelmingly those who resolve to leave baggage behind each new year fail. Most can make it a...
Christ was predominately used in books until the turn of the century. Since the 1980s the use of Jesus has taken dominated. Overall the use of both has dropped including use of the word “Gospel.” Data built using Google Ngram
Bible class audio for December 12, 2010 “Daily Bread?” Bible class audio for December 5, 2010 “The Lord’s Prayer” Outline and Notes: 1. Father. The first mention of God as our father is by Jesus in this sermon…something he reinforces in his teaching on prayer. The hearers had only known God as the God of the people at large with Abraham as their father. We...
“Energy follows thought ”
These three words were my take-away from three days of leadership training. Not that everything else wasn’t good information is was just more of the same from previous training events. I probably even heard these three words in training before but it never struck me the way they did that day.
What a simple rule for Christians.
Before you begin this study read Matthew 18:21-35 Servants who have approached the master with a poor spirit, acknowledging how broken and unrighteous we are without him and mourning over the sins we have committed, will have the master bring them into his kingdom and comfort us. Only in this state can we with meekness bring our power under his control and crave the righteousness which he has...
John 3:16: The message to Nicodemus is clear Jesus isn’t just from God he is God. He was lifted on the cross so that whoever like Jews on the serpent gazes on it will be saved through a rebirth through the spiritual cleansing of baptism. Our rebirth isn’t just a new addition to our life or a way to reform it…we die to the old life. If Nicodemus can do it so can we. Link to sermon notes