Bits & Pieces (5/30/13)

What God Doesn’t Need – “God doesn’t need us. He’s managed to achieve quite a bit without our help, thank you very much. In his kindness he allows us to participate in his mission. Let’s strive for excellence. But more importantly, let’s place our confidence in the God who does great things through weakness.”

What We Mean When We Say Amen – “Amen means ‘let it be’, ‘so be it,’ ‘verily,’ ‘truly.’  When you finish your prayer with ‘Amen’ you are saying, ‘Yes Lord, let it be so. According to your will, may it be.’ It’s a final note of confirmation at the end of our prayers.”

New Use for the Smartphone – When a camera is an easily accessible as reaching for your phone, it means all kinds of things can be instantly captured – including a disputed call in the French Open.

A Heart-Breaking Description – Warning – this is a graphic description. In testimony before Congress a former abortion doctor describes the procedures he used to perform. It should not only make our stomach turn, but should drive us to our knees in prayer.

Five Lies Sin Tells Me – Next time your tempted to do something that is against God’s directives, ask yourself whether you are believing one of these lies.

Continue Reading

Bits & Pieces (5/29/13)

Jesus Doesn’t Think My Doubt Is Cool – “Entering Jesus’ kingdom and walking daily with Jesus requires me to have a humble, trusting, loving, believing faith in Christ. Jesus calls me to have a simple, genuine faith in his character and his promises. When I tell my children that something is true, they believe me. They know that I love them, and therefore they simply trust me. They don’t demand proof, they simply trust. In the same way, I know that Jesus loves me and always has my best interests in mind, therefore I am called to simple faith in him.”

5 Ways the Bible Shapes Our Work – Have you ever wondered what applying Scripture to your work might look like? Tim Keller gives us five truths to consider when it comes to our work and our faith.

Are Sports as Worthy as the Arts? – “The boundaries on a field or court create a space, and the rules of the game eliminate anarchy. It is within this framework that great athletes are free to express beauty and power and majesty. It is within these rules and boundaries that the skill and nuance and improvisation come out. Without rules, all the ability that God poured into athletes would have nowhere to adequately be exhibited.”

Let Us Read, As In Read – “Faithful interpretation at its best is faith-filled repetition. God speaks through what we say from what he has said. And that means what we do with texts says more about our hearts than our intellects. By grace, we lean humbly on him, the divine author. We put our ear next to his heart by putting our eyes intently on his word. That’s when we shed the scales of carnal preference and cultural pressure.”

Do You Want to Be a Burden to Your Children? – “In the Body of Christ, there are not people who have burdens and people who don’t. We are to ‘bear one another’s burdens’ (Gal. 6:2). We are all a burden to be borne, just in different ways.”

How To Manage a Home By Faith – “Yes, God loves me in a complete and glorious way that I cannot comprehend. And in the abundance of his love, God gives me grace to do good works and makes my mundane tasks more than meaningless. This physical world and the tasks of folding laundry and vacuuming the living room are not something separate from grace and knowing God. In the midst of our everyday lives is the very place we receive his grace to live in a way that reflects our Savior.”

Continue Reading