Head-dibs

Ever hear the expression, “turning over a new leaf?“ The saying is trite today, but the principle is often applied to one’s spiritual journey, “I’ll just turn over a new leaf.” Many over-spiritualize and ask God to turn over a new leaf in them. God does not turn over leaves--He makes new ones. Here is a simple 15th century prayer to Christ (author unknown). This prayer, and others like them, are nearly forgotten. “Good God, make me for Thy love & Thy desire Lay doune the burden of fleshly myer; And erthly lykingis to lothe; My will of the flesh haue ladiship Reson of my wille haue lordship; & Thy grace be lorde upon them bothe; And so throw me withinne & withowte; To soget ondir Thy wille alle abowte; To alle that is reson Right & sothe.” Immediately one is struck by the brevity and sensitivity of the poem. “ Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few . “...

Breaking News! EMERGING CHURCH THEOLOGIAN LEONARD SWEET NOT TO SPEAK AT PASTOR SKIP HEITZIG’S CALVARY CHAPEL Posted using ShareThis Thank you, Lord!

Dr. Beyer explains why pastors need to visit the land of the Bible . This should help you know if you are at a Christian concert or not. A little girl saved her friends' life-- thanks to Spongebob Squarepants ! But as many as 25 people walked past this homeless man who bled to death on the sidewalk after saving a woman from an attacker. If the LDS Church is true, then repentance is something that can actually be achieved. Have you met the requirements of repentance as defined by the LDS Church ? A friend made a joking comment on "Earth Day" last week that we would strip mine the other planets later. Turns out he's not the only one with the same idea for other planets. "We have met the enemy, and he is Power Point ." Dr. Larson answers the question, " Are Muslims Masters of Deceit ?"

"The LORD is my shepherd ; I shall not want. He leads me beside still waters . He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil ; my cup overflows . Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. " If The Good Shepherd is gone, we are alone in a world of evil. (Miller, Paul. A Praying Life .)

“The LORD, He is God; the LORD, He is God,” was the reply of the worshippers of Baal when fire fell from heaven and consumed the sacrifice, the alter, the wood and all the water they themselves poured over everything so as to prevent any fire from starting. They started the day by saying Baal was God. They ended their day by meeting the true and living God. Elijah said to all the people, “ How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow Him .” The people did not answer (1 Kings 18:21). So who is God? The English Word we render as “LORD” is the Hebrew name that God revealed of Himself to Moses, YHWH. This is to distinguish from the very different Hebrew word for “Lord,” or “master.” God is who He has revealed Himself to be, or He is something else altogether. “ For the LORD is the great God, and the great King above all gods . . . the sea is His, for He made it; and His hands formed the dry land .” (Psalm 95:3, 5). Those things people...

The popular movies of the day are “Clash of the Titans” (a remake of the 1981 movie, loosely based on the central mythological story of Persius—“and all the other ‘-us’-es”) and the modernized version, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.” Any summary for these tales contains the central word “overthrow,” as this is the theme of the story, no matter how it is told. In short, the Greek gods are at war. For the most part, the story marks a certain and definite theological shift in the minds and lives of the ancient Greeks. That the stories have any significance or draw today is a bit of a mystery, as these deities no longer have the center of worshipful attention they once had . . . or do they? This is the age of so-called “tolerance,” where every viewpoint is to be received, and none rejected. A small exercise in logic demonstrates the impossibility of this worldview. There is a vast difference between viewpoint (“the way I see it”) and truth (the way something actuall...

Toads don't go to hell. Humans do . Dr. King shares Coaching and Consulting resources (related to his CIU-Seminary and School of Missions course, "Biblical Foundations of Leadership.") Tired of the old John Piper and Rick Warren debacle? Try Skip Heitzig rolling out the red carpet for Leonard Sweet at Calvary Chapel . One parent + one parent + one parent = one baby . I vote "Eugene" as a name. Ash and lightning above the Iceland volcano. Death comes unexpectedly : "You Say Party! We Say Die!" drummer dies onstage.

My goodness, how times have changed. One of our children was lamenting that her iPod only holds a few thousands songs and a certain number of videos. My wife and I looked at each other, remembering how we once conquered the world with a Walkman and a cassette tape “back in the day.” Remember when those who had tattoos were to be avoided, and those who had them would never be caught dead saying the word “church”? Now there exists a Church of Body Modifications. Did you know that in the early 1900’s doctors who studied so-called “diseases of the mind” were called “alienists?” Today we call them “psychologists.” The ancient Romans, who once worshipped a copious number of “gods” had a name for people who did not acknowledge Ceasar as “god.” They were called “atheists” and reserved the term primarily for Christians! A Christian leader by the name of Polycarp lived about 75 - 155 A.D. When he was 86 years old, he was arrested by the Romans and brought to trial because he would not recant his...

" Preaching For Spiritual Change " (HOM 9415) is a Doctor of Ministry course from the Seminary and School of Missions of Columbia International University. This course meets June 14 -18, 2010. Click here for the syllabus . Five highly-regarded and experienced preachers (see below) will help you construct and preach sermons that will have a transformational impact on listeners to the glory of God. You will improve the effectiveness of your preaching in specially-focused areas as you study the importance of living a personal life consistent with those areas. Special attention will be given to: missions, victorious Christian living, apologetics, and special events (e.g., Christmas, Lent, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day). Attention will also be given to audience analysis in sermon preparation and delivery. The five speakers and their focus areas are: Dr. Paul Copan, an author who holds the Pledger Family Chair of Philosophy and Ethics at Palm Beach Atlantic University. His...

“ Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work .” (2 Timothy 2:20-21) Paul in writing to Timothy uses an illustration that deserves closer inspection. In a great house there are vessels, or instruments of service (utensils) of gold, silver, wood and clay. Some for honorable use, and some for dishonorable—but which is which? Perhaps we take it for granted that the gold and silver utensils are for honorable use and the wood and clay are for dishonorable. Paul does not say. Clay is used to make fine China, ash-trays and toilet bowls; that is, clay can be used in an honorable or dishonorable fashion. Wood can be used to cook our meal, or deliver food to our mouths in the form of chop-sticks, or bowls (I bought...

Join President and Mrs. Bill Jones for an indescribable CIU night with alumna Laura Story Elvington -- Sunday, April 25, at 7:30 p.m. Free e-tickets and details: http://www.xpressfaithcolumbia.com/ Music out of heartbreak— After only one year of marriage, three-time Dove Award nominee Laura Story’s husband was stricken with a brain tumor. In the midst of her husband’s surgery, radiation and intense physical therapy, Laura struggled to express her faith through her music. Since then her songs have blessed thousands of lives. Laura will share her music and her story in Xpress Faith Columbia, a musical event being held nightly on Friday-Sunday, April 23-25, 2010 (CIU night is Sunday, April 25), at 7:30 at Spring Valley Baptist Church, 91 Polo Road, Columbia, SC. Accompanying Laura will be the 100-voice Praise & Worship Choir and Orchestra of Spring Valley Baptist Church. Laura's Roots A gifted vocalist and worship leader, Laura Story is the composer of one of the nation’s best-lov...

Thank you for your visits to my page. I welcome your comments! I would enjoy more correspondence with you, especially concerning the following. Please write to me at my e-mail as found in my profile. Thank you. 原则一： 神 爱 你，并 且 为 你 的 生 命 有 一 奇 妙 的 计 划。 神的爱 神 爱 世 人，甚 至 将 他 的 独 生 子 （耶 稣）赐 给 他 们，叫 一 切 信 他 的，不 致 灭 亡，反 得 永 生。（约 翰 福 音 3：16） 神的计划 耶 稣 说：我 来 了 是 要 叫 人 得 生 命，并 且 得 的 更 丰盛。（更有意义的生活）（约翰福音10：10） 为 什 么 大 多 数 的 人 都 没 有 经 验 过 这 种 丰 盛 的 生 命 呢？ 因 为 ...

A witness of the gospel lays his life down because of the gospel—this is inherent by the very word from which we derive our word for “witness” (“martyr”). A martyr is a witness and this requires faithfulness to the very end, whatever that may be. When we witness for Christ, we are taking a stand against all that is not for Christ; contrariwise, a witness for all that is not Christ is setting himself against all that is Christ. There is no middle ground. Flesh and blood is not our enemy. The Lord Jesus Christ spent His flesh and blood to redeem flesh and blood that will repent. Our witness of what Christ accomplished is to flesh and blood, so this is not our enemy. Our adversary is the devil, who is always opposed to Christ and His glory. John’s revelatory vision communicates several vital principles in this regard that we would do well to attend. Revelation 12 describes the vision of a great red dragon with seven heads, seven crowns, and ten horns. This dragon is standing before a woma...

Here's hoping for long delays! Massage parlors, beds, swimming pools . . . why even get on the plane ? Ever wonder about how " youthtastic " your Youth Minister (Student Pastor) is? Dr. Larson provides insight about economic sanctions against Iran . Want to see 5000 years of religion in 90 seconds ? Which is bigger: logic; or, sin ? Oh, and on this day, April 15 (the day we file our taxes): The Titanic sunk, Lincoln was assassinated, San Franciso rocked in an earthquake (1906), not to mention the Fall of Saigon (1975), Chernobyl (1985), the Los Angeles Riots (1992), Oklahoma City bombing, the Columbine shootings, and the introduction of "New Coke" (1985)? I'm starting to see a pattern here . . .

"If you are not praying, then you are quietly confident that time, money and talent are all you need in life. You’ll always be a little too tired, a little too busy. But if, like Jesus, you realize you can’t do life on your own, then no matter how busy, no matter how tired you are, you will find the time to pray. Time in prayer makes you even more dependent on God because you don’t have as much time to get things done. Every minute spent in prayer is one less minute where you can be doing something 'productive.'” Miller, Paul E. A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World .

Pollen, though my body wars with it, is an amazing part of God's creation. help center e-mail options report spam autodidacticus has shared a video with you on YouTube: Jonathan Drori: Every pollen grain has a story http://www.ted.com Pollen goes unnoticed by most of us, except when hay fever strikes. But microscopes reveal it comes in stunning colors and shapes -- and travels remarkably well. Jonathan Drori gives an up-close glimpse of these fascinating flecks of plant courtship. TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Featured speakers have included Al Gore on climate change, Philippe Starck on design, Jill Bolte Taylor on observing her own stroke, Nicholas Negroponte on One Laptop per Child, Jane Goodall on chimpanzees, Bill Gates on malaria and mosquitoes, Pattie Maes on the "Sixth Sense" wearable tech, and "Los...

Dear friend at "Reality About Islam" at http://anti-efsha.blogspot.com/ Thank you for your recent visit to my blog from Tehran, Iran. I welcome you to visit my page any time! Be my guest! Are you a person of peace? Are you a person of The Book? I have been reading the Qur'an and have many questions. " If thou wert in doubt as to what We have revealed unto thee, then ask those who have been reading the Book from before thee ." (Sura 10:94) I am very interested in talking with you more. Please contact me through my e-mail, in my profile, or leave another comment.

What comes to mind when you think of a fort? The traditional picture that comes to the western mind is a large wooden square structure of cut trees with perhaps four “towers,” one in each corner, attended by soldiers in the American west. The younger generation today might recall the movie version of Narnian castles or Peter Jackson’s interpretation of Helm’s Deep, the seven levels of Minas Tirith or Mordor’s Barad Dur from Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings.” Remember Superman’s Fortress of Solitude—it sure has changed over the years! However forts are pictured today, they seem to represent a place of safety but are somehow aloof from everyday life. Fortresses, strongholds, and castles with all their keeps, towers, prisons and stores were synonymous with entire cities in the ancient world. Jericho, Nineveh, even Jerusalem—these were all fortress/cities. The word used to describe them can also be “strongholds.” Strongholds are an interesting concept as at one time they represented a safeg...

Columbia International University's Seminary and School of Missions Campus Visit Day is April 16, 2010! Click on the banner for information!

Sherwood Anderson (1876 – 1941) is another American writer I am just getting to know. The years of his life are fully representative of those who struggled through periods of immense change, and he reflected these struggles through his collections of short stories. Perhaps his most well-known work is “The Egg,” published in a larger work titled, “The Triumph of The Egg: A Book of Impressions from American Life” (1921). The story of “The Egg” gives us a glimpse into his rather unsettled early life. His family moved often and, as others who settled and resettled in still-early America, worked hard to keep food on the table, and then some. Anderson would describe his parents as “ambitious. The American passion for getting up in the world took possession of them.” While his father worked as a farmhand near Bidwell, Ohio, his mother taught school. The fire of their ambition stoked by reading of James Garfield (an Ohio native), and Abraham Lincoln, both born in log cabins who became great me...

I received this question from a reader in Nigeria. This is how God Himself answers the question: "To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him? An idol! A craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains. He who is too impoverished for an offering chooses wood that will not rot; he seeks out a skillful craftsman to set up an idol that will not move. Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness. Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when He blows on them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble. To who...

Any Rudyard Kipling fans out there? I need to call for a discussion group for interpreting his 1904 short story, "They." Anybody want to share their thoughts or interpretations?

Justin Martyr (100 - 165 A.D.), an early apologist for the Christian faith, wrote in Discourse to the Greeks , "These have conquered me – the divinity of the instruction, and the power of the Word: for as a skilled serpent-charmer lures the terrible reptile from his den and causes it to flee, so the Word drives the fearful passions of our sensual nature from the very recesses of the soul; first driving forth lust, through which every ill is begotten – hatreds, strife, envy, emulations, anger, and such like. Lust being once banished, the soul becomes calm and serene. And being set free it returns to Him who made it. For it is fit that it be restored to that state whence it departed, whence every soul was or is." The theology of war (James 4:1-4) helps us understand that lust is the driving force behind the nations casting off the rule of God. This is not a lust limited to sexual immorality and can include lust for power, wealth, and kingdoms (to name a few). Lust is a complete...