Links To Go (April 24, 1015)

Bread, Wine and the Purpose of It All

So today, may you eat something as average as bread and drink something as mundane as wine. May you be reminded at the God who has injected meaning and life into everything you see and touch. And may we all honor God by loving each other well.


Five Ways Church Members Hold the Church as a Financial Hostage

Hear me clearly. Most church members give to their local churches freely, joyously, and without stipulations. But almost every church has one or more members who attempt to use “their” funds for their own needs and preferences.


The Static Church View and the Growth of a Church

We are a restoration church. We seek to restoration 1st century Christianity to a 21st century suburb area. We practice the same faith that Christians have practiced for thousands of years, but we also practice changing those elements that culturally connect with the people we are seeking to renew in God. If a leader cannot imagine the church for the next ten years, how it will look different, how it will behavior different, and what will be the future, this leader has taken on a static view of the congregation, and has denied the restoration culture within the churches of Christ.


Aspiring to the Great Commission Is Not Enough: Knowing the Gospel Doesn’t Mean We’re Sharing It

So rather than making our primary focus inviting younger adults to church, let’s first seek to tell them about Jesus and the good news of the Gospel that Jesus died on the cross for our sin and in our place. When they grasp that, they’ll get the church part. They’ll understand they can’t love Jesus and despise His wife. They’ll get that. But let’s first bring them Jesus.


How Miscarriage Led to My Crisis of Faith

God provided comfort through the suffering of his Son. I wasn’t alone in my pain. He wasn’t leaving me to my own. He began to reveal to me that he understood and he loved me dearly. I didn’t have anywhere else to go but to him, and he answered my cry in the wilderness. It was comforting for me to realize that it was okay to be in a wilderness. Jesus didn’t go to the cross cheering and clapping his hands. He was sorrowful—sorrowful for this world and for the pain and separation from his Father he knew he’d have to endure. It was okay to weep. Through my tears I had great hope because I knew that I wasn’t praying to a dead Savior. He rose and was indeed interceding on my behalf.


What Have I Left Behind?

One of our conscious thoughts should be that we are an ‘aroma’. Consumers spend billions of dollars a year in the fragrance industry to have a pleasing aroma. Christians, let’s try to be aware that we are to be the ‘fragrance of Christ’. What are you leaving behind that will influence the hearts and minds of people in your path?


5 Ways to Bless Someone This Sunday

How do we move from a Christianity focused on ourselves, to a Christianity where we consider “the interests of others”? It doesn’t happen overnight. We must be purposeful. We must take small steps to change our way of thinking. We must break old habits, and look for ways to bless others. It all begins with us. Don’t wait another week. Here are five ways you can bless someone this Sunday.


Thunderstorms

God has instructed us, not about the origins of thunder, but about his existence and his character. I can hear the rumbling and recognize whoever created the process and set the rules in order is surely powerful and mighty. However that doesn’t tell me about God’s nature and character. It isn’t enough for us to know we have a powerful God. Power alone won’t draw us to him or create our devotion. In fact, power alone often causes us to draw back or keep our distance.
God has revealed that he loves us, desires us, and sacrifices for us. His revelation tells us about his clear plans, his heart’s desire, and his consistent expectations.


How Ralph The Homeless Man And I Made Someone’s Day

See, the homeless man, while important, blessed another in the process by simply not being where he should have been. And….the homeless man and I gave a boss an opportunity to praise an employee when such wasn’t on his docket. We just created an Employee of the Day award…that homeless Ralph and me.


Man fires 8 gunshots into his Dell PC after Blue Screens of Death push him over edge

“I just had it,” Lucas Hinch, 38, told The Smoking Gun (via Ars Technica). Apparently the PC had thrown up one too many blue screens of death in recent months, so Hinch took it into an alley, loaded up a 9mm Hi-Point pistol that he’d purchased on Craiglist, and let the bullets fly.


Dog driving tractor causes motorway tailbacks

Drivers in Scotland had a ruff journey this work to morning when a dog drove a tractor onto the M74 motorway near Abington in South Lanarkshire.
The bizarre incident was reported by Traffic Scotland who tweeted: “M74 (N) J13-RTC due to dog taking control of tractor… nope, not joking. Farmer and police at scene, vehicle in central res.”
It was reported that the dog had leaned on the controls of the tractor, taking it from a field on to the road.


Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.