C-SPAN Video Player – Speech on Health Care Reform
Great Explanation of costs and cadillac tax and how the Health Care Bill will be funded. Jonathan Gruber is easy to listen to. His explanation of why costs are high due to over testing and over selling of health services is compelling.

What will happen if we do not reform health care. [Link]

(Gutted vehicle from the attack)

(CDN): A mob of enraged Muslims attacked a Coptic Christian community in a coastal town in northern Egypt last weekend, wreaking havoc for hours and injuring 24 Copts before security forces contained them.

The violence erupted last Friday (March 12) afternoon when the local sheikh at the neighborhood mosque incited Muslims over a loudspeaker, proclaiming jihad against Christians. Then the angry Muslim mob attacked the local Coptic Christian church hurling rocks and attacking Christians trying to force them to convert. A number of Christian businesses and homes were looted and burned along with several vehicles.

It was following the afternoon mosque prayers when Sheikh Khamis rallied the mob of over 300 Muslims. The attack was apparently in response …

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I always wondered why republicans never use Israel as an example of evil government funded health care. Israel has had socialized medicine since 1948.
Hmm, maybe it is because health care in Israel works. [Link]

Who’s in play: House health-care whip count washingtonpost.com

This is really cool with stats and graphics on the $$ of campaign financing from the insurance industry and % of constituents that are uninsured. Neither seem to actually correlate much but interesting anyway. [Link]

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• OK – spaghetti sauce is simmering in the crockpot. Got to start on my closet now. Half the stuff got wet when the hot water heater pipe blew #
• @ SimpleChurch @thomrainer we need to realize: "programs" are NOT (necessarily) "ministry". in reply to ThomRainer #
• think I'll make a french press… I'm bottoming out this afternoon!! #
• Anyone know of a brand of hair dye that is gluten free? # glutenfree #
• why am I so sleepy? why won't the kids eat their dinner? why do birds fly? #
• I get the BIGGEST kick out of ppl who compare John Crowder to a "ravenous wolf" … really? have you met the guy? listened to him preach? #
• “why not?" is not the response i expected …

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In this recent post I talked about how the Lord's prayer, as it is called, provides a format for intercession that keeps us from being self-absorbed in our prayers. Now I want to say something more.

When I pray, I try to pray in this format, starting out by focusing on the kingdom of God, thinking about the kingdom and longing for it to come at last in fullness and glory; and then, with some sense of kingdom-wonder lingering in my thoughts, I move on to the second half of the Jesus format: personal provision, forgiveness, protection from temptation and the evil one. Sometimes I focus more on one of these than the others, but I try always to start with the kingdom.

When we pray "may … [Link]

I just received a phone call from my mother in-law, who lives in Paducah, KY and who also never uses the Internet, so she has not been aware of the troll story.
She began to tell me "a true story" that someone down there had told in someone else down there. This woman, who has a child with down's syndrome told the exact same story, and that her son had caught him a troll and put him into the closet and she had come home from work and found him there, only this time it was a Jehovah's Witness. This story has run rampant, literally around the world this week. On my blog I have the ability to see how many readers I have, how they … [Link]

I had my Gmail account hacked a while back. I was getting some strang email and went into my Gmail setup and found that someone had put some very offensive material in my signature box.

I immediately deleted it and changed my passwords etc. I also check it often now to see what is up.This is just a heads up. I am not sure what they can do with your account info but it does concern me based on some of the email I got after that. [Link]

There was a time when the definition of an “evangelical” was someone who liked John Stott and Billy Graham. Today, perhaps one could suggest that Don Carson has a similarly defining role, alongside people like John Piper. Certainly Carson’s books are well known and sell widely. He is recognized as a gifted expositor of God’s word and a sought-after conference speaker.

Scandalous is a short book closely based on a series of sermons Carson preached at Mars Hill Church in Seattle. It reads very much like a series of sermons. He chose five passages and exposited them verse by verse. The passages might initially seem like a surprising combination. But the theme underlying each of them is the vital place of the death and resurrection …

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I confess I’m an “old-timer” when it comes to writing. The writing I enjoy most is putting words on paper with a pen or even a pencil. If I were forced to rank newer writing “media” for preference, my next favorite writing would be with a computer and printer. Then I enjoy posting articles online [...]

Post from: Writing Tips at GarySpeer.com Do you collect things? Great deals on collectibles of all sorts found on eBay. We make it easy at “Fun for Collectors"! (This content is copyright protected and if you aren't seeing this post at garyspeer.com, then it has been used without permission.) Writing for new media — be flexible, try new things

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Do you believe everything you read on the Internet? No? Then you also should be very careful about what you write on the Internet. I mention this because some of the long-time “money maker” blogs and websites are those devoted to 1) health advice, 2) diet advice, and, 3) financial/credit repair advice. All three of those [...]

Post from: Writing Tips at GarySpeer.com Do you collect things? Great deals on collectibles of all sorts found on eBay. We make it easy at “Fun for Collectors"! (This content is copyright protected and if you aren't seeing this post at garyspeer.com, then it has been used without permission.) Specialized writing online: Do careful research and be wary

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There are short books, and there are really short books. From the Resurrection to His Return is a really really short book!  This book is, however, a very engaging, but brief, exposition of some very important verses about how we should live in what the Bible calls “the last days,” i.e. the time before Jesus’ return.  Jesus is coming and we must be Bible-focused people who pass on the unadulterated message of God to those who come after us. This book is definitely worth the very short time it will take you to read.  The really great news is that right now you can order it for less than 2 British pounds from 10ofthose.com, but hurry, as the offer only lasts for another day.  …

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Call this advice for new online writers or simply basic review of the obvious: Internet writers only get read if they find ways to draw visitors to their websites. You might have the most brilliant article directory or blog or marketing website on the Internet. But no one will enjoy your brilliance, your clever writing, [...]

Post from: Writing Tips at GarySpeer.com Do you collect things? Great deals on collectibles of all sorts found on eBay. We make it easy at “Fun for Collectors"! (This content is copyright protected and if you aren't seeing this post at garyspeer.com, then it has been used without permission.) Internet writers only get read if they draw site visitors

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Health Care – Access, Access, Access – NYTimes.com

Nicholas D. Kristof wrote a great article yesterday on Health Care. What is striking to me is how a Christian heart of compassion ought to have a passion for increased access to health care. The link between increased access to health care and decreases in infant mortality and mortality in childbirth and pregnancy mandate Christian support for increased access to health care. This is a no-brainer.

So the question is. Why are conservative christians against health care reform? I think this is another case of ideology getting in the way of practical solutions to real life problems of human suffering.

Kristof does make one misleading statement about low abortion rates in Germany. The abortion rate in Germany is even lower … [Link]

I was recently given a copy of a brand new book by Scott Wilson to read and review–and I'm so thankful I was!

I used to think that leading change was a leadership skill that only applied to pastors of established churches. Having a baby changed my perspective. As soon as Gabby was born she began to change. 

Church planters need to develop skills to navigate transition and change as much as anyone, for two simple reasons. First, as soon as a new church is born, it begins to change. You want it to change in the right direction. Second, no church plant is perfect. They all have strengths and weaknesses, and leading change is the important process of continually improving your organization.

The truth …

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Recently had the joy of preaching on Ephesians 3:14-21 for Exeter ECU.
Download mp3: Getting caught up in the love of God – Ephesians 3:14-21 (35mins)

FIRST V17a – A PRAYER FOR GOSPEL LIFE
“so that Christ would dwell in their hearts through faith” – something inner of relationship with Christ. This they already have fully yet he longs for them to have the same. The goal of strengthening is the indwelling of Christ in our hearts. Christ in us – from the Father’s glory by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.


This is the realisation of union with Christ. Paul has painted with his words how in Christ having died was raised and seated in the heavenly realms, and so too we who were once dead under … [Link]

One of the most confusing things about our culture, I'm finding, is that when it comes to "church-planting" pretty much everything I read seems to make the "church" about Sunday morning. For some reason, "church" is directly and inseparably connected to Sunday morning. This has made Sunday morning the "show", so to speak. We offer our children's ministries, Sunday Schools, Bible studies, [Link]

Unless you are living in a box on the tip top of Mt. Everest, you have probably already seen the following video, but just in case here is the perfect example of why no one should let the bozos in Congress take over the Health Care Industry.


We should let Congress pass the bill and hope that what's in it isn't horrific. More important, even if we've had the past few days to look at it, we also must have faith that the reconciliation process will take out the bad stuff. I have faith in Jesus, not Congress. Jesus has never let me down. Congress has never even met my really low expectations.

Is it any wonder that Congress' approval rate is at an historic low of … [Link]

If you've been watching the news and keeping up with world events, you know that Greece is exploding with rioting and violence over the economic woes of that country. The people have just had it. Spain is right on the brink of an economic melt down as well… and I believe our nation teeters right there with them. In my opinion, this health care bill which allows the government to take over not only health care but also all student loans, could be the catalyst to push this country to protests and rioting at a level not seen since the 60's. In fact, I think the protests will be more wide spread than the protests of the 60's. It could in fact push this nation … [Link]

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This is a limited time offer for members of my fan page only

Facebook has a strict policy regarding contests, promotions, and giveaways due to possible legal issues. Therefore, it is necessary for me to conduct this particular special offer on my blog. I will be giving away a free copy of my newest EP entitled Paradigm- a collection of jazz/fusion instrumentals to the first 3 people who e-mail me at preacherhenry at gmail dot com (preacherhenry is all one word of course, and I spelled out dot com to avoid unnecessary spammers) with their mailing (not physical) address.

Winners will be notified by e-mail. I will not use your e-mail address for any other purpose(s), nor will I share it with anyone else. This is purely … [Link]

Mark 8:27-9:1
Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that I am?’ And they answered him, ‘John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.’ He asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered him, ‘You are the Messiah.’ And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. … [Link]

Maria Woodworth-Etter was a healing revivalist who ministered in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. God did many amazing miracles in her meetings and she had a uncompromising faith. She moved in signs and wonders before signs and wonders were widely accepted. There’s an excellent article about her in the AoG’s Enrichment Journal.

Excerpt from: Miracles and Marvels – How to Cooperate With the Holy Spirit in a Meeting (discovered on Billye Brim’s website)

The first snippet I offer is about heresy hunting and restoration:

But at the same time we are continually careful not to do or say anything that will displease or grieve Him, bring reproach on the cause or contempt on the work. We should try the spirits. Ours is the desire to …

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Corrie Ten Boom is one of my heroes. I put my faith in Christ after watching the theatrical version of her life story, The Hiding Place.

Corrie used to speak to audiences about her experiences and she would often look down while she talked. It seemed like she was reading her notes, but she was actually working on a piece of needlepoint. After telling her story of the cruelty in the concentration camps and the death of her father and sister, Corrie would hold up the backside of the needlepoint. It was a jumble of colors and threads with no discernible pattern. And she would say "this is how we see our lives." Then she would turn it over to reveal the pattern. And Corrie would … [Link]

I am pleased to tell you that, because of an upgrade by my hosting company, you can now optionally drop the www and access this blog with the shorter URL of http://gentlewisdom.org.uk/. This address will be automatically forwarded to http://www.gentlewisdom.org.uk/. You can change your bookmarks if you want to, but you don’t need to.

Over a year after the departure of another infamous W it is high time that these redundant three w’s are completely retired from Internet addresses. But they haven’t yet gone completely from mine.

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Being on the road is perfectly fine, because I love to travel, and my family understands. I also love to be at home just as much. This means I live the best of both worlds.

This morning is sectional council and just as soon as it's over I'm jetting off from there quickly to travel down to Lake Worth, FL to speak on the Hope Tour again this weekend. Going to travel along with my good friends Tina Blount and Tammy Young, and that will make the ride much more fun, indeed.

Speaking of travel — really getting excited about the Africa trip! I'll be going June 1-8 or 9 (not sure yet what day I'm coming back, still working that out) but it's coming quickly, for … [Link]

abelajohnb posted:

Hey All,A quick blog about a cool addon feature for those of you who use the Firefox web browser.This cool addon will allow you to have a sweet little spell checker for use here at ChristianBlog.Com (and just about every other website on the internet) that is farandbeyond better than the builtin spell checker within Firefox.You can grab it at: I have been using it for a month or so, and was going to post about it sooner, but I wanted to make sure it was stable and did not cause any other problems before I blogged about it and thus far, it has proven to be bugfree and amazingly accurate.There is a video on their page that I highly suggest you watch. I also …

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Matt Hosier’s post on fatness stirred up some memories of a classic old song we used to sing in my youth growing up in restorationist circles, based on Isa 55:2 in the King James Version. My favourite line went "and your soul shall delight itself in fatness, in fatness, in fatness" – a great Biblical justification for a second helping of cake. Along similar lines, I always felt that the song based on the prayer of Jabez "O that you would bless me, and enlarge my borders" sounded like a request for a bigger waistline.

It made me ponder how Scripture saturated many of the songs we used to sing in those days were, especially rich in Old Testament references, which have virtually been expunged from …

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If you can’t view today’s Daily Word video, click here.

The Greek poet Archilochus said, “The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.” Building on this insight, Isaiah Berlin divided “writers and thinkers” between those “who relate everything to a single central vision” and “those who pursue many ends.” Using Berlin’s taxonomy, we might say that Paul was a hedgehog whose “one big thing” was Jesus Christ. 

Consider what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5: 

When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.  For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you …

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(Image by DrGBB via Flickr)

City officials in Rancho Cucamonga, California ordered a home Bible study to cease or get a permit.

There seems to be a rash of these cases going on lately. Recently home Bible studies were ordered to stop meeting in Gilbert, Arizona and in San Diego , CA. The San Diego case has been resolved allowing the home fellowship to continue along with an apology from officials. The Situation in Gilbert seems to be resolving itself with support from the Mayor and Council members.

Now comes this case in Rancho Cucamonga. The city claimed that the home Bible study was really a church. They ordered the group to get a Conditional Use Permit by April 2, in order to …

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I had the privilege of speaking at the Chi Alpha group on the campus of USM last week. I chose the topic of Doctrine and the importance of Loving the Lord your God with all… your mind – what Jesus said was the greatest commandment. I think it went well.

But today I came across this video trailer for a book call Dug Down Deep. It makes the case that we all should be theologians and I'm intrigued to read it. It fits well with the point of my presentation to Chi Alpha, and my thoughts in general on the subject.

DugDownDeep_Carnahan.mov from Covenant Life Church on Vimeo.

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Jargon, which I’ve written about several times before, comes in many varieties. Yesterday’s physical exam was a real lesson about how NOT to use jargon we writers can learn from. When the nurse updated my medical information before the exam, he looked at information from my visit nine months ago and asked questions like, “Are you [...]

Post from: Writing Tips at GarySpeer.com Do you collect things? Great deals on collectibles of all sorts found on eBay. We make it easy at “Fun for Collectors"! (This content is copyright protected and if you aren't seeing this post at garyspeer.com, then it has been used without permission.) Do you take ascorbic acid or Vitamin C? What chemicals do you swallow daily?

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Of course it does, since we're not going to take any of it!  How infuriating! [Link]

A friend directed my attention towards a very interesting and evocative letter to the editor in today’s Lancaster New Era (a local newspaper). The subject: Homophobia. I’ll get to the article quickly, but first, how about a clear, concise definition of homophobia? Here is one from Wikipedia:

Homophobia: Homophobia is a term for a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards homosexuality and people identified or perceived as being homosexual. Definitions of the term refer variably to antipathy, contempt, prejudice, aversion, and irrational fear. Homophobia is observable in critical and hostile behavior such as discrimination and violence on the basis of a non-heterosexual orientation.

Got it? Good! Now here’s the letter to the Lancaster New Era concerning what the writer deemed to be a homophobic …

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On a personal note, I’ve mentioned several times that I am not able to afford health insurance. The good news is, we have a very well-equipped, HUGE “sliding fee” clinic here that I qualify for — and yesterday was sort of Reckoning Day for my generally inactive, slovenly lifestyle: I had a checkup at said [...]

Post from: Writing Tips at GarySpeer.com Do you collect things? Great deals on collectibles of all sorts found on eBay. We make it easy at “Fun for Collectors"! (This content is copyright protected and if you aren't seeing this post at garyspeer.com, then it has been used without permission.) Those of us without health insurance appreciate ’sliding fee’ clinics

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I have found this to be true in my own life, but now there’s a study to support my own experience. I always have felt recharged after a long, personal conversation with a close friend. I guess I always just thought it was "just me", but it seems there's more to it than that. I think this is also why people still feel so isolated and lonely even with the increased, but shallow connectivity with today's technology. Real relationship doesn't happen over FB, Myspace, or Twitter. It happens over the phone, in a letter, or over coffee. According to the study:
“But, he proposed, substantive conversation seemed to hold the key to happiness for two main reasons: both because human beings are driven to find and … [Link]

Be inwardly still, Friends, and wait patiently
upon the revelation of the living flame of love
that burns in the hidden depths of our hearts.
Place your hope in the purifying, enlightening,
and liberating working of that Holy Flame,
and rest in that hope, and trust that the secret
life of Christ within us is itself the answer,
ineffable but sure, to the unutterable longing
of our souls.

–George Fox –Letter to Lady Claypole

photo taken at Smith College, Northampton, MA

Smith College
George Fox [Link]

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• At the park with the kidlets. They are having a blast. Grilling out… #
• What would happen if we, individually and collectively, refused to accept and settle for less than the fullness of God and His promises? #
• Always fun to shop for jeans and realize that wow, those are too big. #

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We have a launch team meeting for the Gala Theatre on Tuesday, March 23 at Ebenezers Coffeehouse @ 7:30 PM. Just wanted to get it on the radar! If you're praying about the possibility of being part of the team, this meeting is for you. It's an informational meeting, but because the time line is so tight, we'll give people an opportunity to commit to the launch that night as well.

Our first service @ the Gala Theatre will be Easter Sunday @ 10:30 AM. Then we'll shift to Sunday Nights on April 11.

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I’m just back from a trip to Israel. See  Midlife Musings.

Tags: Israel

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I understood little of Bible-times geography until I visited the Holy Land last week, courtesy of the Israel Ministry of Tourism. This trip put everything in perspective. I now know the exact location of Caesarea (pictured), Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee, Joppa, the Mount of Olives, Hezekiah’s Tunnel, the Jordan River, the Kidron Valley and a host of other biblical sites.

Amazingly, these locales are compact. Israel is a small country and much of it is desert. With the main mode of transportation being foot power, and the terrain of Israel featuring deep valleys and steep mountains, Jesus never strayed too far from home. The old city of Jerusalem is especially compact, with historical holy sites practically bumping into each other.

Some of …

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James Spinti quotes N.T. Wright, in his 2009 book Justification (not sure why it is listed as “Not Yet Published” at this Eisenbrauns page which he links to), including the following parenthesis:

(what damage to genuine pastoral theology has been done by making a bogey-word out of the Pauline term synergism, “working together with God”)

I don’t know if Wright has explained this in more depth. But he is right that “synergism” is a term and concept used by the Apostle Paul.

In fact Paul uses sunergos “co-worker” twelve times and sunergeo “work together” three times, and there are respectively one and two other New Testament occurrences of these words. Some of these refer to human co-workers. But in 1 Corinthians 3:9, 2 Corinthians 6:1 …

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Yesterday was just downright good. I felt confident in the sacrifice God had called me to, encouraged by the confirmation He'd given through my daily readings and worship songs, and generally at peace with the whole thing. That is not to say there wasn't grief, but it was grief within the context of the reality of a sovereign God who cares for me and will give me “His best for what I thought was better." It was grief with hope…that this wouldn't hurt for ever…the loss wouldn't feel as deep as it does…that it will all be ok. Really.

But, as is always the way when we attempt to do hard things for the sake of God's glory, the enemy of our souls is there to …

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When you are writing a book, there is one fear that is hard to shake off. That is the fear that your work will turn out to reflect error rather than truth. This was certainly my experience writing Raised With Christ. It became even more pronounced when I learned that throughout church history no major heresy had arisen about the implications of the resurrection of Jesus. That is an extraordinary fact that goes a long way to explain our neglect of this vital subject—so much so that Spurgeon argued it might have been better if someone had created a heresy about it, since this would have forced the church to formulate the doctrine more clearly. My anxiety was that I might be the first one …

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Much of my time as an undergraduate theology major was spent trying to make sense of postmodernism. Postmodernism was considered to be intellectual anathema at the private Christian college I attended, yet there was still something very meaningful in the idea of non-existent objectivity and absolutism. I carried this deep curiosity with me on into seminary. Postmodernism was considered to be gospel at the seminary I attended, yet there was still something very meaningful in the reason-based absolutes and anti-relativity preached at my undergraduate college, at least so far as one’s perceived search for truth is concerned (some tools are helpful, even bad ones, if one has no idea where to even start the search!). I’ll make a long story much shorter and summarize the …

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I’ve been posting this “Life Management” series here on this blog. It's some ideas I've taught on in the past, but I'm posting them here as a way to remind myself of these important truths.

This is the basic theme of this blog series…

God has given you (and will give you) all of the "raw materials" and opportunities you need to reach your full potential.

At the end of our lives, no one is going to be able to blame God that he didn’t give them what they needed to make it in this life.

Whether you reach your full potential, or not, will be based on how you managed what you've been given.

Did you waste your gifts or cherish them?

For this blog series, we're looking at 5 of …

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(Image via Wikipedia)

Yesterday morning I attended the Marketplace Prayer group at our church as usual. During the worship I had a remarkable vision of the ministry of  St. Patrick:

I saw him walk into the center of a village and challenge the pagan priests to a test of power. He called for the people to bring all of their sick to him. Then he asked which ones the pagan priests had been paid to heal but didn’t. Then I saw him pray for those first, heal them and later heal all the rest.

Then I saw him walk around the entire parameter of the village praying for a hedge of protection around it casting out all demons and calling for God’s protection …

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I'm entering into another writing season which means early mornings. In a nutshell, writing = sleep deprivation. Part of it is my perfectionism. Part of it is my imperfections as a writer. Writing doesn't come easy for me. I literally measure every word. I can't seem to write any other. I'll spend an hour on a phrase. I'll spend a day on a paragraph. I just don't want to waste people's time.

I’m praying the same thing for my writing as I am for my preaching: I want to be more prophetic. I don't just want to speak timeless truth. I want to speak timely truth. I want to say the right thing at the right time in the right way. And there are no shortcuts … [Link]

I love being a part of a team, a crew. Something deep down inside of me (someone who doesn’t mind going it alone) craves the shared sweat, collaboration, victory, and even loss when I’m a part of a good team.

I’m a part of a motley crew. It looks like we’ve been gathered from all over the earth and from all the corners of our communities. That must have been what the New Testament Church looked like. Afterall, on the Day of Pentecost when the Church of Jesus was born, the Gospel was communicated or heard in every language by peoples from all nations just like Christ said we would in Matthew 28:19-20.

I’m thankful for who we are. But, I’m thankful for where we’re going. …

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Someone tried to break into the shop last night, or at least thought it’d be fun to vandalize things. Not cool.

UPDATE: Looks like some loser couldn’t hold his green St. Patrick’s Day beer very well. Still don’t know who did it, but it had the appearance of someone falling or being pushed into the glass.

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This afternoon I'll head back to Pittsburgh. Can't wait to see my girls! 

Today I'm thanking God for a fruitful week in Philadelphia. We continue to experience favor with pastors, businessmen, and new friends who live in Philadelphia.  Here are some highlights from this trip:

• Spent a morning with two young men who will be a part of our church planting residency.
• Had the opportunity to preach in two neighborhoods on Sunday–my first opportunity to preach in Philly!
• Spent a few days in the city without a car. It was a great opportunity to figure out Septa (the public transportation system).
• Spent large chunks of time in some of the neighborhoods we're considering. So good to walk, worship, pray, and meet people.
• A couple …

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I had the joy on Tuesday night of preaching Ephesians 3:14-21 for Exeter ECU.
Download mp3: Getting caught up in the love of God – Ephesians 3:14-21 (35mins)

v14-15. PRAYING TO THE FATHER
On his knees before the Father to pray for, v16, a strengthening, a heartening, an invigorating of God’s people. Keep in mind as we look at this prayer: what is prayed for and what would it mean for this prayer to be answered? Paul prays for the Ephesians v14-16 that they’d be:

• WHAT? Strengthened with power. With God’s power. What does God’s power do? Not oppress or control. What does the pinnacle of divine power look like? We might think of making the world, but Paul looks higher: 1v19-20: “the immeasurable greatest of his power… …

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Steve at Cruciorm Life has posted something of great significance, in my opinion [HT: Milton Stanley]. It's called, Is Leadership a Healthy Christian Aim?

I read a lot about the missional church movement and I thinnk it's one of the best things to happen in the church world in some time, but the conversation is almost always among leaders, about leadership, about being a better leader, etc. It sometimes seems, and I think I've even heard it said, that everybody is supposed to aspire to leadership, and there's a whole branch of the Christian publishing industry to help us do so. I think it's mostly half-baked nonsense.

No doubt we need leaders, but aspiration to leadership, thirst for leadership, can be a dangerous thing. Steve quotes Church … [Link]

 

If you can’t view today’s Daily Word video, click here.

When I was a teenager, I participated in speech competitions hosted by the Lion’s Club. One year—it must’ve been around the same time as Nancy Reagan’s famous “Just Say No!” campaign—our topic was why students shouldn’t take drugs. I researched the topic and prepared my speech.

On the night of the competition, I spoke first. Usually, you don’t want to speak first because you’re still nervous, the mic stand needs adjusting, the audio feeds back—all things that can throw a speaker off his game. I was not a usual competitor, however. I loved to go first because I was so good at public speaking that I’d make anyone who followed me nervous.

Sure enough, …

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Today is Jordan's birthday. He is 19 years old today and will be leaving for boot camp on May 25. We are having a family birthday dinner tonight at Kobe, which is our official family birthday spot when we go out. (Sometimes I do a special dinner for the kids at home — it just depends on what they want.) Today is happy and also sad. It's a special time in that we are celebrating 19 years of life with him, sad in the way that I am not sure how many birthdays we will actually be with him for in the future, depending on where life takes him. I look at things in terms now of, "one more Thanksgiving," and "one more Christmas" (just … [Link]

(Image via Wikipedia)

Today is St. Patrick’s Day. Beyond the green beer and rowdy drunken debauchery that typically surrounds the occasion is a historical character that was God’s apostle to Ireland—forget ‘Saint’ this guy functioned as an apostle and a power evangelist.

There is all sorts of stories about Patrick that today they call ‘myths’. I believe that a lot of the myths were probably based upon true events that seem far too supernatural for secular folks to accept today.

This we do know about Patrick, he lived between 340 to 440 AD. He was born to a wealthy Christian Roman family living in Britain. At age 16 he was taken from his home and enslaved by Irish Celtic raiders. He tended sheep …

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For all you crafty people out there, this is a must-have. It's a brilliant modification to an age-old tool – the needle. Check out the link on Bits and Pieces. [Link]