Part 1. The miracle of Christmas is more than the birth of a Baby. It marks the collision between Heaven and Earth. When all of Heaven invades the world and humanity with every step, word and deed, the Limitless God opens doors we never believed were there.
[This post now includes the full series, downloadable individually or as a full album.]
Every believer needs a Bible. In many parts of the world we have a free press and the Bible is available in so many formats to so many peoples and nations, so there is little excuse for not having a Bible. Unless you don’t want one. Sometimes people need the right version. Other times people need help understanding how it all ties together. And then there is the stray resource that helps you understand the Bible in a unique way.
I was intrigued by the concept of a “First-Century Study Bible.” We often talk about being “people of the New Testament” or striving to have a “New Testament church”. Yet we forget how far we’re removed from that time and culture. Even those statements are made from the perspective of the world that we live in. Would we really be able to go back and live the message of Scripture as they did?
To help us with such an endeavor, Zondervan partnered with New Testament scholar Kent Dobson to bring us the NIV First-Century Study Bible. Dobson is lived and studied in Israel, learning from both Christian and Jewish perspectives. He has been featured on programs for both the History and Discovery Channels. The result is a Bible filled with information you probably haven’t heard before.
Continue reading “Book Review: NIV First-Century Study Bible”
One of those famous cartoons of the 1980’s, G.I. Joe was a paramilitary team of experts and super-geeks that fought the forces of Cobra who, like every villain, wanted to take over the world. But after all of the battles and rescues, just before moving on the next Saturday morning classic, the team had a lesson to teach the moldable minds glued to the television sets: “Knowing is half the battle.”
A boy played with a kite too close to the power lines. Girls were baking cookies and almost reached into the oven without any oven mitts on. Kids were running around in the dark near a busy freeway. One of the Joe’s would step in and help them out, and the children would respond with with, “Now we know.” But knowing isn’t everything.
Continue reading “When G.I. Joe Stands Before the Throne of God”
Jesus said the World would know which people were HIs followers because of their love for one another. The Apostle Paul called love the greatest of the threesome that would endure beyond time. Scripture declares, “God is love.” Love is truly a vital element of our life in Christ.
We talk so much about how we are to love God. Even in our church I recently preached on God’s desire that we should love Him with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength, and also to love Him above all else. Another common thread is the importance of loving one another.
But I would dare to say that there is a love that is almost completely ignored, and certainly isn’t spoken about. Once a year we get close but never make the full leap. It is one of the reasons churches continue to struggle on for years, watching pastors and people leave in regular rhythm. Adding this love just might save our churches.
Well, it’s September. That means is a very important time of year. The children are back to school. There’s a hint of Fall in the wind. And an entire subculture of Western civilization sat on the edge of the seats for a big announcement.
We were waiting for it. Sometime back in April or May we started to think about it. Like kids getting ready for Christmas we started to countdown the days. Google searches led us to rumors and hopes. We couldn’t stand the wait. The anticipation almost killed us. Then yesterday it finally came. The big news we waited months for: the launch of Apple’s iPhone 6.
Unbeknownst to a lot of Apple junkies, there’s a much bigger announcement that continues to ring out around the world. It wasn’t delivered in a keynote speech at a prestigious conference of forward thinkers. There were no headlines when it came out. And just because it’s old doesn’t mean it is less powerful than the latest technology.
No one was created to be mediocre. God does not intend for us to sit on the sidelines or to be a copy of someone else. We are all unique, and uniquely created for greatness. We have passions and ideas, and they don’t fit into each other’s molds.
So why do we feel so forgotten? Why do some shine while others feel inept and invisible? We have lost sight of ourselves, our true selves. We have settled for next to nothing when anything is possible.
We can achieve the greatness that awaits us. Our purpose, our destiny can be fulfilled. It is possible to see our dreams and visions realized. There aren’t so many voices or hurdles to our goals if we focus and determine to make one thing happen. One Big Thing.
Continue reading “Book Review: “One Big Thing” by Phil Cooke”
Chris MacKinnon 