Gospel Living

Bill finally killed: And to think: all someone needed to do was jump on its head.  For shame. (HT: Senior Gif )

Parenting Fail : Pffft, I've got more hang time outta mine. 

Unless you've been living in a cave, you know that the passage of SB 1070 into law in the state of Arizona has caused an already heated issue to explode all over every facet of life.  One may fail to enjoy a sports game without thinking about it.  One can hardly flip on a light switch without lingering concerns. There are serious concerns pointed out by both advocates and opponents to the new law.  While it is important to hear everyone out on this issue, the concerns for the Christian go deeper than a discussion of the constitutional  legality of the issue. Over the course of a few posts, I want to explore some of the issues Christians should consider should they enter into this discussion with their co-workers, friends, or family.  Some Christians are even waling with protesters -- those protesting against the bill as well as those protesting the protesters. Our overall concern is how to honor God while we love others is paramount, so it is vita...

Over the past several weeks I've posted reviews of books that cover counseling issues.  If you are interested in watching a biblical, non-integrationist presentation to help you deal with issues related to marriage and the family, and you want a great deal , then I recommend  this download from The Master's Seminary.  You can play it on your iPhone, or in Windows through free cross-platforms like Quicktime , iTunes , or VLC Media Player . It's the full class, 14 lectures, complete with the syllabus and outline. And it's only $24.95. As a comparison, they have both Pastoral and Advanced Counseling bundled together on DVD for $499.00 (which I would also recommend, if you have the money).

The clicks to this blog have passed the 6,000 mark, and it's been a while . So, here is a new Wordle cloud to see where the blog stands as far as content: This is the entire text of the blog. It took me a while to clear all of the HTML, but there it is! I'm always surprised to see the many words and things I have come to repeat on this blog, however I'm glad to see that my English must be clear and strong about the topics of first importance. (How was that? Heh? Heh?) I'm glad to see that the emphasis is basically the same from when the blog started. FYI: there are still a few things bugging me about the feed settings. While working on that, I've come to the decision that the time has come for a complete overhaul. This includes adding a few pages and cleaning up the sidebars. I'm going to work on that in a couple of weeks after my first round of summer classes ends. If there are specific things you do/don't like about Pisteuo's setup,...

Do you like seafood? See: Cow! (HT: SeniorGif )

Again, there are some questionable evangelism tactics Christians use.  It's funny that it takes Jon Stewart to point it out. The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c God Smacked www.thedailyshow.com Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party At first I thought this was a spoof.  But I knew of the Power Team  from my younger, more "zealous" evangelistic days, and sure enough, here is a link to the Xtreme Ministries Vision and Values page . I remember taking my karate uniform to church one day for the children's ministry and breaking a couple of boards during a demonstration.  All in an effort to boost attendance on our church bus. Hey, I was like 16 or 17 and had only been a Christian for two or three years, okay?  Leave me alone.  :)

This text is quite unique from the others, and a beneficial read without a doubt. Being written by a physician, it provides educated information on many of the issues facing counselors—from sleep deprivation to psychotropic drugs to mental disorders. Yet, it is a surprisingly easy read, with an excellent layout making information easy to find. Further, it is written from a scriptural perspective, making the gems this book unearths all the more valuable. I found his treatment of drugs and placebo effects enlightening. He examines the questionable nature of many drugs marketed through popular media, giving good questions to ask when considering such a drug (this has applications outside of counseling, of course, making the material useful in other areas of life). He also gives a helpful evaluation of the placebo effect, which helps the reader understand why some drugs may seem to achieve the goals of counseling without all the homework, and how that appearance can be false. He a...

Sorry.  Carry on.

I've updated a few of the feed features that have been annoying me, and I'm just trying out the changes. Please disregard.  Carry on with your day.  Thanks.

Presto!  You now have a cool church that will make everyone love you. "Sunday's Coming" Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo . What do you mean, "Where's the Gospel?"  They mentioned an impoverished nation, right? (HT: Dan Phillips ) All you need to do next is hire the ultimate youth pastor ...

Fast Food Evangelism:

I shared this poster this morning in our evangelism class as an example of... well... (HT: Centurion Papers .)

A little song for all the moms out there... we'd be lost without you.

A twist on the traditional presentation:

Little did they know, the cupcakes were the triggers to surface his repressed memories of horrors past. HT SeniorGif

An interesting aspect of the human condition is to believe that we are better off than we are. Perhaps this is why so many people discover, all at once it seems, that they are drowning in debt. Everything was fine, so they thought. This applies to God. Many assume they have a connection to Him, that He knows that they are basically good people, that He will forgive any wrong that they have done in their lives. He is, after all, all-loving and all-merciful. The question we never ask ourselves is whether we are deceived at the moment, if what we believe about ourselves is somehow clouded. I have two videos for your approval. Only Scripture, God's Word, can give us a true glimpse into our condition. It cuts through the fog to reveal the mess we're in, and gives us the good news of the way out. That applies to Christians, too, who might have forgotten this basic truth. Believers can become distracted, as well, and need to return to their first love. Russ White explains it ...

I've talked about the pragmatics of tipping in the past , but I continue to be surprised by Christians who refuse to tip the pizza guy. You know what I mean. I pull up and get out of the car. I have to walk around various Christian-themed garden accouterments to get to the door. I try not to knock to hard so as to not knock off the ceramic cross hanging below the peephole. I smile when the door is opened - here is a brother or sister in Christ, I think - and I say, "Good afternoon! You're order was $19.71." I'm handed a twenty and told to "keep the change." Really? Did that person expect me to pull out some kind of coin dispenser if I had not received those words? Did that person think that 29 cents covered the 12 miles round-trip of gas and general wear-and-tear on my vehicle, and moreover, make me feel (as I could be an unbeliever) warmly about the faith they proudly display on their lawn? Makes me wonder if my breath smells. I'm not as off...

The Desiring God blog talks about that feeling many try to conjure within themselves through their personal devotions, and how the whole exercise leads to disappointment . It's not magic, you know.

One of the things we are often exhorted to do in churches is to "s tep out of our comfort zone ."  The leader is desiring to induce Christian growth by asking people to do something new, something unfamiliar-yet-worthwhile. David Hegg, pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Santa Clarita, offers us a more excellent perspective .