Joel Rockey's Blog

True and False Zeal

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:40:07 -0800

Something to make you stop and think:

Zeal is that pure and heavenly flame,
The fire of love supplies;
While that which often bears the name,
Is self in a disguise.

True zeal is merciful and mild,
Can pity and forbear;
The false is headstrong, fierce and wild,
And breathes revenge and war.

While zeal for truth the Christian warms,
He knows the worth of peace;
But self contends for names and forms,
Its party to increase.

True and False Zeal, by John Newton

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Luther on the Law

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:09:14 -0800

“Some will object that the Law is divine and holy. Let it be divine and holy. The Law has no right to tell me that I must be justified by it. The Law has the right to tell me that I should love God and my neighbor, that I should live in chastity, temperance, patience, etc. The Law has no right to tell me how I may be delivered from sin, death, and hell. It is the Gospel's business to tell me that. I must listen to the Gospel. It tells me, not what I must do, but what Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has done for me.”

Martin Luther, "Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians"

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My Top 10 Books of 2011

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 18:29:00 -0800

This year was a great year for reading. My brother-in-law and I both set out to read 52 books, and thankfully we both accomplished that goal.

As expected with reading over 52 books in a year, you are bound to read some great ones, some not so great ones, and some mediocre ones.

Here is a list of the top ten books I read this year:

10. "Just Do Something" by Kevin DeYoung

A refreshing look at "God's Will" in our daily lives. Highly recommended for anyone working with teens or young adults.

9. "Getting Things Done" by David Allen

One of the best books I've read on personal productivity and life management.

8. "Simple Church" by Thom Rainer & Eric Geiger

Simplifying the ministry process. Very helpful read for anyone in church ministry.

7. "Give Them Grace" by Elyse Fitzpatrick

Parenting is not about getting your children to simply "do the right thing," but rather leading them into a real relationship with Jesus.

6. "Doctrine" by Mark Driscoll

A very practical and "real life" approach to doctrine. Packed with Scripture and a very engaging read.

5. "Shepherding a Child's Heart" by Tedd Tripp

Classic book on parenting. I would recommend this book to anyone who has kids, doesn't have kids, works with parents who have kids, grandparents, and anyone who has seen a kid.

4. "Christ-Centered Preaching" by Bryan Chapell

A must read for any preacher of God's word.

3. "Desiring God" by John Piper

I bought this book in 2005. It took me six years to finally read it. I regret that.

2. "Communicating for a Change" by Andy Stanley

This book came highly recommended by many friends, and it did not disappoint. Best book I've read on communicating.

1. "Surprised by Grace" by Tullian Tchividjian

This was the most impactful book I read in 2011. It helped me realize the importance of the Gospel in my everyday life.

Well, that's my list. I would be interested in hearing what your favorite reads were in 2011.

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If Satan took over your city...

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 06:00:00 -0700

Recently I finished reading “Give Them Grace: Dazzling Your Kids With the Love of Jesus” by Elyse Fitzpatrick. It was a fantastic book about Gospel-centered parenting and very helpful for a future dad like myself. While I hope to write a review on the book in the future, I wanted to share a thought provoking quote from Tullian Tchividjian’s forward in the book:

In preparation for writing this foreword, I reread the opening lines of Michael Horton’s book Christless Christianity. He writes:

“What would things look like if Satan really took control of a city? Over half a century ago, Presbyterian minister Donald Grey Barnhouse offered his own scenario in his weekly sermon that was also broadcast nationwide on CBS radio. Barnhouse speculated that if Satan took over Philadelphia (the city where Barnhouse pastored), all of the bars would be closed, pornography banished, and pristine streets would be filled with tidy pedestrians who smiled at each other. There would be no swearing. The children would say, “Yes, sir” and “No ma’am,” and the churches would be full every Sunday . . . where Christ is not preached.”

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24 Things I Love About My Wife

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 06:00:00 -0700

Today my wife and I celebrate our second anniversary or 24 months of marriage. I can honestly say that I love my wife more today than I ever have. She is the most awesome person in the world!

It only seemed appropriate to share some wonderful things about my wife:

I love that she loves Jesus.
I love that she cares for others more than she cares for herself.
I love that she puts up with my many faults. (And there are many!)
I love that she thinks I'm handsome. (Receding hairline and all.)
I love that she actually likes watching sports. (And actually cares about the game.)
I love that she loves me. (Trust me, this is not easy.)
I love that she is way totally gorgeous!
I love that she has a fantastic sense of humor.
I love that she actually said "yes" to marrying me.
I love her cooking.
I love that she is compassionate.
I love that she is crazy talented at just about everything she does. (Have you heard her sing? Yeah, I rest my case.)
I love that she is wicked smart. (Much smarter than I.)
I love her smile.
I love that she is a diehard Lakers fan. (Yes, all of our children will be Lakers fans.)
I love that she tolerates me being a San Francisco Giants fan. (Still trying to convince her to let Hannah wear a Giants jersey on the way home from the hospital.)
I love that she supports me in the ministry.
I love that she listens to me.
I love her laugh.
I love that she doesn't talk about me with her girlfriends. (Even though she could say a lot.)
I love that she is amazing with children. (She's gonna be an awesome mommy to Hannah!)
I love that she respects me.
I love when she is in her goofy moods.
I love that she is my best friend.

I love you, Charity

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What is the Gospel?

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 09:03:00 -0700

I saw this video and thought it was a great visual illustration of the Gospel. Enjoy!

You can download the video here if you'd like.

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Book Review: Holier than Thou

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 14:06:43 -0700

A good friend of mine loaned me this book a couple weeks ago and it was highly recommended by him. Once I started reading it, I could not put it down. I know we often say that, but this book definitely kept my attention. Not because I was echoing "amen" the whole time, but because I felt like I was looking in a mirror as I read the convicting pages of this book. I can't prove it, but I'm pretty sure Mr. Caner had me in mind when he wrote this book.

Synopsis:

"Holier than Thou: When Faith Becomes Toxic" was written by Dr. Ergun Caner. This book describes the toxic characteristics of Pharisaical attitudes in our Christian culture. It is written in the style of a Bible study from the book of Matthew. This book is not long (only 107 pages) and it is very easy to read. Ergun's writing style is logical and contagious. As my friend said, "He makes you laugh out loud and feel deeply convicted at the same time." I could not have said it better.

In this book, he describes the symptoms of Pharisees, gives Biblical warnings against this dangerous pitfall, and then gives a Christ-centered solution. If you are willing to take a serious self-examination, I recommend reading this book.

Book Description:

"The streets of our culture are littered with former church members. Why do people leave the church? Might the responsibility for increasingly absent and disgruntled members lay on the shoulders of toxic Christians? No Christian sets out to have toxic faith. At the beginning of their journey, a newborn saint is filled with joy, gratitude, praise and grace for others. They hunger for God and long to enjoy God in their lives. Yet for some, a subtle shift begins to take place. They become critics rather than workers, skeptics rather than servants. Before long, one finds them resistant or seeking to impose their will on others, regardless of Scriptural injunction. Dr. Ergun Caner charts this gradual decline into becoming a sin-sick soul, not to bemoan this ailment or resign to its inevitability, but in order to arrest and alter the person's course away from obsession back toward devotion." (Taken from Amazon)

Buy, Sell, or Borrow:

Definitely buy. I plan on purchasing a personal copy and reading it again. This book would be a great study for an adult bible class or small group. I give this book a 9 out of 10.

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What Not to Say to a Pregnant Woman

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 15:28:00 -0700

I recently came across this video and just had to share it. My wife and I are expecting our first baby girl this September, and this whole pregnancy journey has been a blast. But, as with every new experience, there are always challenges as well.

This funny video helps us men (and women) know what not to say or do to a pregnant woman. Enjoy!

This post is purely for enjoyment purposes only.

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50 Random Acts of Kindness

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 06:00:00 -0700

This month our church is focusing on outreach and impacting our community with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our pastor has encouraged us to demonstrate the love of Christ by performing random acts of kindness, or more appropriately, deliberate acts of kindness.

"The best way to get our focus off of self is to focus on the needs of others."

This list is a compilation of brainstorming, various ministry resources, and some online research. I hope that some of these will inspire us to get out of our comfort zone and show the love of Jesus.

Take baked goods to a fire station.
Make homemade cards and take them to a convalescent hospital.
Find an address in the phonebook and send a gift to a random person.
Cut someone's lawn.
Volunteer to read to students at a public school.
Offer to baby-sit for a young couple so they can go out.
Leave a copy of an inspirational book in a public area.
Drop a few coins in an area where children play so they can easily find them.
Pay for the person behind you at a drive-thru restaurant.
Invite someone who is always alone over for dinner.
Put something you no longer need on Craigslist in the "free" section.
Buy a coworker a coffee on the way to work.
Take a roll of quarters to a laundromat and distribute them.
Round up shopping carts in a parking lot and put them back where they belong.
Take flowers to a shut-in or someone hospitalized.
Leave a note/gift for the mailman or newspaper boy.
Send a care package to a service man or woman overseas.
Slip money to someone having financial difficulty.
Take a pie to an elderly neighbor.
Take a bag of groceries to a needy family.
Offer to wash/wax the neighbor's car.
Give a large tip to your waiter or waitress.
Pick up trash around your neighborhood or nearby park.
Walk a neighbor's dog.
Buy a candy bar when you're checking out at the grocery store and give it to a kid behind you in line.
Keep umbrellas in the trunk of your car, and give them out to pedestrians on a rainy day.
Put coins in a parking meter that has expired.
Give a compliment about a waiter or waitress to the restaurant manager.
Stop to help someone change a flat tire.
Pay someone's bill at a restaurant as you are leaving.
Have a meaningful conversation or buy a meal for a homeless person.
Buy lemonade from a lemonade stand----you'll make a kid's day! (Let them keep the change.)
Give another driver your parking spot and park further away.
Buy flowers from a roadside vendor and give them to a complete stranger.
Pass out bus fare tokens to people waiting at a bus stop.
Put change in a pay phone or vending machine.
Offer cold water bottles to yard maintenance workers in your neighborhood.
Volunteer to check the oil and other fluids in an elderly neighbor's vehicle.
Gather canned goods or other unwanted food items in your cupboards and donate to a food pantry.
Offer to give a lift to someone waiting at a bus stop.
Go out of your way to tell a law enforcement officer or military personnel how you appreciate their service.
At the grocery store, let someone with just a few items go ahead of you in line.
People having yard sales are often financially strapped. Stop and buy something, even if you don't need it.
Drive thoughtfully. Leave gaps near intersections for drivers to enter traffic from local businesses.
At a gas station, offer to pump the gas for an elderly person if their car is near yours.
Find out the shoe size of an underprivileged child and buy him/her a new pair of shoes.
A Starbucks gift card can make almost anybody's day. Pick somebody at random to give one to.
Refurbish an old, unneeded bicycle (tires, tube, seat, etc.) and give it to a neighborhood kid.
When the ice cream truck visits your street, offer to buy treats for the kids in your vicinity.
Never underestimate the value of a smile! They're free, so give them out as much as possible.

What are some ideas you could add to this list? Please share them in the comments below.

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Quality or Quantity?

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:39:00 -0700

It is often said that love can be spelled, "T-I-M-E"

The problem is that everyone is competing for our time. Our boss, spouse, kids, family, friends, and even our dog want us to give them our undivided attention.

But our time is limited, so we need to be careful how we manage this valuable commodity.

We all know that time is vital for any healthy relationship to grow, so how much time do we need to invest in a relationship? Should we focus on quality time or quantity time?

Some people claim that the quality of time matters more than the quantity of time. But that statement is deceiving. It implies that there is somehow more value in sharing a few great moments with someone than there is in experiencing the little things of life together everyday. I disagree.

Although there is great fulfillment in experiencing once-in-a-lifetime moments with others, those moments won't mean as much until you have cherished the daily events of life together.

The truth is, both are important.

"You don't get quality time unless you get it by traveling the road of quantity time." - Bill Gillham

I love spending time with my wife. But if I neglected to involve myself in her everyday life, we would never make it to quality time.

Could you imagine if I hadn't spoken to my wife all day and then found a second to pull away to say, "Ok Charity, we're going to have a quality date. Ready, set, go!" ? I highly doubt that would work.

Quality time cannot be forced or manufactured

Quantity time will often create quality time

There is great value in the special moments of life, however we need to balance our time first before those moments will become lifetime memories.

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Stuck in a rut?

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 14:47:00 -0700

(The following blog post is inspired from a message by Pastor Chuck Miller on the story of Jesus healing Bartimaeus in Mark 10:46-52. His points were so helpful I thought they would be great to share.)

Have you ever found yourself in a rut? Whether it is spiritual, physical, or social, most of us have found ourselves going in circles more often than we would like. Call them ruts, call them times of discouragement, call them periods of apathy or indifference, or call it backsliding.

Whatever you end up calling it, recognize that these times can have a devastating effect on your ability to serve the Lord. So, what do you do in this situation?

I believe these following points are a great recipe to get out of a rut:

Determine responsibility for your own life - In the story of Bartimaeus, he took personal responsibility to seek help from Jesus. Sure, he could have waited for somebody else to understand his plight and make sure Jesus stopped by and helped him that day, but this could have been his only chance.

It's time we stop blame-shifting, and take personal responsibility for our lives.

Desire Jesus to truly change you - Bartimaeus cried out to Jesus for help. He knew that if a radical change was going to take place in his life, he needed Jesus.

The moment we stop trying to fix our own lives and instead cry out to Jesus, our lives will change.

Determine what it is you really need - Twice in this story Bartimaeus cried out to Jesus, "have mercy on me," but when Jesus came to Bartimaeus he asked, "what should I do to you?" Obviously, Christ knew what Bartimaeus needed. The reason Christ asked him to identify his need was because he wanted him to first be willing to see and admit his need.

It is not enough to simply want help, we need to see our need specifically.

Disregard negative advice from others - If Bartimaeus would have listened to those around him, he would have never approached Jesus. Matter a fact, the crowd around tried their very best to discourage him from approaching Jesus. If he was going to experience change, he had to ignore the negativity surrounding him.

Although some advice is good, don't listen to advice that takes you away from Jesus.

Don't wait for ideal circumstances - Was it really the best timing for Bartimaeus to cry out to Jesus? He was just one voice in an overwhelming crowd of people. Some people spend their whole life waiting for the perfect time to get on fire for God. Satan will see to it that this will never happen.

Waiting for the "perfect time" to change will often paralyze us from doing anything productive.

Do something bold and unexpected - When Jesus called for Bartimaeus, he threw off his garment and ran to Jesus. Remember, this man was blind. This very well could have been the only way for him to stay warm and there was no guarantee that he would get it back. He didn't care what others thought, all he cared about was getting to Jesus.

It's often said that doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. Change requires us to take some bold and unexpected steps.

Dismiss any thoughts of procrastination - We've all been there, "I plan on starting a diet...tomorrow." Or maybe, "I really should spend more time with my family...beginning next week." Or my personal favorite, "I can't start a habit in the middle of the month. I'm sure there's something spiritual about waiting until the beginning of next month."

Someone once said, "Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried." The time to act is now!

So, what are some ways you've found that help you get out of a rut?

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Water Your Marriage

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 19:37:00 -0800

I came across this quote earlier today, and I feel it is good advice for marriage relationships:

"If the grass is greener on the other side...water your lawn."

Marriages are being attacked in our society like never before. Men are becoming discontent with their wives, and wives are feeling unsatisfied by their husbands. Why is this?

This discontentment stems from the fact that we are comparing our spouses to people we hardly know, people we work with, or people we may see on TV. What we fail to remember however is that this is warned against in Scripture. Practically speaking, there is no comparison! Not only do those people probably struggle with the same things that your spouse does, but that is exactly what leads to a "grass is always greener on the other side" mentality in our marriage.

Often this "greener grass" syndrome will come into a marriage and discontentment quickly follows.

In a society that is taking so much away from marriage, there are some important ingredients we must add back.

Add love to your marriage

God has commanded men to love their wives as Christ loved the church. Just stop and think about that! We need to communicate our love not just with words, but with actions.

Add value to your marriage

We love what we value. Jesus said that, "where your treasure is there will your heart be also." Relationships are often only as good as the amount of energy put into them.

Add communication to your marriage

How often do you talk with your spouse? Not just "Where are the kids?" or "What is for dinner?". How often do you sit down and take the time to really invest your life into them through communication?

Add purpose to your marriage

The purpose of our marriages should be to glorify Jesus Christ. We are quick to seek pleasure in marriage, but if we focus on the purpose, the pleasure will come. It is then that the pleasures of marriage will be more satisfying.

Add time to your marriage

It's often said that love can be spelled, "T-I-M-E" or "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." Sometimes the most profitable thing to do is to put away your computer or work project, step away from the television and go with your spouse on a walk. You will never regret investing time into your marriage relationship.

Add praise to your marriage

Men, you should be the first person to compliment your wife on her looks. I heard someone once say, "When should you tell your wife that you love her? Before someone else does." Although funny, there is a lot of truth in that statement. Praise your spouse...before someone else does.

Add life to your marriage

Is your marriage boring? Then add life to it! Go on a surprise date, buy your wife flowers, cook him the meal he loves, do something spontaneous, etc. Remember, anything left to itself gravitates toward disorder. Oftentimes while dating, we strive to find ways to surprise or please our significant other. Why does that so often fade away? We should be more eager to excite our spouse.

Add fun to your marriage

Marriage is awesome! Enjoy your marriage. Have fun each and every day. Make it a point to schedule fun things to do on your day off. These things do not need to be, nor should they be, expensive. Many times enjoying the simple things of life puts the focus back on the people you are with rather than the activity you are doing.

Many couples complain that their marriages are falling apart. Maybe that's because they are not adding to their marriage. Give your marriage a heavy dose of watering and see what new life comes from it.

What are some ways you have found that combat this "greener grass" syndrome?

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Holden: Six Months with Jesus

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 06:00:00 -0800

Six months ago today, my precious nephew, Holden Newell Erwin, was taken home to be with Jesus. Looking back to that very sad day, we didn't know why, we had questions, and we were broken.

Six months later, we may not have all the answers, but I do know this: Jesus is greater than the pain, Jesus is greater than the sadness, and Jesus is greater than our brokenness!

I have been incredibly humbled and in awe of how Jesus has used Holden's life to change the lives of so many others.

My heart goes out to Holden's wonderful parents, Chet & Sarah Erwin. I am truly humbled by their lives. They have taken the trial God has handed them and glorified Jesus through it.

Holden's life continues to touch the lives of thousands of people. My sister and brother-in-law have started the "Holden Uganda Foundation" which provides water to thousands of people in Africa. But more importantly, they provide "living water" by sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

“But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:14

As I have been reflecting on these past few months, I am so thankful that:

God has received the glory

The name of Jesus has been exalted

My relationship with my sisters has been strengthened

Life now has a greater value

Thank you, Holden, for touching my life!

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Revisiting the Classics

Sat, 26 Feb 2011 18:17:00 -0800

This year I am trying to read more than I ever have. I was inspired by my brother-in-law, Luke Miller, who has really helped me along the way.

So, as I've been been compiling my reading list for the year, I've noticed that there are some great classic Christian books that I've never read. (I was the guy who watched the cartoon version of "Pilgrim's Progress" growing up.)

This realization could not be better illustrated than by the following embarrassing conversation I had:

Me: (With the excitement of a second grader) Hey, I just found "In His Steps" on Kindle for free!

Close Friend: That's cool, I remember reading that when I was in second grade.

Me: (Trying to find a way to end the conversation quickly) Oh wow, yeah. You know what they say, "It's a classic"!

Close Friend: Have you read it before?

Me: (Realizing "Plan A" didn't work, but trying to regain some sense of normality) Read it? Well, technically, no. But I know the story, and that's what matters, right?

Now, Not-so-Close Friend: What!? Are you even a Christian?! How could you have not read "In His Steps"? That is one of the classic books in Christian literature! And you call yourself a reader. Ha!

To avoid such conversations in the future, I have determined to read all the classic Christian books that I have missed during my childhood.

I would like to think that I have some decent reasons why I've never read the classics:

1. When I was younger I considered reading to be a mild form of torture.

2. I did not learn how to read and comprehend until I was 12 years old.

4. I still think reading is hard work.

5. I did not develop a respect for reading until Bible college. (thanks to my instructor Dr. Mark Rasmussen)

6. The cartoon version of Pilgrims Progress was so good, I never thought I needed to read the book.

Ok, no more excuses. While I may not finish all of these titles before the end of the year, I am determined to finish all of them before my children read them in second grade:

In His Steps - Charles Sheldon

The Pilgrim's Progress - John Bunyan

Foxe's Book of Martyrs - John Foxe

The Normal Christian Life - Watchman Nee

Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secrets - Howard Taylor

Mere Christianity - C.S. Lewis

The Pursuit of God - A.W. Tozer

Morning and Evening - Charles Spurgeon

Are there any classic Christian books you've never read? Are you embarrassed to say so?

Have I missed any great titles? (Chances are I've never read them.)

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The Love of God

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 21:40:00 -0800

My wife and I were listening to The Love of God on our commute home this afternoon. I could not help but rejoice when I heard these powerful words:

Could we with ink the ocean fill,

And were the skies of parchment made,

Were every stalk on earth a quill,

And every man a scribe by trade,

To write the love of God above,

Would drain the ocean dry.

Nor could the scroll contain the whole,

Though stretched from sky to sky.

O love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure

The saints’ and angels’ song.

Romans 8:39 "Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

You can download the sheet music for this song here.

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Stop Asking for More

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 07:34:00 -0800

"Do not pray for more of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity and is not in pieces. Every child of God has all of Him, but does He have all of us?" -- F.B. Meyer

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Would you still be satisfied?

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 20:16:00 -0800

"The critical question for our generation - and for every generation - is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there?" -- John Piper

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10 Things I Love about Christmas

Fri, 24 Dec 2010 09:26:00 -0800

There are so many things I love about Christmas, but I decided to only list a few:

1. Celebrating the birth of Jesus

2. Spending time with family

3. Reflecting on God's goodness

4. Getting extra time to read

5. Watching the Lakers game Christmas day

6. Eating

7. Giving gifts and receiving gifts

8. Resting

9. Giving Christmas gifts to Jesus

10. Planning for the next year

What do you especially love about Christmas?

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Does Facebook Count?

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 07:27:00 -0800

Facebook has become my main form of communication with friends and family, but does it really count as a quality contact? Does liking someone's status update really relieve us of our friendship duties? Can you relate to this? I can. Somewhere we lost the personal touch in our communication. Allow me to illustrate:

The Lord has blessed me with wonderful twin sisters, but sadly they live in Texas and I live 1,500 miles away in California. This makes it very difficult to stay connected. Ultimately, I have resorted to using Facebook as my only way of keeping in touch with them.

When I started my Facebook account a little over a year ago, I thought it was going to be the answer. Now I could send them a message, comment on their status updates, like their posts, and even send them random gifts that clutter up their wall. Perfect, right? No.

For some of us, Facebook has become the only medium we use to communicate. Don't get me wrong, I think Facebook is a great tool to keep in contact on a daily basis, but it should not replace personal communication.

So, how do you stay in contact with relatives who live so far away?

Send a hand written note - When was the last time you received a heartfelt hand written note? Remember how meaningful it was to you? It's time for us to put down the smart phone, turn off the Mac, and pull out a pen and piece of paper.

Make a phone call - If you have friends or family that live out of state, one of the best ways to stay in touch is simply by calling them. The excuse that it costs too much is no longer valid, thanks to services like Google voice.

Send a postcard - Next time you are on vacation, send a postcard. This is a great way to let them know you are thinking about them. Not to mention it's cool getting postcards from random destinations like Alcatraz or Bloomington, MN.

Send a random gift - Sure, we're expected to give gifts during Christmas, birthdays, and national "buy Joel a Starbucks gift card" day. But an unexpected gift is a great way to show you're thinking about that person, not just the holiday.

Skype - It's wonderful how technology allows us to video chat with someone across the world for free. For the loved ones you are not able to see face to face, this is a great alternative.

Has Facebook become the only way you connect with people?

What are some good ways you have found to stay connected apart from Facebook?

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The Supremacy of Jesus Christ

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 09:13:00 -0800

I enjoy reading, My Utmost for His Highest, along with my regular Bible reading schedule. Today's devotional for November 29th was especially good. This was too good not to share:

“He will glorify Me...” - John 16:14

The holiness movements of today have none of the rugged reality of the New Testament about them. There is nothing about them that needs the death of Jesus Christ. All that is required is a pious atmosphere, prayer, and devotion. This type of experience is not supernatural nor miraculous. It did not cost the sufferings of God, nor is it stained with “the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 12:11). It is not marked or sealed by the Holy Spirit as being genuine, and it has no visual sign that causes people to exclaim with awe and wonder, “That is the work of God Almighty!” Yet the New Testament is about the work of God and nothing else.

The New Testament example of the Christian experience is that of a personal, passionate devotion to the Person of Jesus Christ. Every other kind of so-called Christian experience is detached from the Person of Jesus. There is no regeneration - no being born again into the kingdom in which Christ lives and reigns supreme. There is only the idea that He is our pattern. In the New Testament Jesus Christ is the Savior long before He is the pattern. Today He is being portrayed as the figurehead of a religion - a mere example. He is that, but He is infinitely more. He is salvation itself; He is the gospel of God!

Jesus said, “...when He, the Spirit of truth, has come...He will glorify Me...” (John 16:13-14). When I commit myself to the revealed truth of the New Testament, I receive from God the gift of the Holy Spirit, who then begins interpreting to me what Jesus did. The Spirit of God does in me internally all that Jesus Christ did for me externally.

~Oswald Chambers

(Taken from, My Utmost for His Highest, November 29, Oswald Chambers)

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