Prayer Request And Announcement

Last month, I asked for your prayers concerning a skin cancer issue that has developed.

Many of you have gladly prayed, and are continuing to do so. And for that I am deeply thankful.

I ask for you to continue that, especially today. This morning I am having surgery to have a portion of the skin on my ear removed, until the doctor is certain that he has removed all of the cancerous cells.

I would greatly appreciate your thoughts and prayers for my healing, and for the doctor’s guidance as he works.

Thanks! I greatly appreciate your willingness to remember me before the Lord!

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Coffee Break – 10.19.2015

Your Monday Dose Of Inspiration

On this day in history: In 1781, British General Charles Lord Cornwallis surrendered to U.S. General George Washington at Yorktown, Virginia. It was to be the last major battle of the American Revolutionary War. In 1914, U.S. government owned vehicles were first used to pick up mail in Washington, DC. And in 1985, the first Blockbuster video-rental store opens in Dallas, Texas.

Coffee Break

Early Americans Worked Hard To Get Their Caffeine Fix – It seems as if people have been craving coffee for a very long time…

Sand Grain Gallery – These images if sand, very close up, are stunning in their beautiful complexity. We often don’t think of the individual grains of sand as something to admire when we are at the beach, but these images show just how unique they can be.

Archaeologists Unearth Civil War Refuge For Escaped Slaves – You have read about the Underground Railroad, but most people have never seen any definitive proof of it. A recent find in Hampton, VA, however, shows that there were many, in both the north and the south, that cared about the plight of the slaves.

How To Recover From An All-Nighter – What do you do when you miss out on a good night’s sleep? How can you recover enough to function through the day, until you can get a good rest?

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Memorize Scripture: Philippians 3:1

Chapter three of Philippians begins with an abrupt shift in tone. New topics are addressed with no warning, but Paul begins with an instruction concerning joy.

Take a look at it for yourself in Philippians 3:1:

Philippians 3:1

Paul shifts gears so abruptly with the transition to chapter three that many have wondered if a separate piece of Paul’s writings has been inserted. Moving from the first verse of this chapter to 4:4 is very smooth, and the intervening passages could almost be left out, and it would flow very smoothly.

But many of Paul’s writing have similar abrupt shifts. One such example is found in Ephesians 3, where Paul changes direction in mid-sentence. We must keep in mind that Paul is writing a personal letter here, to people he is close to. He is not writing a theological discourse, such as Romans, where his thoughts must be more precise.

And, the content of this next section still fits the overall structure and subject matter of the rest of the letter, even if it takes an unexpected turn. So that leads to no positive conclusion that this wasn’t a part of the original letter. We are left to presume that it was there all along.

As Paul begins this section, he draws a solid conclusion to all that has come before. What the NIV translates as “Finally,” could probably more likely be translated as “And so…”

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Dealing With Discrepancies

Reconciling The Two Accounts Of The Sermon On The Mount

The Sermon on the Mount is recorded twice in the New Testament, both in Matthew and in Luke. But the two are significantly different accounts. Have you ever wondered why?

Mountain

This has always bothered me. These two accounts of the Sermon on the Mount have some major differences, too many to simply dismiss.

Matthew records the Sermon on the Mount in three different chapters, chapters 5-7. Luke records his account in a shorter version, in Luke 6. Of the two, most people are more familiar with the Matthew account. And when they get to Luke, the account is similar, yet not the same.

For example, Luke records the Beatitudes, as does Matthew, but Luke’s version is different, including a series of woes that Matthew does not record.

Luke also writes of Jesus’ statements concerning love for our enemies, about judging, and about the wise and foolish builders. But again, there are several key differences between the two gospels.

Why are these two accounts so different?

It is because these are two different sermons.

Wait. What?

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Coffee Break – 10.12.2015

Your Monday Dose Of Inspiration

On this day in history: In 1492, Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer, sighted Watling Island in the Bahamas. He believed that he had found Asia while attempting to find a Western ocean route to India. The same day he claimed the land for Isabella and Ferdinand of Spain. In 1870, General Robert E. Lee, the commander of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, dies peacefully at his home in Lexington, Virginia. He was 63 years old. And in 1938, production began on “The Wizard of Oz.”

Coffee Break

Cold Brew Coffee Guide – One of the most interesting methods of brewing coffee is the cold brew method. There are many different ways to do this, but I have found the Coffee Toddy to be the easiest to use.

How Telephone Etiquette Has Changed – The telephone has changed how we live, and over the years, it has changed drastically in itself as well. As a result, proper telephone etiquette has had to morph to keep up.

10 Surprising Facts About LEGO – This toy has been around for years. And it has changed somewhat over the years. When I was a kid, you bought a pack of these and could build almost anything. Now, you buy a kit and build one specific model. But LEGO has stayed virtually the same for all of that time as well.

The Power Of Routines – Developing a personal routine is as essential part of being as effective as possible, and eliminating stress at the same time. This video gives some great insights into that concept.

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Memorize Scripture: Philippians 2:29-30

As Paul closes out the second chapter of his letter to the Philippians, he concludes his thoughts on his coworker Epaphroditus.

You can see his comments in Philippians 2:29-30:

Philippians 2:29-30

In spite of the fact that Paul was sending Epaphroditus back to Philippi, apparently without fulfilling his task of service to Paul, he commends this coworker to the church in Philippi.

As he returned home, the church there was to welcome him in the Lord, and with great joy. His efforts were satisfactory, given the circumstances, and the church in Philippi was to show their love and care for him as he returned. And again, Paul tells them to be joyful as they do so. After all, Epaphroditus could have died in his service, but did not, and is now being restored to the Philippians.

Such men require honor. He risked his life. The Greek phrase here is a gambling term. Epaphroditus staked his life on his service to Christ, and to Paul. He gave no thought to his own personal comfort or safety and served the sake of the Gospel with everything he had, almost to the point of dying. This is self-sacrifice to the uttermost!

This was an effort that the Philippians themselves could not give, since they were such a long distance away, and Epaphroditus was working on their behalf in his efforts. His efforts are to be commended.