Archive for April, 2007

So When is Your Tax Freedom Day?

Published at April 30, 2007 in Finances. 0 Comments

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Congratulations! If you live in the United States, as of today you can start earning money for yourself for the rest of the year instead of for the government.

According to The Tax Foundation, today (April 30, 2007) is America’s Tax Freedom Day. That means Americans spent the last 120 days working to pay their taxes and have now fulfilled all of their federal, state and local tax obligations for the year. Last year, the national Tax Freedom Day came two days earlier on April 28, 2006.

April 30 is the national average, but individual State Tax Freedom Days vary widely according to the state’s tax burden. Oklahoma has the earliest date at April 12, and Connecticut has the latest date at May 20. Here is a list of the states with the earliest and latest Tax Freedom Days. So when is your Tax Freedom Day?

Continue reading ‘So When is Your Tax Freedom Day?’

Top 50 Religious Films

Published at April 30, 2007 in Narnia, Religion and Movies. 3 Comments

Here is a list of the top 50 religious films as put together by the Church Times. These are classified as religious films, not necessarily Christian films.

I have seen eighteen of these. Some of my favorites from the list are: The Mission; On the Waterfront; The Apostle; Chariots of Fire; Witness; The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; and Brother Sun, Sister Moon. Another favorite that is not on the list is Franco Zeffirelli’s Jesus of Nazareth.

What are some of your favorite films on the list? Any favorites missing? Any titles that should be removed? Continue reading for the complete list.

Continue reading ‘Top 50 Religious Films’

Sunday Morning Soundbytes 4/29/2007

Published at April 30, 2007 in Sunday Morning SoundBytes. 0 Comments

Doing Church Together | Lou Kochanek

Yesterday’s message was the third in the Doing Church Together series from the book of 1 Timothy. The message was called, Praising God for His Amazing Grace, taken from 1 Timothy 1:12-20.

1 Timothy 1:12-20 - 12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners — of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
18 Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, 19 holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. 20 Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme. (NIV)

The main idea of the message was that we should praise God for his amazing grace given to us in Jesus Christ. Here is a brief recap of the message:

1) God’s grace is greater than your sin and your past (verses 12-14)

God’s grace was greater than Paul’s past. Paul had sinned against Christ and his church, and yet God poured out his grace on Paul abundantly. It doesn’t matter how badly you have sinned against God in the past. God can forgive you. God can restore you. God can still use you to serve him today.

2) God’s grace displays his unlimited patience (verses 15-17)

Jesus displayed his unlimited patience in Paul, the chief of sinners, as an example for you, so that you would put your own faith in Jesus Christ and receive eternal life. Knowledge of God’s grace should prompt a response from us. Like Paul we should be filled with thanksgiving and praise for God’s grace. We should never take it for granted. We should always be praising God for his amazing grace.

3) God’s grace should motivate you to persevere in your faith (verses 18-20)

Paul reminded Timothy of his call to ministry and encouraged him to stay the course. We too are called to fight the good fight by holding on to faith and a good conscience. We should turn away from sin in our lives and confess our sins to God so that we may have a clear conscience before him. The church has a responsibility to discipline those believers who choose sin over a good conscience. Removing a fellow believer from the fellowship of the church is one of the hardest things a church can do. But it is also one of the most loving things a church can do. And it has to be done if the church is to be obedient to Jesus Christ.

Example: John Newton was a slave trader before he became a Christian and wrote the song, “Amazing Grace.” When Newton was eighty-two years old, and his health was failing, he said, “My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things, that I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Savior.” Never presume on God’s grace or take it for granted. We should praise God every day for his amazing grace.

Note: To read the complete message, go to the Sermons tab at the top of the blog.

Letter from a Martyr - The Missionary Heart

Published at April 28, 2007 in Death and Missions. 2 Comments

John Piper shares the following letter from Karen Watson, a Southern Baptist missionary to Iraq who was killed on March 15, 2004. The letter was found after she was slain and was in an envelope marked: “Open in case of death.”

Dear Pastor Phil and Pastor Roger,

You should only be opening this in the event of death.

When God calls there are no regrets. I tried to share my heart with you as much as possible, my heart for the nations. I wasn’t called to a place; I was called to Him. To obey was my objective, to suffer was expected, His glory my reward, His glory my reward . . .

The missionary heart:

  • Cares more than some think is wise
  • Risks more than some think is safe
  • Dreams more than some think is practical
  • Expects more than some think is possible.

I was called not to comfort or to success but to obedience. . . .

There is no joy outside of knowing Jesus and serving Him. I love you two and my church family.

In His care,

Salaam, Karen

May Karen’s life, death and testimony inspire each of us to greater levels of prayer, sacrifice and service for our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. You can read Karen’s story along with others in the book Lives Given, Not Taken: 21st Century Southern Baptist Martyrs, by Erich Bridges and Jerry Rankin.

News and Notes - 4/27/2007

Published at April 27, 2007 in Education, Environment, News and Notes, Church and Bible. 0 Comments

Bible helps. A Cincinnatti man charged with credit card fraud was released on bond after reciting scripture in the courtroom. When the man’s attorney described his client as a church-goer, the judge asked the defendant to recite the 23rd Psalm. The man promptly recited all six verses, and the judge released him on a $10,000 appearance bond.

The Green Commandments. How many lightbulbs does it take to change a Christian? That is the title of a new booklet published by the Church of England aimed at encouraging Christians to become more environmentally conscious. Among the lifestyle changes suggested in the booklet are: carpooling to church on Sundays, vacationing locally, and using a toaster instead of a grill.

Finishing college in one year. 19-year old Nicole Matisse is on track to graduate from the University of Michigan this summer with a bachelor’s degree of psychology after only one year of studies. She entered the university last fall as a junior after passing eight advanced placement courses and completing eight community college classes. She took 19 credits in the fall semester and 27 credits this semester. She plans to start law school in the fall.

Blogging with Habakkuk (8) - Does God Care?

Published at April 27, 2007 in Habakkuk. 3 Comments

(Part 8 in a series of posts on Habakkuk.)

Habakkuk 1:6-11

We have looked at two ways we know that God cares from verses 5-6:

    1) God assures us that he hears our every prayer.
    2) God promises us that he will deliver us in his time.

Today we will look at a third way found in verses 6-11:

Habakkuk 1:6-11 - 6 I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people, who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwelling places not their own. 7 They are a feared and dreaded people; they are a law to themselves and promote their own honor. 8 Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves at dusk. Their cavalry gallops headlong; their horsemen come from afar. They fly like a vulture swooping to devour; 9 they all come bent on violence. Their hordes advance like a desert wind and gather prisoners like sand. 10 They deride kings and scoff at rulers. They laugh at all fortified cities; they build earthen ramps and capture them. 11 Then they sweep past like the wind and go on — guilty men, whose own strength is their god.

    3) God affirms that he will judge all evil in the world.

A third way we know that God cares is because he affirms that he will judge all evil in the world. This is the answer to Habakkuk’s “Why?” question: “Why, Lord do you tolerate wrong?” (Habakkuk 1:3) God’s answer to Habakkuk is basically this: “I do not tolerate wrong. In fact I will judge all the wrongs in this world.” The nation of Judah was full of violence and injustice. Judah had turned away from God and his law, and now God would judge Judah for her sins. God was raising up the Babylonians for this very purpose.

Continue reading ‘Blogging with Habakkuk (8) - Does God Care?’

Why Email is Dying Out with Younger Generation

Published at April 26, 2007 in Computers, Technology and Teens. 7 Comments

“Email is for old people” - so says the younger generation (ages 13-24). They still use email when they need to, but it is no longer their primary means of written communication. For the younger generation, email has largely been replaced by text messaging (SMS), instant messaging (IM), and social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook.

So why is email dying out? Stephen Wellman offers the following three reasons why today’s young people prefer these other means of communication:

  1. Control. The advantage of text messaging, IM, and social network sites, compared with e-mail, is that these systems are controlled by users’ buddy lists. While spamming inside these modes of communications does happen, it’s still much harder and more expensive to spam people through IM, text, and social networks than it is through e-mail.

  2. Immediacy. IM is instant and so, too, is SMS. Social networks are immediate, too. E-mail is slower. Users have to wait for a response and e-mail communication isn’t, in most cases, a real-time dialogue.

  3. Personalization. E-mail is a cold medium. It’s not as personal as social networking, where message updates and friend connections extend users’ online personas through their communications. Cell phones are, almost by definition, highly personal devices and, likewise, younger users see text messages as more intimate.

So, what do you think? Is email really on its way out? How about some of the younger readers of this blog? Is email “just so twentieth-century?”

HT: Jim Martin, at A Place for the God Hungry

Survey on the Television Viewing Habits of Christian Families

Published at April 26, 2007 in Television and Family. 9 Comments

My niece, Kathryn Post, is a graduate student at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania where she is currently conducting research for her masters thesis. Kathryn is studying the television perspectives of Christian parents and needs Christian parents to volunteer to take a brief survey online.

By taking part in her study, you will be supporting Christian research and helping a graduate student. As a thank you for participating, you will be entered in a drawing for one of four $25.00 gift cards.

The survey can be completed between now and May 1st. Click this link to go to the survey: Parent Survey

Thank you for your support!

Blogging with Habakkuk (7) - Does God Care?

Published at April 26, 2007 in Habakkuk. 0 Comments

(Part 7 in a series of posts on Habakkuk.)

Habakkuk 1:6

We saw three reasons from Habakkuk 1:2-4 why people sometimes think that God does not care.

  1. We pray but do not see God’s answer right away.
  2. We are in trouble and God does not deliver us right away.
  3. We see the wicked triumphing over the righteous.

Now we are looking at three ways that we know God does care from Habakkuk 1:5-11. Last time we looked at the first way found in verse 5:

    1) God assures us that he hears our every prayer.

Now in verse 6 we find another way we know God cares.

    2) God promises us that he will deliver us in his time.

We know that God cares, because God promises us that he will deliver us in his time. This is the answer to Habakkuk’s “How long?” question. God has his purposes, and we must trust his timing. Look at verse 6 where God tells Habakkuk how he will deliver him. “I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people, who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwelling places not their own.” (Habakkuk 1:6)

This was the amazing something that Habakkuk would not have believed even if told. While Habakkuk was busy crying out, “How long?” God was orchestrating the events of history so that the Babylonians would come to world dominance and power and finally bring an end to the violence and injustice in Judah.

Continue reading ‘Blogging with Habakkuk (7) - Does God Care?’

Reading the Bible with Non-Christian Friends

Published at April 25, 2007 in Evangelism, Women and Bible. 4 Comments

Here is a great article on a simple idea: getting together to read the Bible with your non-Christian friends. In her article Back to the Bible, author Laura T. De Gomez shares how she got started:

I’d heard through the grapevine that two coworkers . . . had expressed some interest in spiritual things. So I dropped by their office one day and said, “Hi! I’ve been meaning to ask you both: Would you be interested in reading the Bible with me?” They looked at each other, then back at me, and said yes.

I was surprised by their enthusiasm. When I didn’t get back to them as soon as they expected, they called me to find out when we could start!

From the beginning, they loved it. Their initial nervousness evolved into excitement as they discovered the Bible is relevant to everyday life. By the second or third week, they were captivated by Jesus. Within about eight weeks, they had a clear understanding of salvation by faith. That was eight years ago. Both continue to walk with Jesus today and remain my friends. And it all started with a simple invitation to read the Bible together.

De Gomez goes on to share some of the main lessons she has learned about reading the Bible with her nonbelieving friends:

Continue reading ‘Reading the Bible with Non-Christian Friends’

Blogging with Habakkuk (6) - Does God Care?

Published at April 25, 2007 in Habakkuk. 6 Comments

(Part 6 in a series of posts on Habakkuk.)

Habakkuk 1:5

Last time we looked at three reasons why we sometimes think that God does not care.

  1. We pray but do not see God’s answer right away.
  2. We are in trouble and God does not deliver us right away.
  3. We see the wicked triumphing over the righteous.

Habakkuk 1:5-11 addresses each of these problems in turn. Today we will look at verse 5 which provides an answer to the first problem.

How do we know God does care? (Habakkuk 1:5-11)

So how do we know God does care? What about when we pray and don’t see God’s answer right away? What about when we are in trouble and God does not deliver us right away? What about when the wicked triumph over the righteous? I mean, in those situations it really could look like God doesn’t care. But, remember, looks can be deceiving. In verses 5-11 God responds to Habakkuk’s complaint. And in answering Habakkuk’s questions, God showed Habakkuk, and he shows us, that yes he does notice, yes he is concerned, yes God does care.

Continue reading ‘Blogging with Habakkuk (6) - Does God Care?’

Churches Stop Calling God “Lord”

Published at April 24, 2007 in God, Current Events, Church and Bible. 0 Comments

Some churches have stopped using the word ‘Lord’ to speak about God or Jesus. This comes from the Arizona Daily Star:

“‘Lord’ has become a loaded word conveying hierarchical power over things, which in what we have recorded in our sacred texts, is not who Jesus understood himself to be,” St. Philip’s associate rector Susan Anderson-Smith said. [from St. Philip’s in the Hills Church in Tucson, Arizona] …

St. Philip’s isn’t the only local church to re-examine its language. Other local religious leaders already are eschewing the use of “Lord” for similar reasons. First Congregational United Church of Christ in Midtown even has a different name for The Lord’s Prayer. They call it “The Prayer of Our Creator.” “We do still use the word ‘Lord’ on occasion, but we are suspicious of it,” First Congregational pastor Briget Nicholson said. …

St. Francis in the Foothills United Methodist Church has been minimizing its use of Lord for two decades, senior pastor David Wilkinson said. “We usually change ‘Lord’ to ‘love’ or ’soul’ or ‘light,’ ” Wilkinson said.

So, these churches do not want to use the word ‘Lord’ to refer to God or Jesus, because ‘Lord’ implies a hierachical relationship of power that they do not find in their sacred texts. When I read the Bible, I read about a God who is the all-powerful ruler over all creation. I think the word ‘Lord’ describes that very well. I just did a quick computer search of the word ‘Lord’ in the Bible. It is used 170 times in the gospels, 6,459 times in the Bible as a whole. (NIV) Not all of these occurrences refer directly to God or Jesus, but the vast majority of them do.

Here are just a few of those sacred texts that a church might want to reflect on before getting rid of the word ‘Lord’ with regards to God and Christ.

  • “I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God.” (Isaiah 45:5)
  • Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.” (Matthew 22:37-38)
  • “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46)
  • “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.” (John 13:13)
  • Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28)
  • “Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11)
  • “On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:16)

(HT: PastorBlog)

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