Well, it’s been a long time since I’ve last posted. I suspect there may only be one reader - me. Nonetheless, politics, religion, and popular culture topics have fallen off the map for me since I’ve been so busy. However, I felt I needed to post about the annual blogger conference for Christians - GodblogCon.

Although many of us may not be able to attend, I’m sure this information can latch us on to some of the popular bloggers in the Christian community. GodblogCon’s mission is “Calling and equipping all Christians to
engage culture through the new media.” I think we need to be mindful that we can be a light in the darkness.

Tags: [GodblogCon, RWRW, blogging, Christian, new media]

Once when he was giving a concert, I heard Michael Card say that he was reading his daughter’s Bible, which he explained that he bought each of his kids a Bible and read it before giving it to them. And as he read it, he made notes in the margins, speaking directly to whichever child’s Bible he was reading… so that years later as they read it, their father would be speaking to them in the margins concerning the text and its application for their lives.

I find that my quiet time is inconsistent at best, and usually the excuse comes down to how busy my life is. When life gets busy, God gets cut out. However, the added incentive of having something to pass to my children is certainly food for thought!

Tags: [quiet time, devotions, Bible, parenting, Christianity, Michael Card, RWRW]

Tags: [TIVO, Apple, marketing, advertising, RWRW]

Tags: [Bono, u2, Data.org, AIDS, poverty, NAACP, RWRW]

Exodus 4:10-16 (NLT)

“10 But Moses pleaded with the Lord, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.”
11 Then the Lord asked Moses, “Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.”
13 But Moses again pleaded, “Lord, please! Send anyone else.”
14 Then the Lord became angry with Moses. “All right,” he said. “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he speaks well. And look! He is on his way to meet you now. He will be delighted to see you. 15 Talk to him, and put the words in his mouth. I will be with both of you as you speak, and I will instruct you both in what to do. 16 Aaron will be your spokesman to the people. He will be your mouthpiece, and you will stand in the place of God for him, telling him what to say.”

Reflection

As I was reading the first 4 chapters of Exodus this morning, I was focused mostly on how Moses kept making excuses about his own inabilities. He was concerned he wouldn’t be taken seriously unless he was armed with the miracles that God provided him with. Then he makes excuses yet again and tells God that he cannot speak well, so he is concerned he would be unable to lead and persuasively speak. Although God is angry, he doesn’t let Moses wriggle free of this chance for leadership - he tells Moses to use his brother Aaron as his mouthpiece.

What strikes me about this is that God had plans for Moses and didn’t let Moses low self esteem get the better of him. He knew what Moses was capable of - but he had to convince Moses that he could do anything only because He (God) was on his side and would give him both the power and authority. How often do I shake off potential responsibility, leadership, or the use of my gifts because I poo-poo my abilities and fear failure? I have to remember that God is telling me I can do it, not because of my own ability or disability, but because God has enabled me.

Another thing that struck me is that God indicates that He knows what people’s weaknesses and disabilities are. He created us the way we are for a purpose. Even what we consider a weakness can be used to further His Kingdom and to grow us to be more like Christ.

Prayer

God, thank you for creating me - flaws and all. I know I tend to see the bad and not the good, but as the Jars of Clay lyric goes, “Change this something normal into something beautiful.” Thanks for letting me know that my weakness can be used for your strength. Amen.

Tags: [Bible, Scripture, quiet time, devotions, RWRW, Exodus, Old Testament, Moses, wisdom, Christianity]

1 Samuel 3:9 (NLT)

Reflection

Today’s My Utmost for His Highest has a different focus, but what I really latched on to is the idea that we should ask God to speak to us and we should find time to listen. A portion of Oswald Chamber’s passage really struck me:

“Without the sovereign hand of God Himself, nothing touches our lives. Do we discern His hand at work, or do we see things as mere occurrences?

Get into the habit of saying, “Speak, Lord,” and life will become a romance (1 Samuel 3:9). Every time circumstances press in on you, say, “Speak, Lord,” and make time to listen.”

How often do I miss how God has intervened, instead chalking up good fortune to circumstance? How often do I press forward, taking my own advice rather than listening for God’s counsel?

Prayer

God, I want to make you first in my life. I want to listen more. Please speak to me so I can hear you. Amen.

Tags: [Bible, Scripture, quiet time, devotions, RWRW, listen, Samuel, Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, Christianity]

Passage

Mark 12:28-34 (NLT)

Reflection

Today’s church message was on Mark 12:28-34 where a scribe asked Jesus, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” Jesus response was to quote Deuteronomy 6:4-5,

“4 Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.
5 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.”

Jesus followed by stating in Mark 12:31,

“The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

What does is mean to love God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength? Interesting that the Deateronomy passage does not include “mind” yet Jesus includes it in the Mark passage. I’m particularly intrigued by how Christ appears to start with the most important - the heart - and then concludes with our strength. Our love for Him must first start with our heart. One of the people at the service today prayed, asking that God would “circumsize our hearts.” This really resonated with me - the idea being to seek for God to soften our hearts.

Prayer

God, please circumsize my heart. Please soften it. Give me the desire to love you with all of me. Give me the desire to always keep you first in my life. Amen.

Tags: [love, love your neighbor, New Testament, Bible, RWRW]

An interesting idea is starting to percolate over at WIRED. What happens to a person’s soul if their physical body is cloned? Frankly, my quick take is that although physical characteristics are identical (much like that in identical twins), souls are obviously separate.

Your take?

Tags: [bioethics, cloning, soul, WIRED, RWRW]

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25 [NLT])

Reflection

The thought from today’s passage comes from Oswald Chamber’s “My Utmost for His Highest” reflections. I’m not sure if this is right or not, but I take the commandment, “You must not have any other god but me” to mean that God must be number one - nothing should get more focus or priority. We shouldn’t care for our life because if we really trust God and give control to Him, then he will take care of our needs. Note that in the passage in Matthew, the focus is on God providing for things such as food and clothing. If we worry about such things and take control back - trusting that we can better provide for ourselves - then we are foolish. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t think about such things, but we must realize that God will provide for us and our focus should be on Him alone.

Prayer

God, I want my focus to be on you. I want to constantly have you in control of my life. I do worry about how to get by - how to take care of myself and my family. However, I give that over to you. Please give me wisdom and discernment. Give me the desire to seek you and keep you number one. Amen.

Tags: [Bible, Scripture, quiet time, devotions, RWRW, control, New Testament, Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, Christianity]

Job 26-29 (NLT)

Reflection

When Job talks about the importance of wisdom and understanding, it reminds me of the passage where Solomon asks for wisdom over material possessions:

“9 Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?”
10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom.
11 So God replied, “Because you have asked for wisdom in governing my people with justice and have not asked for a long life or wealth or the death of your enemies—
12 I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have!
13 And I will also give you what you did not ask for—riches and fame! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life!” (1 Kings 3:9-13 [NLT])

I know God does not promise life to be easy. In fact, like with Job, sometimes he allows things to happen in order to test us, to make our character stronger. The trite message I’ve heard before is that the “wicked” can have their treasure on earth, while ours will be in heaven. Sometimes, however, it’s hard to hold onto that truth when seeing the fortune of others.

Prayer

God, help me to keep my eyes on you, even when life does not seem fair. I know it’s not supposed to be fair. I pray you first forgive my sins. Please give me wisdom and understanding. Please too bless me and my family. Amen.

Tags: [Bible, Scripture, quiet time, devotions, RWRW, suffering, Old Testament, Solomon, wisdom, Christianity]