Reversals for All

Harry Potter starts his story as an unwanted nephew living in a storage space under his abusive family's stairs.  He ends up the most famous, respected, and powerful wizard in the world.  Aladdin begins as a street rat who's gotta steal to eat and gotta eat to live while Jafar is the second most powerful man in Agraba using the Sultan as his puppet.  By the end of the tale, Jafar is imprisoned and destined for servitude but Aladdin gets the girl and will one day be the ruler of the kingdom.  We love a good flip-flop in a story.  One story in the Bible is absolutely filled with them.

Feature Friday: John Carter and a Whole New World

 
*Warning: Minor spoilers below (Very minor)*

Chances are you haven't seen John Carter.  There was a lot of hype and many trailers building up the latest sci-fi movie.  But sadly, very few people were lured into the theaters to watch the man on Mars.  In fact, its been reported that Disney expects to lose $250 million dollars on the movie!!!  As a movie, I thought it was pretty good and entertaining.  However, a lot of the women are scantily clothed so depending on your maturity and weaknesses in that area, you may want just want to avoid seeing it.

Giving 100% for God

*I've decided to move Theology Thursday to Theology Tuesday (or maybe Tough Tuesday...).  Thursdays have become a more and more busy day for me lately with meetings and weekend preparations.  Tuesdays are less packed and it will be easier to tackle the tough questions then.  So, Proving God Exists Part 6 will be up on Tuesday.*

I was reading a bit in Colossians today when an old verse struck me in a new way.


Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men... -- Colossians 3:23

Hope Beyond Death

My Great Aunt Mona passed away last weekend.  Death is usually such a sad thing and often it can be tragic.  But the passing of Aunt Mona was different.  Mona was 92 years young.  She was always out and about, making phone calls, and was even driving until a few months ago!  She was much loved with family that adored her and many who were blessed by her life.  She went peacefully in her sleep.

Just knowing those things makes her death more sweet than sad.  Our memories are of a healthy, strong, and loving woman.  There was no pain.  She really lived a full life.

But what really turns this time of loss into a time of celebration is her faith.  Mona didn't just go to church, she knew God.  She was a woman of prayer.  She spoke often of God and the Bible.  She knew where she was going when she died because she had trusted Jesus Christ as her Savior.  Mona is not dead.  She is alive and well with her Heavenly Father.  She has been separated from us, but she has been united with Christ. 

Feature Friday: Terranova

Have you been watching Steven Spielberg's new masterpiece?  If you catch Terra Nova on Fox, you're in for breathtaking nature scenes, futuristic technology, and, best of all, dinosaur-packed action!

In the not so distant future, mankind's use of industry, cars, factories, and more has left the world extremely polluted.  Combined with over-population, the human race doesn't have long before its too late.  Laws limit a household to two children and purifying devices called re-breathers are needed to breathe outside air.  But there is hope. 

Landau, Alladin, and Jesus

Even if you haven't been watching America's Got Talent, you've probably at least seen a youtube clip or heard talk about the Frank Sinatra singer with dreadlocks.  Just a few weeks ago, Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. went from being a full time car washer with a failing music career to nationally famous with a hot new gig in Vegas. I'll be honest, he wasn't my first choice on the show this season.  I was rooting for the Silhouettes at the end there.  But I still find his victory heart warming.  Don't you?

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed, Blessed, Blessing

Its Monday again.  This post will be more of a mix of my own commentary and thoughts than a devotional.  If you like that sort of thing, then dig in.  If not, normal devotionals start again tomorrow.

Ephesians 1:3


Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ

In the previous verses, Paul identifies himself and then prays for a blessing for the saints in Ephesus, namely that they would receive peace and grace from God.  Here, instead of praying for a blessing, He declares "blessed be God".  He isn't praying a blessing over God, He is saying that God is blessed.  The word for "blessed" here is "eulogetos" which can also be translated "praised".  He is saying that God is praised and blessed.  This is a mini declaration of worship from Paul who is honoring God with his words.

The Nudge Method

As a youth pastor, I work with a lot of kids and teens.  When I notice a problem or fault or mistake of one of the kids, there are different ways to approach the problem.  You can just tell the kid what they did wrong and how to fix it.  You can just ignore it and let it slide.  One tactic I like is, for lack of a better title, the Nudge Method.