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Rain

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have

watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. -Isaiah 55:10-11

Rain... We have been all too familiar with it these days as we awake to a grey sky and humid drizzle.  It is uncomfortable to have to endure the weather - the extra coat or umbrella, perhaps a pair of leaky shoes

whose inefficiency is made worse by patches of soggy ground.  Yet as troublesome and depressing as a

sullen, grey sky and falling water can be, in a sense rain is a wonder, too. Where we have built hard surfaces of asphalt and concrete, building roofs and gutters, the water rolls off and is whisked away.  But where there is a space of ground or a bit of growth, the rain sinks in and returns to the earth the life-giving water necessary for growth.

In Isaiah, the prophet compares God's word to the life-giving water of rain and snow.  It is a life-giving word which goes out from God, a word which showers upon the earth to accomplish God's purpose.  Like the rain, God's word comes upon us seeking us in love so that we might live more and more to God and for God. And though in the end God's word will not be thwarted (even the hardest of mountains are, in time, worn away through the power of water and wind), we certainly have a knack for building hard places in our lives that whisk the word away.  Where is the "rain" of God's word falling in your life this week (Where is God in all of this?)?   What are those "hard places" which make it difficult to for the word to sink in?

Copy Cats on FB, Twitter, and Ministry..

The other night I posted this on my Twitter account and FB account.


I dislike when people tweet other people's tweets and not include RT ... #justsayin #rude #plagiarism

Just a small pet peeve that I have.  But I also see it in ministry all the time.  I see it in blog posts, hear it at times in podcasts, and have also heard it live in sermons.  And this is nothing new.  I just don't understand why people have to be copycats instead of just saying they heard it somewhere and give the original author the credit.

Why is this so hard?
Why do we have to try to look like the smart person?
And what do we do if we get caught?  I've seen it happen and the person just said, "Oh it was in my nights, I was just in the zone and I forgot to quote them."

I've seen and heard several pastors give entire messages of Andy Stanley's, Doug Fields, Francis Chan, and even Billy Graham where they failed to quote and claim it for their own.  I use other pastors material from time to time, but I make sure to give the brothers credit.  And I hope that you do the same.

What if #lovewins with #OBL?

So for the past 48 hours I have watched many Christians, pastors, non-Christians, and others put their two cents in about Osama Bin Laden.  I've seen the blogs, the tweets, the facebook posts, the photoshop pictures, and the news stories.   I really debated about writing this post.  I wrote it originally yesterday but held it until tonight.


Really if you look at all the post.  Some said it was all about justice.  That it was the ultimate consequence for being behind the number of terror attacks.  Others went with that but also said that it made the world a safer place with him being killed.  While others said that this could put us in more danger and cause more deadly attacks.

Some of my twitter and facebook friends were very patriotic and very happy.  Others were somber.  Some misquoted MLK and others.

While looking at all these I just had the thought of what if Osama was visited last week by a missionary or was given a Gideon Bible?  What if sometime during the last week, Osama was like the thief on the cross and changed his life and gave it over to Christ during his last moments.  What if God's Love won over the face of terror?   What if after everything is declassified we find out that Osama became saved?

How would the media react?
How would Christians act?
How would non-Christians act?

Just a thought...


"I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways & live. "
-Ez 33:11

Giving Something up for Lent?

Every year on Fat Tuesday, you hear people talk about what they are going to give up for lent....

Many people use Lent for taking the complexity out of parts of their lives. They take a Lenten fast from lifestyle clutter.

Over the years I have collected what students have told me that they were giving up for lent:

• Drinking Soft Drinks


• Drinking Sweet Tea


• Homework


• School


• Dating


• Candy


• Desserts


• Chocolate


• Eating Red Meat


• Eating Chicken


• Eating McDonald's


• Texting


• Myspace


• Facebook

Lent is not all about giving things up. It's also about adding good things to our lives or to others' lives -- the kind of good things that follow on what Jesus asks of us, especially that which relates to what we're giving up.

I have also been told by students what they are going to add during the time of lent:

• Reading the Bible Daily


• Daily exercise


• Daily walk


• Do their homework as soon as they get home


• Finish their chores before dinner


• hang out with their family more

Can skipping that burrito at lunch really show God how much you love Him? Fasting can be a big question mark in the Christian life, so watch The Skit Guys’ new video and get The Skinny on Fasting.



youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVawgv8gA3o

Giving Something up for Lent?

Every year on Fat Tuesday, you hear people talk about what they are going to give up for lent....

Many people use Lent for taking the complexity out of parts of their lives. They take a Lenten fast from lifestyle clutter.

Over the years I have collected what students have told me that they were giving up for lent:

• Drinking Soft Drinks


• Drinking Sweet Tea


• Homework


• School


• Dating


• Candy


• Desserts


• Chocolate


• Eating Red Meat


• Eating Chicken


• Eating McDonald's


• Texting


• Myspace


• Facebook

Lent is not all about giving things up. It's also about adding good things to our lives or to others' lives -- the kind of good things that follow on what Jesus asks of us, especially that which relates to what we're giving up.

I have also been told by students what they are going to add during the time of lent:

• Reading the Bible Daily


• Daily exercise


• Daily walk


• Do their homework as soon as they get home


• Finish their chores before dinner


• hang out with their family more

Can skipping that burrito at lunch really show God how much you love Him? Fasting can be a big question mark in the Christian life, so watch The Skit Guys’ new video and get The Skinny on Fasting.



youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVawgv8gA3o

MTV music awards...how did we end up here?

The other night I turned on the MTV music awards like I do every year...
But this year was a wake up call to what is going on in society...We just don't care anymore...ANYTHING GOES!!!!!  Walt and I have had the conversation several times, that ever since Michael passed away, we have become more aware of the stupid things people and society do.  Life is short, yet so many people are making stupid mistakes.  MTV has gone from Music Television to a 24 ad for bi-sexuals, sleeping around, getting drunk, getting laid, getting high...and the list goes on.....
When will we get it?  Everyone wonders why crimes are so high, kids don't respect their parents, why the United States is in the state it is...Its all because we have taken God out of everything.  Hundreds of thousands of people went to Church Sunday Morning and then came home and enjoyed the MTV Movie Awards and accepted everything that was shown.  Many Laughed, many thought it was a great show, but I'm guessing few actually changed the channel or called or emailed to complain.
It's time that we start to take a stand for God.

MTV music awards...how did we end up here?

The other night I turned on the MTV music awards like I do every year...
But this year was a wake up call to what is going on in society...We just don't care anymore...ANYTHING GOES!!!!!  Walt and I have had the conversation several times, that ever since Michael passed away, we have become more aware of the stupid things people and society do.  Life is short, yet so many people are making stupid mistakes.  MTV has gone from Music Television to a 24 ad for bi-sexuals, sleeping around, getting drunk, getting laid, getting high...and the list goes on.....
When will we get it?  Everyone wonders why crimes are so high, kids don't respect their parents, why the United States is in the state it is...Its all because we have taken God out of everything.  Hundreds of thousands of people went to Church Sunday Morning and then came home and enjoyed the MTV Movie Awards and accepted everything that was shown.  Many Laughed, many thought it was a great show, but I'm guessing few actually changed the channel or called or emailed to complain.
It's time that we start to take a stand for God.