It seems a small group of Christians set out to a Muslim festival in Michigan armed with video cameras in order ask questions about the Muslim faith and practices and this is what they got:
They were mistreated by Muslim security guards who would slap at the cameras and repeatedly tell the cameramen to turn the cameras off as if to be hiding something. All of this being done in the United States where those cameramen have every right to shoot video and ask the questions of the Muslim booth operators. Just goes to show how secretive they really are. If the roles where switched and it was Muslims and Muslim cameramen asking the questions, I can guarantee that the Christian booth keepers would be more than happy to share literature as well as speak to the Muslims about Jesus. All of this happened in Michigan on public city strets which where blocked for the festival and open to everyone.
So, I’ve spent the last few days away from the computer minus checking my email a couple times. What have I been doing you ask? Ok. maybe you didn’t ask but I’m gonna tell you. I’ve spent it with my family. The thing is though, I find that when I don’t keep myself occupied in some fashion, I tend to worry about things. You might say, “but Jay, we all know worry is a sin”, right? Yeah, worry is a sin but we all do it don’t we? Especially now, in these uncertain days. With our economy being the way it is. People getting laid off all over the place and companies going out of business, it’s very hard not to worry. I’m sure most are familiar with Matthew 6:34 which says:
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”
I keep that verse near to me always because I do worry so much. Just to remind me of what God’s word says about worrying. We have to, as my pastor says, “speak life and not death upon ourselves” and not dwell on what might happen tomorrow. Give it all to God and He will carry you through it. Los made a post about this recently and I think he hit the nail on the head so-to-speak. If you’ve had a worry filled day, be sure to check it out. I’m sure you’ll be blessed as I was.
Just got finished reading this at Raggamuffin Soul and thought I needed to throw it your way in case you hadn’t read it. But really, who doesn’t read Los’ blog?! Where’ve you been since like um…meh, nevermind! Here’s the link: The Ted Commandments – Rules every speaker needs to know.
Have you ever hung out with someone who finds it appropriate to say something and then if you don’t react, simply nudge you on the elbow while repeating themselves over and over again. Finally, you look at them and say something like “I got it”, or if your like me and don’t want to hurt their feelings, I say something like “that’s cool” or whatever is appropriate at the moment. Sometimes it hard for one person to listen to more than one person at a time, let alone actually do multiple things while listening to multiple people at the same time..pheew! That sentence wore me out!
God is omnipresent, right? We all know He is, so that means He has each one of us nudging His elbow very second of every day asking for something. You catch my drift here? We all want and need things from God but the correct way to go about getting those things isn’t to keep reminding Him. After all, He created memory, so He’ll remember the very first request or prayer you ever prayed. You only need to say it once! I have a bad habit of asking over and over for the same thing until I see it manifest. With the economy being the way it is right now, many are seeking jobs, housing, clothing and even food. many don’t know where they’ll sleep tonight and God knows all of that.
I say that to say this. To correctly obey God and ask Him for something, make sure you pray for forgiveness first-and-foremost. Get rid of all that bad junk you’ve got looming over your shoulder. Then, ask what it is you need from God the Father on behalf of Jesus Christ. (John 16:23)
There’s no need to ask Him more than once because He hears your prayer and if you believe, you have already received them answered. (Psalms 21:2). Does this mean you’ll be able to pray for a new Lexus and He’ll just park it outside your home so you may see it when you wake up? No. This means there has already been an answer set forth on that particular prayer and the answer will be revealed in God’s time, not yours. The Creator and Master of our universe doesn’t wear a Rolex and go by our time, so be blessed and keep your patience.
The reason for the question mark at the end of the title is that If we as Fathers (and you know who you are) are really honest with ourselves, we in all actuality have no idea what we’re doing. Now, when I say that, I don’t mean we’re complete morons and we can’t even change diapers correctly, although I think my wife would argue with me on that one. Anyway, what I’m referring to is that there are essentially no “great Fathers” out there. We’re all using the techniques we learned from our Dads as well as those little things our wives show us from their silly women’s magazines about what a good husband should be…blah..blah!
I think the first step to becoming a great Father is listening to your Heavenly Father. How did He treat His Son? With compassion, scorn, and at times even turned His back on Him. I know you’re saying to yourself, I would never turn my back on my son or daughter, and you’re right. You wouldn’t, but He did!
Translated to us in this day and age, I believe that means that sometimes we may have to let them do things they may regret in order that they will learn from those things. I will tell you one thing. Parenting in any form isn’t easy. I know. I have three children of my own and I don’t know what I would do without them, but they can be a challenge at times. On top of directing our children, we as Fathers are also Husbands and called to direct our households by “doing what is right and just”.
What it all boils down to is possessing certain qualities which you already possess or will learn as a Father. Some of the qualities include even-temper, firmness but kindness, and never waiver on your rules. Set a clear standard with your children and lead them by example as Jesus did. Jesus never told his apostles to do anything He Himself would not do. Most of all, show them the caring and loving side of you and reward them when they’ve done something good.
“For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just…” – Genesis 18:19
Last night my two oldest children and I were blessed to be able to attend World Vision Summerfest at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The concert was nothing short of a movement for Christ. We enjoyed every minute of it. The artists who performed were Kimber Rising, Lenae Hale, 33 Miles and Building 429. It was my kids’ first concert and I wanted it to be a good one and they weren’t disappointed.
My kids and I with 33 Miles
We had a great time and I would strongly recommend seeing them in concert if you get a chance. The video sounds good but it still doesn’t do them justice.
Are you a new Christian or just want to explore the Holy Bible a little more? Below I’ve put together a list of free online Bibles for your reading pleasure.
These are just a few examples of online Bibles. Online Bibles are sprouting up everywhere, Thank God! With these wonderful services online, The Gospel is reaching people from all over the world who would otherwise not be allowed to even possess a Bible. Think about that for a minute. How bless are we in America, that we can freely go into any Christian bookstore and in most cases WalMart and purchase a bible without persecution or fear of retaliation from groups who want you to believe in their theology and nothing more. We are blessed to have a choice to believe and follow Christ and that is simply priceless in my opinion.
Originally posted on February 26, 2009 Anyone (like Barack Obama) entertaining ideas of western democracies establishing friendly relations with the radicals of the Islamic world should watch this video. While watching the inflammatory rhetoric of the speaker, remember that this is not a Jihadists from Iran but a professor from Kuwait – a country with every reason to be grateful to the USA for liberating it from the tyranny of Saddam Husseins invasion.
It’s scary that there are real terrorists out there with these radical ideas based on the writings of their “Allah”.
Since I branded this blog “diverseCITY”, I thought it would be appropriate to talk a little about diversity in the church and how it can affect our worship experience. First, let me tell you that I am an avid supporter of diversity in the church. I don’t believe in having completely caucasian churches or completely African American churches. I believe in what the Bible tells us. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 12:12:
The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.
I’ve been to many churches in my life and I happen to prefer churches with more energy for Christ. I call them “pew jumper” churches. These churches typically happen to be made up of mostly African Americans. I need churches like these to keep my soul filled with the Holy Ghost instead of sitting in a church where everyone just sits and nearly all of the congregation falls asleep at some point during the sermon. You’ll recognize these churches by their need to have a “Starbucks type” coffee bar inside the church along with a mainly Caucasian rock style worship band and the majority of the congregation is of Caucasian decent.
Now, please don’t think I’m picking on any one denomination or style of church, just making a point. When I go to church on Wednesday and Sunday, I want nothing more than to be fired up for The Lord and the Pentecostal African American style churches do it best for me.
I believe churches are becoming more diverse in general as time goes by, which is outstanding because we’re all the same in the Eyes of God. My belief and understanding of the Bible is that God wants us to be diverse, not separated or segregated if you will. The wonderful people in our church welcome us with open arms. It feels really good to walk in and get a hug from one or more of the Pastors and other members of the congregation. We always walk into a Godly, warm atmosphere where we’re always welcome and I believe all churches should be that way but unfortunately some are not.
We recently left a “mega-church” to attend the one we’re currently members of because the warmth and Godly atmosphere was there, were it had not been in our previous church. The pastor at our previous church would read maybe one verse from the Bible and then speak mostly about money and finances the rest of the time, then he would almost literally run from the pulpit to his Lexus and buzz out of the parking lot before anyone had a chance to speak with him. The reason I’m telling you this is to tell you that I believe the atmosphere in a great church starts with it’s congregation. People of all races and backgrounds worshiping in one location is enough to make even a grown man shed a tear or two.
I sincerely hope your church is the right one for you and you’re not just going through the motions. You should be hugged and loved by others in your church and if that isn’t happening, maybe your church just isn’t diverse enough.
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Have you ever hung out with someone who finds it appropriate to say something and then if you don’t react, simply nudge you on the elbow while repeating themselves over and over again. Finally, you look at them and say something like “I got it”, or if your like me and don’t want to hurt their feelings, I say something like “that’s cool” or whatever is appropriate at the moment. Sometimes it hard for one person to listen to more than one person at a time, let alone actually do multiple things while listening to multiple people at the same time..pheew! That sentence wore me out!
Since I branded this blog “diverseCITY”, I thought it would be appropriate to talk a little about diversity in the church and how it can affect our worship experience. First, let me tell you that I am an avid supporter of diversity in the church. I don’t believe in having completely caucasian churches or completely African American churches. I believe in what the Bible tells us. The Bible says in .jpg)
