You are correct. If you feel that I have been taking the "easy" way out of blogging the last few...many months. You are indeed, correct. I would like to tell you that I'm trying to share my fame and fortune with the "lesser" knowns of the world. But the fact is, that's just not true. I do want to share with you some very good insights from people whom I admire and respect.
Today's post is no different. This guys is funny as any comedian you will ever see on Comedy Central. He has the face for radio and a voice of a long winded preacher. He the one and only Tyler Killough. If you are in the Twitter-sphere and like horribly dry jokes follow him here walkingbayou. If you want some interesting insights into life from a completely different perspective, read this.
The fun is seeing if you can catch all his puns. Mrs. Ella Jean Keeney would be proud!
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Friday, February 22, 2013
Matt Crain - Polyamory as a Choice?
Matt Crain is a good friend of mine. He is a father, a mentor, a husband and someone with wisdom and knowledge that I one day hope to have. He wrote a blog that I wanted to share with you. He has some good insights and then you need to have him come and talk to your church, civic organization, teacher groups. You can contact him here.
In a day where society norms are changing and the way things have "always been" are anything but, how do we deal with relationships that challenge the "norm" and how do they affect our relationships with others. To stick our head in the proverbial sand and say that it does not have an effect on my kids/grandkids is stupid...Just. Plain. Stupid. (I wonder if I used affect/effect correctly...oh well, English is my second language. hillbilly is my first.)
This is his this article.
In a day where society norms are changing and the way things have "always been" are anything but, how do we deal with relationships that challenge the "norm" and how do they affect our relationships with others. To stick our head in the proverbial sand and say that it does not have an effect on my kids/grandkids is stupid...Just. Plain. Stupid. (I wonder if I used affect/effect correctly...oh well, English is my second language. hillbilly is my first.)
This is his this article.
Monday, February 4, 2013
Double Jeopardy
Hi, this is your host Alex Tre...no, sadly not, however, Alex may feel at home with this topic as well as Ashley Judd or Tommy Lee Jones. Double Jeopardy is a concept that a person can't be charged for the same crime twice...or just think of the 1999 movie, and you get the point. In that movie, Ashley Judd is found guilty of killing her husband only to find out that he is still alive and safe from being prosecuted a second time of killing her husband.
I grew up believing that unless all of your sins were up to date and accounted for, you would die and God wouldn't allow you to see heaven because you had unforgiven sin and thus couldn't be admitted. While that scared me and made me drive safe and watch my language, that's not the case. God's grace and love is very much more far reaching than my concept.
Let me ask this question: For which sin did Jesus NOT die? None. He died for ALL sin. His blood covered the sinful act of Judas (Will Judas be in heaven? I'm not discussing that right now) and the white lie that I tell my wife when I say that I cleaned up the house (hey, pushing stuff under the furniture counts...right?). His forgiveness, blood, and sacrifice was for ALL sin, if not, then he was not our perfect sacrifice and we will never know if our sins were TRULY forgiven. This, however, is not the case.
In 1 John the Bible says that as long as we walk in the light as he is in the light we are continually cleansed from our sin. So if we are walking in the light and our life proves that by pointing to him, then we are safe...free...never to be held accountable for the sin that we have committed today because Jesus died for those sins too. No longer do you have to be nervous, hoping that do everything right, and try to walk some spiritual minefield making sure that you don't make a mistake so that God can blow you out of the sky. You. Are. Free.
Free to move and act and point to God. Using your gifts to point others to him. Free to worship and live a life that points others to him. Free from judgement because God knows your heart. Free. Not free to live life as you want to live, but free from living in fear of getting "something" wrong.
I hear you saying, "Wait doesn't the bible talk about your sin and acknowledging it." Yes. but as I understand those passages, it refers to us acknowledging that we have sin, that we are guilty. Sometimes we can get too big for our britches and forget that we have sin, or that we DID something to make God have to forgive us. Confessing our sin to each other reminds us and others that, we are human, we WILL make mistakes and the the love and grace of God covers us and we didn't do this by our own accord.
So today, live free. Allow the Holy Spirit to move through you, leading you where he will and act on what you see. You have been saved from sin to live for Jesus...then LIVE for him.
I grew up believing that unless all of your sins were up to date and accounted for, you would die and God wouldn't allow you to see heaven because you had unforgiven sin and thus couldn't be admitted. While that scared me and made me drive safe and watch my language, that's not the case. God's grace and love is very much more far reaching than my concept.
Let me ask this question: For which sin did Jesus NOT die? None. He died for ALL sin. His blood covered the sinful act of Judas (Will Judas be in heaven? I'm not discussing that right now) and the white lie that I tell my wife when I say that I cleaned up the house (hey, pushing stuff under the furniture counts...right?). His forgiveness, blood, and sacrifice was for ALL sin, if not, then he was not our perfect sacrifice and we will never know if our sins were TRULY forgiven. This, however, is not the case.
In 1 John the Bible says that as long as we walk in the light as he is in the light we are continually cleansed from our sin. So if we are walking in the light and our life proves that by pointing to him, then we are safe...free...never to be held accountable for the sin that we have committed today because Jesus died for those sins too. No longer do you have to be nervous, hoping that do everything right, and try to walk some spiritual minefield making sure that you don't make a mistake so that God can blow you out of the sky. You. Are. Free.
Free to move and act and point to God. Using your gifts to point others to him. Free to worship and live a life that points others to him. Free from judgement because God knows your heart. Free. Not free to live life as you want to live, but free from living in fear of getting "something" wrong.
I hear you saying, "Wait doesn't the bible talk about your sin and acknowledging it." Yes. but as I understand those passages, it refers to us acknowledging that we have sin, that we are guilty. Sometimes we can get too big for our britches and forget that we have sin, or that we DID something to make God have to forgive us. Confessing our sin to each other reminds us and others that, we are human, we WILL make mistakes and the the love and grace of God covers us and we didn't do this by our own accord.
So today, live free. Allow the Holy Spirit to move through you, leading you where he will and act on what you see. You have been saved from sin to live for Jesus...then LIVE for him.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
The Season of Advent
If you read the title and thought..."Uh, he's a bit off." You might be correct, however I do have a point and no, it's not 2 months late. I would like to think that I'm 10 months early. I am a HUGE Christmas fan. I love watching my kids open and be excited about new things. I love watching family members receive gifts that might not have any monetary value but are priceless in their eyes. While I do enjoy receiving gifts, this year I wanted one thing. Snow. And on Christmas, I got my gift. All in all it was a good Christmas.
Christmas is about the birth of a baby. A baby that will change the world and a ultimately save us from the evil that is around us. But babies don't just "happen" there is a quite a bit of waiting, planning, longing, wondering, and hoping. We jump into Mary's story and rush through her pregnancy. She receives word that she will be with child, goes to see Elizabeth, comes home and BOOM. Merry Christmas. While that might fit in the storyline of the Gospels (Jesus' birth isn't the main point of the story) it doesn't fit with my understanding of pregnancy.
The "Season of Advent" points us toward Bethlehem but there is waiting and anticipation for what is to come. Would it mean something different to us if we waited longer? What if we walked through the pregnancy with Mary. Ladies, you will be able to do this much easier than myself, but I remember my wife's pregnancy with our two children. It was fun to sit and dream what the child might become but there were MANY uncomfortable nights, foot rubs, tears, clothing issues...the list is long. This is a part of pregnancy too. Have we forgotten that Mary's feet swelled, that she wanted Pepsi when she has been a life long Coke girl, that she had cravings for pickles and watermelon at 3am? I believe that Mary was excited and no doubt scared to have this child but the wait, I can imagine, seemed never to end.
In the weeks to come I'm going to wait with Mary. Anticipating the arrival of a child that God promised but suffering through the pregnancy knowing that it will be worth it. While the birth of Jesus has already happened I am awaiting a second Advent. The time when the risen Savior will come back and all will be made new. Will you wait and eagerly hope with me?
Christmas is about the birth of a baby. A baby that will change the world and a ultimately save us from the evil that is around us. But babies don't just "happen" there is a quite a bit of waiting, planning, longing, wondering, and hoping. We jump into Mary's story and rush through her pregnancy. She receives word that she will be with child, goes to see Elizabeth, comes home and BOOM. Merry Christmas. While that might fit in the storyline of the Gospels (Jesus' birth isn't the main point of the story) it doesn't fit with my understanding of pregnancy.
The "Season of Advent" points us toward Bethlehem but there is waiting and anticipation for what is to come. Would it mean something different to us if we waited longer? What if we walked through the pregnancy with Mary. Ladies, you will be able to do this much easier than myself, but I remember my wife's pregnancy with our two children. It was fun to sit and dream what the child might become but there were MANY uncomfortable nights, foot rubs, tears, clothing issues...the list is long. This is a part of pregnancy too. Have we forgotten that Mary's feet swelled, that she wanted Pepsi when she has been a life long Coke girl, that she had cravings for pickles and watermelon at 3am? I believe that Mary was excited and no doubt scared to have this child but the wait, I can imagine, seemed never to end.
In the weeks to come I'm going to wait with Mary. Anticipating the arrival of a child that God promised but suffering through the pregnancy knowing that it will be worth it. While the birth of Jesus has already happened I am awaiting a second Advent. The time when the risen Savior will come back and all will be made new. Will you wait and eagerly hope with me?
Monday, January 7, 2013
Longing for Heaven
It's been a while and while I hope to post more frequently this year, I will not promise anything. I have been reading a lot lately and I came across this post from John Mark Hicks. I thought it was interesting. Enjoy.
http://johnmarkhicks.com/2012/01/27/heaven-on-earth-a-stone-campbell-tradition/
http://johnmarkhicks.com/2012/01/27/heaven-on-earth-a-stone-campbell-tradition/
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