tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082136950199542963Wed, 09 Oct 2024 21:01:29 +0000JesusfaithGodmatthewsermonslove1 CorinthiansLukeweeklysinMarklifeswanton1 Johnfollowing Jesusdevotionsobedience2 CorinthiansHebrewstruthdeathtrustHoly SpiritKing Jesushopejohn - the gospelheartknowing Jesuslove peopleprayerGenesisgoodActsforgivenessgracepainpromiserealityserviceRomansgospelprovisionrealrepentanceresurrectionchoicecoming kingfaithfulnessgood newshelppowerrevelationsalvationthankfulnessZechariahblessingevangelismkingdom of Godlife and deathplanrelationshipBible readingEphesiansPsalmsbeliefchangechurchcommanddanieldistractionsevilfaithfulfamilyfearfreedomgenerosityglorygrowthheavenhumilityjoylisteningministrymiraclenewobeyingrejectionrighteousnessunfaithfulnessunitywarningChristianCleanDisciplineGod's childrenJamesJudgment 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membershipcircumstancesclarityclothescomecommoncommunitycompensationcomplementarycompletecondemnationconfidenceconformityconfrontationconsequencesconsiderateconsistentcontentcontrastcookingcooperativecorruptioncounselingcounterfeitcovetingcravecrazycreatedcreationismcrimecriticalcropscustomscutedangerdaniel montgomerydaydeardebatedecaydecisiondeliverancedemisedeny the Christdeparturedestinydetailsdevoteddifferentdirectiondirtydisagreementsdisdaindishonordissipationdivinitydoctordoctrinedonatedonedoomdoubtdraw neardreadfuleartheasilyedificationelderselectionelijahendureenemyenjoyenoughequippederrorethicsevolutionexaltexcellentexclusiveexhaustingexperiencingexpertsexploitsfacebookfalsefalse godsfalse righteousnessfalsehoodfamiliesfathersfaultsfearlessfightfighting Godfillingfinishedfirefishingfitfittestflamesfollowerfoodfor sinnersforeknowledgeforgettingfoundationsfreefreedom of consciencefriendfriendshipfruitfruitfulfrustrationfusedgamesgapgarden of Edengenealogiesgenealogygenuinegiftsgiving upgladgood companygraciousgratitudegreatgreatergroomguardguillotineguilthabithalf-heartedhappinessharmhatehatedhealthcarehearhellheresyhereticshigh priestholinesshomehome-grownhopeshow-tohumblinghypocrisyignoranceimageimmatureimminenceimpactimperfectionimportantimpureincenseinclusioninclusivityindestructibleingredientsinsideinsightinspiringinstructioninstructionsinsultintegrityinterdependenceintroductioninwardirritatingissuesitineraryjobjoeljudasjustificationkeykidskinglaborlanguagelaughlawbreakerleaderslessliarlinguisticliving togetherlovingloyaltylukewarmmanhoodmarshwigglemartyrdommastermaturemeaninglessnessmeasuremembermemorymen's praisemindminglingministersmisunderstandingmockingmodelmundanemutualnamenationsneedneed a breakneighbornobakesnourishingobligationobserveoffendingofficialonceone anotherongoingopponentsopportunityoppositionoptimismorthodoxyothersoutsideoutwardovercomeroverflowingownershippagepairspanel discussionparentingpassionpastorspenaltyperformancepersecutionphariseesplentypointlesspoorpossibleposthumouspowerfulpowerlesspracticepragmaticsprayerspreachingpreferencespreparationpreparedpresencepresentpressurepresumptionpretencepretensepriorityprivilegeproblemsprofessionalproofprophecyprophetpropitiationprostituteprotectprotectedprotectingpublicpurificationpuritypursuing holinesspush back the darknessrabbitsrealizationreapreasoningrebelreciperecognitionredecorateredeemredeemedredemptiverefrainrefreshingregulationsrejectrejoicerelateremoverepetitionreproductionreputationresearchrespectrestrictionreverenceriddlerightrighteousriskrudolphrulessacredsadsaintsamesanctificationsanctifiedsatisfiedschool shootingscoffersscornsecularsecurityselfishnesssensitivesexshallowsignsinfulsinlesssinsslaveslaverysoilsojourn community churchsonsongssorrysowspeciesstatementstatusstaystealingstewstoriesstorystrangerssubmissionsubstitutionsupportsurvivalswordstabernacletalenttalkteachteamtempletemptationtensiontesting spiritsthanksthanksgivingthe endtheGatheringthird daythoughtstiredtraditiontrailerstrainingtransparencytricktrustworthyun-knowledgeuncleanunendingunimpressiveunionuniqueunitedunprotectedunwillinguprootedusefuluselessvideowaitingwastewastedwastefulwatchfulnesswatchthebook.comwaywealthwhole Biblewholeheartedwickedwimpwinningwisdomwomanwomanhoodwonderwordsworkworldworldly loveworldwideworn outworryworshippersworthywritingzealhttp://threequartertank.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (three-quarter tank)Blogger816125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082136950199542963.post-2789096669171699978Sun, 08 Mar 2020 19:10:00 +00002020-03-08T12:38:06.007-07:00discernmentdiversityevilfoolishnessgoodinclusionLukepoliticsTrumpwisdom Today's reading:  But wisdom is proved right by all her children. - Luke 7:35 NIV Thoughts: Is there room for diversity in the family of God? Jesus says there is.  Not just diversity of race. Not just diversity of the sexes. Not just diversity of culture. Jesus says there is room for diversity of personality and lifestyles, behaviors and choices. Jesus compared insults http://threequartertank.blogspot.com/2020/03/wisdoms-children-in-time-of-confusion.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (three-quarter tank)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082136950199542963.post-8412132296660808727Fri, 29 Jul 2016 10:57:00 +00002016-07-29T03:57:51.715-07:00Today's reading:  Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. -- Proverbs 31: 30 Thoughts: First, let me say that I have been somewhat jealous throughout my life that there's such a beautiful passage in the Bible devoted to women. I know I can't really be jealous because so many of the Bible's heroes are men. But to have one passage for men http://threequartertank.blogspot.com/2016/07/true-and-enduring-recognition.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (three-quarter tank)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082136950199542963.post-5189054778976018042Fri, 22 Jul 2016 11:11:00 +00002016-07-22T04:11:17.914-07:00Today's reading:  Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. -- Proverbs 30:8b-9 Thoughts: We've prayed it often enough: "Give us this day our daily bread." It's part of the Lord's Prayer, after all. But what's behindhttp://threequartertank.blogspot.com/2016/07/enough-and-just-enough.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (three-quarter tank)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082136950199542963.post-9206034867658540700Wed, 20 Jul 2016 11:11:00 +00002016-07-20T04:11:55.150-07:00Today's reading:  The  righteous detest the dishonest; the wicked detest the upright. -- Proverbs 29:27, NIV Thoughts: We're sometimes naive. We sometimes think that, if we speak the truth clearly, people will respect it. We think that they will respect us. We're sometimes naive. We sometimes think that, if we stand up for what's right, people will respect us. We're sometimes naive.http://threequartertank.blogspot.com/2016/07/mutual-detest.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (three-quarter tank)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082136950199542963.post-2535973168689030707Sun, 17 Jul 2016 11:49:00 +00002016-07-17T04:49:21.752-07:00Last week I preached a sermon entitled Being a Neighbor in BOLD. This week my family and I will be attending Ebenezer Baptist Church. We are attending, in part, as a response to the growing inter-racial tensions our country has been facing. We are attending because black lives matter just as much as every other life. We are attending because Jesus can give us our spiritual nourishment just as http://threequartertank.blogspot.com/2016/07/expand-your-neighborhood.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (three-quarter tank)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082136950199542963.post-6800705201574412906Thu, 07 Jul 2016 10:35:00 +00002016-07-07T03:35:55.288-07:00Today's reading:  Proverbs 25:12 -- Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is the rebuke of a wise judge to a listening ear. Thoughts: I like gold. I'm just throwing that out there.  Not that I wear a whole lot of gold myself. But gold definitely catches the eye. If you gave me gold, I'd be ok with that. When I give jewelry to Amanda (which she would probably like http://threequartertank.blogspot.com/2016/07/please-set-me-straight.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (three-quarter tank)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082136950199542963.post-8334734786010155459Thu, 23 Jun 2016 10:47:00 +00002016-06-23T03:47:12.714-07:00Today's reading:   Proverbs 22:24-25 -- Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared. Thoughts: One of the quickest and easiest ways to drive friends and valuable relationships away is by having a short fuse. If you have a hot temper, let me shoot straight with you for a moment: Even ifhttp://threequartertank.blogspot.com/2016/06/youre-friends-with-him.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (three-quarter tank)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082136950199542963.post-7984056363696803502Sun, 19 Jun 2016 12:05:00 +00002016-06-19T05:05:09.570-07:00Today I am grateful. Today my kids are with me, and I get to enjoy them on Father's Day. It should be automatic, right? Divorce changes everything. When my ex chose to leave, it threw my life and, more importantly, my kids' lives into chaos. Until the separation agreement was signed, I didn't know whether I would even be able to see HALF of my kids' lives. And then I had to wait until the http://threequartertank.blogspot.com/2016/06/fathers-day-at-last.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (three-quarter tank)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082136950199542963.post-3900762042441136318Thu, 09 Jun 2016 10:35:00 +00002016-06-09T03:35:04.529-07:00Today's reading:  Proverbs 20:22 -- Do not say, "I'll pay you back for this wrong!" Wait for the LORD, and he will avenge you. Thoughts: At work the other day, several of us were talking about how one of our friends had been treated unfairly. And one of us said, "It'll come back to them. Karma's a real thing." It's amazing how often people claim that. Karma isn't just the idea that http://threequartertank.blogspot.com/2016/06/better-than-karma.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (three-quarter tank)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082136950199542963.post-7414463203888451834Thu, 02 Jun 2016 10:45:00 +00002016-06-02T03:45:18.626-07:00Today's reading:  Proverbs 19:3 -- A person's own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against the LORD. Thoughts: I remember a conversation I had with someone who had recently turned away from Jesus. He had been fairly close and we could talk honestly. We were talking about what kinds of choices he might end up making now that he wouldn't be submitting his life to God's http://threequartertank.blogspot.com/2016/06/rejecting-god.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (three-quarter tank)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082136950199542963.post-9126357239931484784Wed, 25 May 2016 11:10:00 +00002016-05-25T18:10:01.946-07:00Today's reading: Proverbs 18:9 -- One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys. Thoughts: This verse is not only talking about our jobs and careers. It's talking about doing what needs to be done. Whether at work or at home or in volunteer settings, what is important about our tasks is not how much time we put into them. What is important about our tasks is that we finish themhttp://threequartertank.blogspot.com/2016/05/how-to-destroy-your-life.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (three-quarter tank)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082136950199542963.post-63286733812998104Fri, 20 May 2016 11:26:00 +00002016-05-20T04:26:16.828-07:00Today's reading: Proverbs 16:30 -- Whoever winks with their eye is plotting perversity; whoever purses their lips is bent on evil (NIV). Thoughts: Does this proverb strike you as paranoid? Or perhaps as overly judgmental? Isn't it overly simplistic to make a blanket statement like this? Is it really fair to make assumptions about people based on a quick twitch of their facial muscles? Does http://threequartertank.blogspot.com/2016/05/ive-got-bad-feeling-about-this.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (three-quarter tank)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082136950199542963.post-5580552432149702956Wed, 18 May 2016 10:32:00 +00002016-05-18T03:32:23.654-07:00Today's reading:   Proverbs 15:19 -- The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway (NIV). Thoughts: You could read this as a verse about how God's directly helps good people. Or you could read this as a verse about the goodness of diligence -- which would be a statement on how God designed life to reward people's good character. I http://threequartertank.blogspot.com/2016/05/destination-stuck.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (three-quarter tank)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082136950199542963.post-172416721005080009Tue, 17 May 2016 10:50:00 +00002016-05-17T03:50:30.928-07:00Today's reading:   Proverbs 14:8 -- The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception. Thoughts:  I did not wake up today when I intended to. Let me amend that. I did not stay up today when I intended to. I set my alarm for a pretty early moment and was awakened about 10 minutes earlier by one of my children who needed some http://threequartertank.blogspot.com/2016/05/self-examination.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (three-quarter tank)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082136950199542963.post-555349983358459346Sat, 14 May 2016 18:34:00 +00002016-05-14T11:34:20.421-07:00It's on my heart to start blogging again. And I was pleasantly surprised to see, when I came back to my blog here at Three-Quarter Tank, that people keep looking at what I wrote in the past. Somehow, even though I haven't posted a thing for years, I now have over 18,000 page-views. It's kind of awesome to know that, just by leaving my thoughts online, people have been getting Scriptural http://threequartertank.blogspot.com/2016/05/im-back-finally.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (three-quarter tank)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082136950199542963.post-625037147666129960Thu, 07 Feb 2013 20:19:00 +00002013-02-07T12:19:40.216-08:00Hi everyone! Long time, no write. Oh, well. I had fun watching the Super Bowl (and I was happy with the way it ended - sorry for those of you who weren't). And it gave me an analogy for how things are going in my life right now that I've been sharing with some friends. I thought it might be just the kind of thing to blog about. Basically, here's what's been going on in the past couple of monthshttp://threequartertank.blogspot.com/2013/02/getting-hit-still-loving-it.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (three-quarter tank)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082136950199542963.post-5102458427058557588Mon, 21 Jan 2013 06:11:00 +00002013-01-20T22:11:41.795-08:00This morning before church (well, now that it's 12:41 AM Monday morning, I suppose I should say "yesterday morning") I had a wonderful prayer time with several brothers. Among our prayer requests were a number of people in our lives who are having a hard time believing in Jesus. And here's what came to mind as I listened to my brothers pray. So many of our friends and family who have a hard http://threequartertank.blogspot.com/2013/01/facts-vs-faces.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (three-quarter tank)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082136950199542963.post-2050529473798127932Sat, 15 Dec 2012 08:04:00 +00002012-12-15T00:04:57.629-08:00I don't think I need to explain why the news about the massacre of many children at Sandy Hook Elementary has my blood boiling not just with pain for the victims and their families, but with anger, too. I'm about as angry as I've ever been. I'm ready to fight. But maybe I need to explain why, even though I would gladly have put myself physically in harm's way to fight for these kids' lives, http://threequartertank.blogspot.com/2012/12/fighting-back-hard.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (three-quarter tank)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082136950199542963.post-6761942115050173918Wed, 28 Nov 2012 17:10:00 +00002012-11-28T09:10:18.163-08:00 I am very excited right now. For one thing, last week, just before Thanksgiving, Jesus gave me two jobs - not just one. I have a part-time job that starts any day now, and a full-time job that will begin on December 10th.  But that's not the only reason I'm excited. I'm also excited because of the way that both of them - especially the full-time position - came about. What happened so http://threequartertank.blogspot.com/2012/11/jesus-at-work-in-more-obvious-ways-than.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (three-quarter tank)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082136950199542963.post-7261329475321732625Wed, 14 Nov 2012 02:54:00 +00002012-11-13T18:54:05.144-08:00On Sunday morning I went to church with a dear friend (who told people at the church that I was her son, creating some amusing confusion later on). During the service, she prayed. And as she prayed, I felt overwhelmingly burdened. Not in a good way. In a way that could lead to despair. Maybe you'll be able to sympathize. Because she was praying for the persecuted church, and as she prayed, she http://threequartertank.blogspot.com/2012/11/perfect-burden-perfect-freedom.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (three-quarter tank)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082136950199542963.post-4431928533358516052Wed, 07 Nov 2012 17:34:00 +00002012-11-07T09:37:24.041-08:00loveriddlewastedwasteful Assuming you've looked at the title of this post, let me give you a few clues that might help you figure out the answer, which is expressed in various "wasteful" ways like… … letting one of your children get a new pancake and add different toppings before the first - and maybe second - pancake with its toppings has been totally finished (note: this was the inspiration for today's thoughts http://threequartertank.blogspot.com/2012/11/riddle-what-is-often-always-wasteful.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (three-quarter tank)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082136950199542963.post-7793327958756954721Mon, 05 Nov 2012 19:13:00 +00002012-11-05T11:46:03.634-08:00AslanatheismChristianitycounselingevidencefaithfearfuturegloryhopeimagekindnesslukewarmmarshwiggleoptimismpresentPuddleglumsufferingwinning I am done being lukewarm.  That statement may surprise some of you who know me well. Maybe I'm wrong, and you've seen through my veneer, but I'm guessing many/most of you would say, "Matt? Lukewarm?" Yes. L.U.K.E.W.A.R.M. Lukewarm. And I'm done.   Today I went to counseling. I go to counseling because, honestly, there's a lot in my life right now that sucks. And I want to be http://threequartertank.blogspot.com/2012/11/i-am-done-being-lukewarm.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (three-quarter tank)6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082136950199542963.post-5089062275071626231Sun, 04 Nov 2012 06:53:00 +00002012-11-04T00:16:36.664-07:00conscienceelectionfreedomfreedom of conscienceguillotinehealthcareissuesObama Just in case anyone was wondering what I think about the current political situation. Feel free to share, because I honestly think that if we don't defend other people's freedom of conscience, we shouldn't be surprised to find our own freedom of conscience eroding away.http://threequartertank.blogspot.com/2012/11/freedom-of-conscience-guillotine.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (three-quarter tank)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082136950199542963.post-39762300502740420Thu, 01 Nov 2012 04:52:00 +00002012-11-01T07:34:41.931-07:00So, I still am not blogging much. Hmmmm... What's going on? I think the answer is: FEAR. Yep. Seems about right. What do I have to be afraid of? Well, as you might expect, Christy and I are not as close as I'd like us to be. And basically, I'm afraid of making things worse. I'm afraid of embarrassing Christy. I'm afraid of making her look like a jerk. I'm afraid of making myself look like a http://threequartertank.blogspot.com/2012/10/blogophobia.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (three-quarter tank)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082136950199542963.post-3748403173631246123Fri, 12 Oct 2012 10:19:00 +00002012-10-12T03:19:39.834-07:00On Tuesday, Christy got in touch with me. Michael had been crying for two hours, his ear hurt, and he didn't want to go to school. She was going to need some help from me, which - fortunately - I could actually offer that day. A little bit later she told me that, within minutes of giving Michael some tylenol, he had decided that he did, in fact, want to go to school. Which made me smirk a little http://threequartertank.blogspot.com/2012/10/faked-into-readiness.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (three-quarter tank)0