Scriply Firestarters

The Walking Dead

George Burgin — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 08:38:59 -0600

The Fodder: Leviticus 13-15

The Thought: If I gave you a dollar for every time the book of Leviticus was quoted by other authors in the Bible you couldn’t even “super size” your quarter pounder with cheese meal. Not even Jesus quoted from the book of Leviticus! However, Leviticus is a very important book of the Bible and worth studying. You should read Leviticus 14.

Leprosy is a disease that literally turned people into the walking dead; slowly perishing inside and out. Early signs of the disease were specks on the eyelids or on the palms of the hands and gradually spread over the entire body, destroying nerve endings. As a result, the victim wouldn’t feel pain or even realize they’d hurt themselves. Bones would rot and drop off. Skin would become mummy-like. It wasn’t uncommon for the victim’s lips to hang down around the mouth, exposing teeth and gums.

Leprosy can be transmitted from one person to another through infected respiratory droplets. People...

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What? No Gumbo?

George Burgin — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 12:20:29 -0600

The Fodder: Leviticus 11-13

The Thought: The sign on the marquee reads, “New Name – New Menu”. Kashrut’s Kitchen had the reputation for being an industry leader in Goshen and Egypt with more locations than any other eatery. The Exodus disrupted everything. Gone were the 23 locations. Gone were the freshest ingredients of Egypt and Goshen. Gone were the happy faces of many satisfied customers. Gone were the long days of boiling pots, rolling steam and sore feet. Gone. All gone, including the Gumbo; the dish that combines ingredients and culinary practices from several cultures. The item that put Kashrut’s Kitchen on the map; the item that people would wait in line for hours to eat; the item that had won hundreds of “people’s choice” awards over the last 37 years. Gone. The meal that epitomized the heart of a nation; the Gumbo was gone. Forbidden.

The Exodus may have disrupted everything, but the stone tablets changed the menu. “Who needs holiness when...

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T.A.A.1: All About Love:Strike Two!

Kent Sorgon — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 23:03:52 -0600

My Adventure for this week is our church's celebration of Heart's Day.
Quite fun.I was there from start to finish.We had to set everything up.From the tents to the tables,we set it up.I was an usher(pretty tough task,since I'm people-allergic) but then I was tasked for the lights and sounds,which was more fun.
The fun started at the freedom wall.We were free to write anything about love.I chose to write "We should love God,because He loved us first." from 1 John 4:19.
The praise and worship was AWESOME.Lights + good music + God's presence = AWESOME.
What did I learn? The speaker,Ms. Precious Joy Ocon,was a good speaker,she had told us many things about being in a relationship,but she zeroed in on prioritizing God,family and church before getting a partner.She also talked about the ABC's of relationships,why wrong/bad relationships exist.
It was a fun activity.God really does enjoy people praising,worshiping,and loving Him above everything. View full post

War

dakota stafford welker — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 22:28:02 -0600

Today I recieved an email from my school, but it wasn't one I was used to. In this it explained that an unusual occurance. Spiritual Warfare to be specific. I sat back and really thought about the truth. There is a constant stuggle of angels and demons all around us. Both are fighting for us, both doing their part to lead us in a direction. Today I was also privilaged to attend a C.S Lewis seminar, in which we were able to talked about a popular book authored by Lewis entilted The Screwtape Letters. If you haven't heard of it, it's about an elder demon writting letters to his nephew, instructing him on how to be a good demon. In one letter, Screwtape writes to his nephew, Wormwood, explaining to him an example of how to lead people in his direction. The example included a man (an atheist) who was sitting reading a newspaper, when Screwtape noticed "the enemy" (an angel) at the man's elbow, speaking to the man encouraging his train of thought. Screwtape then went into action and...

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Strange Fire Is Destroyed By Holy Fire

George Burgin — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 18:08:55 -0600

The Fodder: Leviticus 8-10

The Thought: Nadab and Abihu: two brothers who represent the perfect mixture of ignorance and pride. You may not agree with that summation, but before you get about the rest of your day, look at the first word the jumps out of this collection of letters: ignorance. Do you immediately see the word IGNOR (ignore)? I hope so because that’s exactly what Nadab and Abihu did - they pridefully ignored the holiness of God and did so with full knowledge. They paid the ultimate price.

This pair was part of the seventy four member procession whom ventured up the mountain with Moses and saw the presence of the Lord first hand (Exodus 24:9-11). They were part of the seven day ordination ceremonies that God instituted for the inauguration of the priesthood. These ordained priests had strategic roles on the day following the ordination and participated in all the sin, burnt, fellowship and grain offerings. Also, they knew the Lord would appear the day...

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I can not do it myself

Bob Morton — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:22:05 -0600

February 17, 2012

The Life of Jesus; read today: Multitudes mock Jesus; Matthew 27:39-43; Mark 15:29-32; Luke 23:35-37

On Wednesday nights at the church I attend we have a self-help group running for people who have co-dependency issues. One thing that I have learned from them is that a person can not help themselves get out of their addictions. Nor can you help anyone else out of their addictions. If you try, you run the risk of becoming codependent and having an addiction to trying to fix them.

The only way one can come out of those addictions to recognize that they can not do it in their own strength. As I have gone through this program, I have had to say that I am powerless in myself, that I can not break the chains. However, if I turn acknowledge that I have the problem, and turn to God for help (a higher power as some organizations say), then God can help me through the problems. To put it bluntly, I can not save myself.

ESV: Mark 15:31. So also the chief priests with the... View full post

Ignorance Is Not Bliss! It's an Early Grave.

Craig Beuker — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:29:11 -0600

As we know, our bodies are not our own. They are in fact the temple of the Holy Spirit, and we need to start treating them as such. We not only disrespect our bodies by filling them with what ever we deem tastes good, but we also use whatever products we ignorantly think works for cosmetics and hygiene products. They say that ignorance is bliss, but with the rate that cancer and disease are sky-rocketing in America, we need to educate ourselves on what we are putting on and in our bodies and stop living in ignorance.. Chris and Andrea Fabry have been using Chris' radio show on Moody Radio to educate people on how to do just that. Here are a few links to those shows. Check them out. Ignorance will just put us into an early grave. View full post

A how-to on celebrating Valentine's Day the CHRISTIAN WAY.

Kent Sorgon — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:19:16 -0600

Hi Everyone!
You might as well be wondering why I wrote this post.I wrote this because I was half hoping that you guys will grasp this idea,'kay?
Let's start with the history of Valentine's day.It all started with a priest named Valentine in Rome.You might be thinking,"What another good ending story.Hurrah." But NO.Ladies and gentlemen,I introduce to you,to love-hating,cruel,and cranky Emperor Claudius! *silence* Oh well.
Back to the story,Valentine was a good guy.He was the one whom people came to be married.But Claudius wants to expand his army,with Rome being the strongest empire and all.The men refused to go to war and would rather stay home with their wifeys. ;)
Claudius,hearing this reports of men not wanting to join the army,he banned men to be married.Valentine,still officiating marriages,got caught and was put to death.And he left a note ending with,
"Love,Your Valentine"
And that was the start of Valentines day.Now as a CHRISTian,how can we celebrate V-day the CHRISTIAN... View full post

black box

dakota stafford welker — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:44:56 -0600

Last week my school presented all us students with what we call International Focus Week, where most classes are cancled on a specific day and other hour long seminars are set in their place. We are able to choose any of the classes we want. One class that I chose was entitled simply "Sex Trafficking. In no way was I fully ready for what I was going to hear.

The professor was so pasionate about this subject that it was hard not to connect. As he retold some stories that he exerienced himself and had heard from others my heart was drawn out to those being abused in these situations. The class focused on the young boys being exploited. Often we forget that it's not just young girls being sold and abused. 30% of the children involved in the trafficking are boys under the age of 16, some, are only infants. I heard stories that broke my heart and made me angry. Angry not only at the people who choose to do that to children, but also at myself, who at that time was sitting...

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Have Less Work,More friends

Kent Sorgon — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 04:24:41 -0600

What Am I Living For Series Lesson 3
Bible verses: Ecclesiastes 4:1-12
Howdy! This post today came from my Bible study meeting yesterday.Our devotion will be starting in 3...2...1...

So in particular group of verses,Solomon was already saying,"I saw all oppression that they did under the sun.And I see the oppressed crying,behold,no one is comforting them! The oppressors have power,and there was no one to comfort them."(v.1)
Think about it reader,does this phrase or scenario still happen today?That poor people crying,yet not one person was helping them?
In the whole book of Ecclesiastes Solomon was asking the questions, "Why is life like this?" "Why do I exist?".But let's take a closer look.
In verses 2-7,Solomon says life is meaningless. What? You heard it. Why? Let's see why.

It is meaningless to be alive.(v.2) The reason he said those is because of his surroundings.Go back to verse 1.He says,"...the dead are more fortunate than the living..." But don't get that knife yet.He does...

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Love at First Sight

Rish — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:02:22 -0600

Since it's the month of February, a lot of people have been talking about love and relationships.During our small group discussion, we talked about love and our own experiences regarding love. We talked about what attracts us to a person and what we think a good partner should have. I shared how I wanted a guy who I could be comfortable with. I wanted a guy who respects and isn't afraid to share anything with me. But most of all, I realized that I also wanted a guy who is God-fearing.
Our topic for the week (about love) was "Love at First Sight". For some there is such thing as "Love at First Sight" and for some, it is merely an exaggeration. I for one cannot say myself that I believe in Love at First Sight. But what I can say is that, there could "maybe" be a chance for something like that to happen.
If you read the verse above, it is actually a short verse taken from the story of how Abraham sent his servant to search for a wife for his son Isaac. The servant knelt down and... View full post

Do You Need Rest?

Kristina Herron — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:24:36 -0600

And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:14 (NKJV)

Do you need rest? Good news, its yours for the having! God promised rest for the Israelites when they were to move into the Promised Land, and it is for us as well: And so this is still a live promise. It wasn't canceled at the time of Joshua; otherwise, God wouldn't keep renewing the appointment for "today." The promise of "arrival" and "rest" is still there for God's people. Hebrews 4:8-9 (MSG). We all like to rest from time to time, take a breather, sit back, take it easy. Resting in God; however is finding a contentment that can't come from anywhere else. It does not mean getting comfortable in our lives and being complacent, because the writer of Hebrews also writes: For as long, then, as that promise of resting in him pulls us on to God's goal for us, we need to be careful that we're not disqualified. Hebrews 4:1 (MSG). This rest we can expect is having a calm about us and praying... View full post

Devotions for our soul: Feb 2

Kent Sorgon — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 22:26:48 -0600

Crucified.Died.Risen.

Lk.23:26-56

The people whisper to each other.One can hear the shuffling of his steps.He was there.Walking.Carrying behind his back a big wooden cross.He already knew His demise.Like He had planned it at all.The soldiers mock and jeer at Him.Reader,let me ask you,do you now know what is this reading about? Yes,it’s about Jesus’ crucifixion.The most crucial part of His life here on earth.As Max Lucado,on his book And the Angels were Silent, this is the point where “no angel dared to sing.Heaven watched the most important scene. The actors and the props are set.The stage is ready.” You can hear the THUMP! WHACK! of the hammer that drives the nails into His hands and feet.CREAAAK.The cross is being stood up.Was Jesus alone in this? The disciples have left.Judas betrayed Him.Peter denied Him.And at the Calvary,He was with the two unlikeliest persons He should have been: two thieves. One at the right,another on His left.Guess what happened?(If you already...

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Sunday, February 5, 2012

Shelby Boyette — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:57:50 -0600

No matter what, Jesus loves us. We are all God's children and He knows everything about us. There is nothing we can hide from Him and we cannot fun from our past, no matter how dark it may be. As long as you forgive yourself, He forgives you. All anyone has is faith, hope, and love. Faith in Jesus, Hope in Friendship, and Love in Everything. The greatest of these is love. View full post

We Are To Live Redeemed

Kristina Herron — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:43:33 -0600

Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others He has redeemed you from your enemies. Psalm 107:2 (NLT)

God has not called the guilty, the fearful nor the anxious. This is something I struggle with, and I can only assume, as the devil is known for his attacks of fiery darts toward the minds of the children of God, you struggle with this as well, so I just want us to remember that He has called the redeemed! Speak out as the psalmist encourages us to do, speak out, shout out to the devil I am redeemed, and then follow with I AM redeemed me! We have this authority, for Jesus says, "Behold, I give you authority to trample on serpents and scorpions and all over the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.", Luke 10:19 ( NKJV). Authority was given to us from our Savior so we can rebuke the spirit of fear, anxiousness, and guilt. In 2 Timothy 1:7 Paul writes, For God did not give us a spirit of fear but power, love, and a sound mind.( NKJV). So I'm asking you... View full post

Agape: The Essential Ingredient

Andrew Ferguson — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:00:22 -0600

You don't have to be around church (or worse yet, theological colleges!) very long to discover that, while we might all be brothers and sisters in Christ and may even genuinely love each other, we're still a bunch of humans living in a decidedly human world. For centuries there have been certain "hot potatoes" that cause individual Christians, whole congregations and even whole denominations to fall out with one another, often resulting in a tragic ecclesiastical split. Minor points of doctrine, beliefs about spiritual gifts, what kind of music is allowed during worship, who is allowed to preach, organisation of church government, and so, on and on the list goes.
In the first century, the Church of Corinth knew all about being a church divided within itself (1Cor. 1:10-13; 11:18). In his First Epistle, Paul writes to them about a number of topics which were causing discord before going on to write what is possibly one of his most famous passages: 1 Corinthians 13. You've probably... View full post

CHANGING THE GAME AROUND

Pastor Clyde Calloway — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:17:14 -0600

Grace and peace from Christ Like Global Kingdom. I am wonderfully excited about what God is about to do. I pray that this message is meeting you right where you are.

So much is going on in the earth. Our lives are being shifted, our minds are being manipulated, and our time is being wasted. The earth is yearning for a change, a revival, and an expression of God's glory.

We are being battered due to the challenges of our time. This can be overwhelming, but still through all of this we have someone that is always with us. He is the Holy Spirit (Game Changer).

Stop there for a moment and close your eyes and call on Jesus. Shake off the memories of yesterday, and restore your faith at this very moment. Yes I do understand. Nevertheless, Jesus died already for this. It is not His will that we pick up and carry what He already destroyed.

He wants us to live and to change our mindsets to Kingdom, and not earthly. Yes, that is another story. How do you get there? The...

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We please God,not men

Kent Sorgon — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:04:57 -0600

Let's face it.We have tried,in one way or another,to please those whom we are talking to.I have been at that stage for many times.Many people have ALWAYS been asking me questions and I tried to explain it as normally as I can.But after seeing this verse,I suddenly got hit.ACK!
It was what I was doing all along.I lead a performance-driven,people-pleasing lifestyle.UNTIL NOW.
I read an article on the internet.It's about a girl who was trying to please God but using the men-pleasing method.Uhm,you can read it here. It proved to be dangerous since she was trying to please God but she's doing it wrong.
Question: How then,can we please God?
The answer,my friends,can be found at Mk. 1:11."This is my Son,in whom I am well pleased." [emphasis added] Well,only the Son can please the Father perfectly,but we can also please Him by walking by faith,not by sight.1
Remember what God had told Isaiah? "My thoughts are not your thoughts,neither are your ways are My ways."2
God does not... View full post

When it's your birthday; still, give praise to God

Kent Sorgon — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:46:53 -0600

So today was my birthday.Nothing special.But I think the council in my brain is going to decide whether I should go to Bible study.If you were inside of my council,this would probably go:
Happy Kent: Hey it's our birthday.We should celebrate!
Surprised Kent: Oh it is our birthday? I forgot that one.
Lonely Kent: Another year,another burden.[slacks off]
Show-off Kent: We should tell everyone about this.We should let the whole world know.
[somebody enters] *creaaaaaak*
Kent:Good morning gentlemen.We're here to discuss about our birthday.
[other Kent's suddenly chatter with another]
Kent: No,I decided to keep this matter among ourselves,my parents,my friend,and God.
[a resounding "awwww" fills the hypothalamus]
Kent: This is our ultimatum,let nobody know about it,and we're safe.
other Kents: Sir,affirmative,sir.
-END-

And I thought everything was going smoothly.Then suddenly I heard somebody say, "Happy birthday!" I thought it was my friend.But it was not."Shh.Keep quiet." I said.

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What is important?

Bob Morton — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:11:27 -0600

The Life of Jesus; read today: "Behold your mother."; John 19:25-27

ESV: John Chapter 19

[25] but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. [26] When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, Woman, behold, your son! [27] Then he said to the disciple, Behold, your mother! And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

Jesus second words from the cross can be a mystery at first. He tells His mother that the disciple John is her son and tells John that Mary is his mother. It would almost seem that He was slightly delirious. History tells us Jesus had two brothers so why wouldn't Jesus let them take care of Mary?

History also tells us that they did not believe in Jesus statements that He was the son of God. While they would be responsible for for her physical needs they obviously could not take care of her spiritual needs. Jesus was saying from the cross... View full post