Two for Thursday

Tags

challenge, Church, disciple, internet, Kindle Deals, No Sweat Discipleship, Reading, reading plan, resources, Tim Challies, web

Welcome to another edition of Two for Thursday.  As always, I hope to offer you two quality resources from the web that have entertainment value as well as educational value.  Furthermore, if you have a weblink to a resource that you feel others would find beneficial, please feel free to share them in the “comments” section below.

The first resource that I’ll offer today is for those that love to read, or for those that would like to read more.  Many of you may already know of Tim Challies, but for those of you that don’t, he is a “blogger, author, and book reviewer”, and he has a variety of posts on a regular basis.  My personal favorites are his A La Carte posts in which he shares various links to articles and deals across the web.  Kindle Deals are regularly offered within the posts, as well as suggestions for books, software, and other articles.  Of particular interest to me today is his “2020 Christian Reading Challenge.”  About this plan, the article states:

The 2020 Christian Reading Challenge is composed of 4 lists of books, which you are meant to move through progressively. You will need to determine a reading goal early in the year and set your pace accordingly.

• The Light Reader. This plan has 13 books which sets a pace of 1 book every 4 weeks.
• The Avid Reader. The Avid plan adds another 13 books which increases the pace to 1 book every 2 weeks.
• The Committed Reader. This plan adds a further 26 books, bringing the total to 52, or 1 book every week.
• The Obsessed Reader. The Obsessed plan doubles the total to 104 books which sets a demanding pace of 2 books every week.

If you’re in for a good reading challenge, head on over and check his site out!

 

For our second resource, I’d like to present to you “No Sweat Discipleship.”  This is a discipleship tool that is designed to help disciple others.  The approach is straight forward in that it uses simple techniques to study, examine, and apply scripture accurately.  The website explains it this way: No Sweat Discipleship is a simple, transferable, and timeless tool to help every believer learn how to be a disciples maker. You can use it to invest in both a new believer and a seasoned believer. Join the No Sweat movement learning the foundational elements of a disciple’s life.

 

Having used this regularly at our church, I can assure you that it is a very good tool for discipling others.  Additionally, there are videos for each segment of the plan to help you better understand how to use it.  There are also forms that you can download and print, as well.

If you are interested in making disciples everywhere, then go on over and learn to use this valuable resource!

So, there you have today’s Two for Thursday!  Please take a moment to let me know if you found value in today’s offerings.  Or, if you prefer, just take a moment to say hello.

Why I Don’t Take My Study Bible to Church

Tags

Bible, Bible Study, Church, Meaning, Message, Pastor, sermon

“Seriously?”  You may be wondering .  “Yes, seriously” is my response to you.  I choose not to take a study bible to church.  And while that may be puzzling to some, I feel that my reasoning is sound.  Furthermore, I find that I am able to retain far more of the sermon than I am if I take my study bible.  “How’s that?”  You may ask.  Well, read on and I’ll attempt to explain my reasons.

The first and most ridiculous reason I choose not to take a study bible to church is due to its size.  Wow!  Have you seen some of the sizes of those?!  Though one of my study bibles is a bit thinner than the other, it is also a hardback.  The one I consider to be my primary is about three feet thick and weighs nearly four hundred pounds!  Not really, a bit of exaggeration here (no, really).  There is a lot of thought that goes into producing a study bible that is that thick and heavy – many hours of notes, introductions, illustrations, word meanings, and maps.  Indeed, it is heavy with the prose of many biblical experts, and their insights are very helpful.  And though I love my study bibles and use them often, I just find them too big and clunky to use in church, unless I plan to literally use it as a weapon.  I am convinced, however; that this is not really how you are supposed to use the “sword of the Spirit.” ( Ephesians 6:17)

The main reason I choose not to take a study bible to church is the meat and potatoes of today’s post.  I prefer to listen to the whole sermon.  Yes.  That’s it.  I want to hear every point that our pastor is trying to convey, and I have found that I can’t do that if I am constantly following a trail of cross-referenced verses or biblical commentary.  My mind will not allow me to continue hearing the preacher speak while it also immerses itself in the thoughts of those previously mentioned “biblical experts.”  Trust me, I get it.  We should be eager to “ search the scriptures” and verify that what is being presented is biblical.  I do that.  It’s just that I do it in a way whereby I jot down notes until I get home, and THEN I refer to my study bible for additional meaning and clarification.  By doing this, I am more fully able to hear the pastor’s complete sermon and all of its applications.  I find that I do not spend precious moments (while he is preaching) flipping pages and chasing other thoughts.  That is of no benefit to me and it can be distracting to others.

In summary, I choose to use a bible that will allow me room to jot down thoughts or references in the margin.  Sometimes I use a note pad for this purpose, but whichever method I use, my mind is totally engaged in what the pastor is saying for the entirety of the sermon.  And then afterwards, I can spend additional time searching the scriptures and developing a fuller understanding.

How about you?  Does this logic resonate with you?  I’d love to hear your thoughts.

*Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. – Acts 17:11 NIV

^*12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. ¹⁹ Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. – Ephesians 6:12-20 NIV

A Few Thoughts…

Tags

Bible Study, Blogging, Church, Community Group, Disciples of Christ, encouragement, God, Making Disciples, No Sweat Discipleship, waterfalls

My writing time has been few and far between as of late.  That doesn’t mean that I don’t have things to write about, rather, I think it has more to do with what I’m doing with my time, other than writing.

As recent transplants to North Georgia, my wife and I both have full time jobs.  When we aren’t working, we’re taking time out to visit various locations throughout this area that we dearly love.  It’s beautiful and breathtaking.  From the rolling hills filled with wildlife and waterfalls to the rivers, streams, and Lake Lanier, we simply feel that God has given us one of the desires of our heart to move here.  And simply put, we’re taking advantage of every moment.

One of our greatest achievements thus far has been to get involved with a local church.  Not only is it a church that we feel wholeheartedly that God led us to, but it is a dynamic church that is “on fire” for the Lord, especially when it comes to making disciples.  In fact, our church’s mission statement is to “make disciples everywhere.”  This is not something that is tossed about flippantly, either, but it is something that is taught from the pulpit, community groups, and regularly communicated by its members.  There is even a small booklet that we use called “No Sweat Discipleship” that not only helps you be a disciple, but it can be used to teach others how to be a disciple and to disciple others.  For more information, click here:  No Sweat Discipleship

Additionally, we have joined a community group within our church, and it has allowed us to make new friends and be involved in the “making disciples” process.  This is similar to a Sunday School class, but we also meet regularly outside of the church.  The women of the group meet together, as do the men.  Both groups are currently using the No Sweat Discipleship model to learn and grow in the things of the Lord.

As I previously stated, though my time hasn’t been spent as much writing here at the Straight, Narrow, and Sometimes Crooked, it doesn’t necessarily mean that I don’t have as much to say, I guess I’ve started directing those efforts to other places.  That doesn’t mean that I don’t intend to continue posting here, because I do.  It just means that I feel that the Lord is leading me to expand my boundaries.  One way is through encouragement texts to the men in my community groups.  And if not for the encouragement of my wife, I probably wouldn’t be sharing one of those texts here, but hoping that you may find encouragement too, here it is:

“Men, last week I sent our a reminder for us to pay attention to what we let our mind dwell on so that we may glorify God even with our thoughts and not be compelled to sin.  This week’s thought centers around us keeping a proper perspective that we are “not home yet.”  Philippians 3:20 reminds us that “Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enable him even to subject all things to himself.”  Furthermore, the Psalmist cries out “I am a sojourner on the earth; hide not your commandments from me.”  Psalm 119:19

It is imperative that we not lose sight of the big picture, as we live, love, and share.  Just as Abraham lived in the “land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob” and “was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God”, we too should be encouraged to know that all of those difficult trials and persecutions will culminate in a glorious homecoming in a place that our Savior has prepared for us!  Keep the faith!”

Thanks for stopping by the site, and if you’d like, please feel free to drop a comment!

2018: A Year of Change

Tags

changes, Church, Faith, God, heaven, Jesus, mountains, Moving, North Georgia, relocation, rewards, Trials, turn your eyes upon Jesus

2018 has been a year of tremendous change for my wife and I.  It started early when my youngest son left for Basic Training in the USAF.  Shortly after, we were able to drive out to San Antonio to see him graduate, prior to heading off to his technical training in Wichita Falls, TX.  While he was there, his wife (our daughter in-law) moved in with us briefly in the waning days of her pregnancy.  As you’ve probably guessed, we were there to drive her to the hospital when it came time for her to deliver their beautiful, baby boy – our first grandson!  Soon afterwards, our oldest son graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Social Work.  He moved off shortly afterwards and now resides in Houston, TX.  Subsequently, our USAF son received an assignment to Seymour AFB, NC, where he now lives with his wife and son.

In the month of June, I was presented with an opportunity that my wife and I had dreamed of – to move to North Georgia.  Having lived in the extreme south of the state (Valdosta) for 30 years, we had longed for the day when we’d be able to retire to the North Georgia mountains.  Thankfully, the company that I worked for offered me an opportunity to transfer with a relocation package.  All expenses were paid.  This set off a very quick set of events which included getting our current house ready for market and searching for a new place to live at the top of the state.  And while it appears that things went quickly and smoothly during the transition, there were plenty of moments of frustration.  Ultimately, however, we were able to get the house sold quickly, and move on to our new area of Gainesville, GA.  Even so, we actually had to live in our travel trailer for 30 days while waiting to close on our new home.

Something of note about our move from Valdosta is the fact that my wife left a job in which she’d been employed for over 26 years at First Baptist Church.  She was loved by the staff members and congregation there – and she loved them!  They had a special celebration during the last Sunday we were there in her honor.  It was beautiful.

Since our move, we’ve endured my wife’s search for a new employer (we’re thankful that wasn’t a long, drawn out affair), and we’ve found our new church home.  We’ve also spent plenty of time finding new restaurants, attended all of the Fall festivals, and ventured off into the mountains a time or two.  Just as we had dreamed, we love it here!

Looking back over all that transpired in 2018, I realize that there were many bumps in the road to get us here.  We laughed a lot, shed a tear or two, and fussed a bit.  Though the end result has been wonderful, there were missteps, trials, and plenty of difficulty.  I suppose this is the case with anyone in a situation similar to our.  But even in the face of those trying times, my wife and I often spent time to reflect on what it was all for.  It was that continual looking forward that seemed to make all of the trials worth it.  And it was indeed worth it!  I am further reminded that like my own straight, narrow, and sometimes crooked journey through life, God wants us (me) to keep our eyes on Him.  When we do, don’t be surprised if the things of earth grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.

I hope that your Christmas time is full of comfort and joy!

 

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!

Refrain:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
O’er us sin no more hath dominion—
For more than conqu’rors we are!

His Word shall not fail you—He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!

(Helen H. Lemmel – 1922)

Consider the Tears.

Tags

Church, dad, Father, God, Gospel, Holiness, humility, Jesus, Justification, Redemption, salvation, son, thankfulness

A very emotional scene occurred at church yesterday.  Picture for a moment a dad accompanying his small son to the altar to confess that he has placed his faith in Jesus Christ, wanting to make his confession of faith public.  “Praise God”, “Hallelujah”, or “Joy” may be the first thoughts that come to your mind.  Now, just for a moment, consider the dad’s face.  It’s what I did, and it has left such a great impact on me.  Quivering lips.  Watery eyes. Brokenness.  Tremendous humility.  Thankfulness.  While these are the only words that I can come up with to describe what I witnessed, I’m sure they fall far short.  Why else would I have been moved to shed tears?  Was the dad recalling the time in his own life, as I was, when he too realized his sinfulness in the sight of a Holy God?!  Were the contortions of his face a recognition of how helpless he was in saving himself apart from the redeeming grace of the Lord Jesus Christ?  Could his expressions be a manifestation of what he felt his son was feeling as the very Creator of the World brought salvation to his child?

Perhaps all of these things could be true.  Or, just maybe, this was a dad that realized how grateful he is to a God that goes to the uttermost ends of the earth redeeming his people, regardless of size, stature, or socio-economic standing.

The Almighty God had just saved his boy!  How could one not be moved?

**As a side note to this post, I’m so grateful to be a part of a church where the Gospel is so clearly preached week after week!

Beginning Again…

Tags

Blog, Blogging, Christian, Church, God, Growth, Jesus, Justification, Sanctification, Spiritual Growth, The Bible, writing

This post shall serve as a re-introduction of sorts – a return to writing.  While I have no grand illusions of writing on a more consistent basis than times past, I do hope that I simply take the time to jot down thoughts a bit more often.

Another tidbit of information that I’d share is that I plan to return to using my original pen name of “Zebedee.”  Years ago when I started writing on my first blog “Joy of Grace”, I posted as Zebedee.  I think I will return to that.  No real reasons for it other than wanting to enjoy writing as much as I did then.

Lastly, I’ll ad that the title of my site is a fair reflection of my spiritual life.  As a redeemed follower of Jesus Christ, I realize fully that my works play no part in my justification, rather, they simply give evidence of it.  And according to Ephesians 2:10, those that profess Jesus as Lord have work to do that was prepared in advance.  My path to sanctification has been anything but a straight path!  It is for that reason that I chose my site title.  I feel it is an accurate assessment of my journey so far.  Therefore, you can expect the writings here to reflect those straight, narrow, and sometimes crooked times in my life.

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope that you’ll take time to add a comment!

Zebedee