Category — What’s new?

At times in my life I’ve been very career oriented— seeking out new challenges and keeping my resume up-to-date in the event that the right opportunity would present itself. I know I’m not alone in this incessant press to better our careers and circumstances. For a great number of us, this describes the American way.

Yet, as I read through Genesis again I’m utterly amazed at God’s career plan for Joseph. Through Joseph’s dreams it appears that God had given him an inkling of what the future might hold for him. His brothers and even his father interpreted this as arrogance. In fact, his brothers were so incensed by Joseph’s dreams and preferential treatment by his dad that they hated him (Genesis 37:4).

So at about the young age of 17, Joseph’s brothers plotted to kill him, then thought better of it and sold him as a slave to Midianite merchants who in turn sold him to one of Pharaoh’s officials in Egypt. Meanwhile, Joseph’s brothers cunningly convinced their father that Joseph was dead, having been torn apart by some wild beast. [Read more →]

“But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.” 2 Corinthians 8:7 Wow! We’re to excel at giving!

 To excel means to be good at, master, be proficient, skillful, talented, be the best, improve upon, outdo, outshine, outstrip, shine, surpass, transcend—at this grace of giving! When it comes to giving, we’re to be the best we can be!

To excel at giving means we’ve got to engage in it intentionally. Skillful giving doesn’t just happen. We need to deliberately set out to master this grace of giving! To excel at giving is not an after-thought or the “seventh level” of following Jesus. To excel at giving is right there with excelling in faith, love, and following Jesus. [Read more →]

Rob’s Review: The End of Reason by Ravi Zacharias

Do not read Zacharias’ book unless you’re a thinker! In The End of Reason Ravi Zacharias masterfully challenges what he calls the New Atheism. This brand of atheism prefers malicious mockery and caustic, prejudiced ranting over logical thinking. Zacharias argues head to head with Sam Harris referring to Harris’ recently published book, Letter to a Christian Nation, and neatly dismantles the house of straw that Harris so audaciously erected.

Although this New Atheism touts tolerance as its chief virtue, Zacharias comments, “I have always found it fascinating how relativists who say they love the idea of tolerance ultimately reveal themselves to be among the most bigoted.” (Zacharias, p. 14) [Read more →]

A few days ago I experienced something rather disconcerting and embarrassing! I love to hike and spend time outdoors—the more remote the better. In the past I’ve prided myself in my ability to navigate using my internal compass and I rarely get lost.

I’ve been hiking lately on two ends of a large wilderness area and wanted to find a route to connect both ends in order to make this a loop hike. The first time I tried to connect the two trails I found myself in dense fog with no landmarks visible. After spending 45 minutes searching for a connecting trail, I had to abandon my attempt and go back the way I had come. [Read more →]

Five Tips to Get the Most from Reading the Bible

1. Always read God’s Word expecting to meet with him. Approach God’s Word relationally. Listen for his voice. What is he saying to you personally? What do you see from his Word that reveals God’s character and ways? Where do you need to align your life with his character and ways?

2. Set aside a regular time to read God’s Word. I don’t know about you, but I need the discipline of a schedule. It helps knowing that I always spend this time listening to and conversing with God. Self-discipline is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. We do not cultivate self-discipline by always being spontaneous or only reading and conversing with him when we feel like it. [Read more →]

Recently we challenged the men of our church to a New Testament read-thru using the schedule below. The point of the challenge is to get to know God better by spending time with him in his Word. And as we draw near to him and get to know him better, we cannot remain unchanged!

Already, men are reporting how God is meeting with them and changing them as they spend time with him in his Word!

Let me challenge you too, to draw near to God and deepen your relationship with him as you simply read his Word. If you’re not a reader or simply prefer another alternative to reading, check out the free tools for listening to the New Testament on your iPhone, Blackberry or MP3 player: www.sccprimed.org. [Read more →]

The letter entitled Hebrews in the New Testament offers numerous compelling reasons why we should (must) trust in Jesus Christ! Let’s investigate some of these reasons.

Before Jesus came, God had revealed his character and plan through the prophets. These men of God are renowned for their integrity and their exploits. Men like Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Daniel come to mind. These are men we look up to, honor and emulate. They courageously and faithfully represented God before others. We still learn from them. But they were mere men. [Read more →]

A few years ago a friend of mine and I were hiking in the woods near Anchorage, Alaska. It was fall and therefore mating season for moose. At one point on our hike we heard a crashing through the brush and out trotted a large cow moose with a bull hot in pursuit. The cow was irritated by the bull already and seeing us on the trail only worsened her mood. So Ed and I veered off onto another trail to avoid this testy cow.

About 20 minutes later, Ed I were just cresting the top of a hill when here came that same cow up the other side of the hill toward us. In angry moose fashion, she laid her ears back, dropped her head, the hair on the back of her neck bristled and she began stomping the ground. Ed and knew she was not happy about sharing the trail with us and we were about to be chased! [Read more →]

“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” (Proverbs 4:23 NLT)

We have adopted a culture in which we all find ourselves victims. We are told that we are victims of our upbringing, victims of our environment and even victims of our own emotions. We hear a husband lament, “I can’t help it if I don’t love her anymore.” Or after a serious burst of anger the angry individual excuses his behavior with, “It’s just the way I am!” Perhaps a wife threatens, “I could never forgive him for what he did.” And a child is heard to say, “I didn’t feel like studying.” Or, “I don’t feel like sharing.”

Don’t believe this victim mentality for a moment! Know this, a victim never wins! Never! [Read more →]

Whether you are familiar with A.W. Tozer or not I think you will enjoy the following. Tozer wrote the book The Knowledge of the Holy. Below is the first chapter of that book entitled, Why we must think rightly about God. This is my first attempt at bringing his early 20th century writing into 21st century language. His original work can be fairly tedious to read for most today. Please let me know what you think by your comments. Should I continue the project and complete the updating/editing of Tozer’s book?

The Knowledge of the Holy by A. W. Tozer

Chapter 1: Why We Must Think Rightly About God

Lord God Almighty! I call upon you not as a god of our own making. You are the One revealed and proclaimed by the prophets and apostles, and best of all, by your own Son Jesus Christ!

Those who don’t know you call on you as someone other than who you really are. They do not worship you but a creature of their own imagination. Therefore reveal yourself to us that we may know you as you truly are so that we will love you and praise you fittingly.

In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [Read more →]