Author Archives

Jeff Randleman

Jeff Randleman is a husband of one, a father of six, a minister and a writer. He spends most of his days working with the church or spending time with his family.

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5 Reasons To Hand Copy God’s Word

A few years ago, I stumbled across a passage of the Old Testament that I had probably read dozens of times, but never really noticed. But once it grabbed my attention, I haven’t been able to let it go. It has been on my mind ever since.

Fountain Pen

The passage is found in the book of Deuteronomy, one of the most encouraging books of the Old Testament. In chapter seventeen, at the end of the chapter, you find some instructions for the king. This is included:

Now it shall come about when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. It shall be with him and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, by carefully observing all the words of this law and these statutes, that his heart may not be lifted up above his countrymen and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or the left, so that he and his sons may continue long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel.

This passage gives the kings of Israel the instruction to hand copy the Scriptures.  And from this passage, I see a couple of specific benefits for our lives. And from my own practice of this discipline, I see a few more.

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Coffee Break – 08.25.2014

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The Coffee Plate – My guess is most people don’t know the purpose of the saucer or place that sits under a coffee cup. According to this infographic, there is a rich and interesting history to that piece of china.

22 Of The Most Creative Statues Around The World – The creativity of man never ceases to amaze me. These statues prove that our minds are creative, reflecting our Creator.

What Gives A Dollar Bill Its Value? – Some of my favorite videos are among the TED Talks. This video on currency and value is from the Educational side of TED. Short and interesting.

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Memorize Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:14-15

Over the last few verses, Paul has mentioned several people who he cares for deeply, colleagues in his ministry. Some of these have deserted him, others have moved to other areas to minister. Luke has remained with him, and Paul desires for Timothy and Mark to join him. In this week’s passage, he warns Timothy of one particular person of opposition.

You can find this warning in 2 Timothy 4:14-15:

2 Timothy 4:14-15

Paul brings up a man named Alexander. This individual was a metalsmith by trade. The word used here literally means coppersmith, although by the time of the New Testament, it was widely used to mean all kinds of metalwork.

Paul warns Timothy against him, but just who is Alexander? There are a few possibilities. He could be the same Alexander of 1 Timothy 1:19-20, who was mentioned with Hymenaeus. It’s possible he is the man who was involved in the riot in Ephesus, attempting to end it (Acts 19:33-34). Or, he could be some other Alexander of whom we know nothing. While the first two are possibilities, the third option may be the most likely, since the name was a common one during this time.

This man caused Paul some harm, and Paul feels the need to share that information with Timothy. We don’t know what it was he did, but we can take some educated guesses. These are in no particular order.

To not find your job to be the primary place of discipleship is to automatically exclude a major part, if not the most, of your waking hours from life with him. The gospel turns your work into a spiritual formation training center.

Dallas Willard
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Top 5 Photography Apps

One of my favorite hobbies is photography, specifically landscape photography. I have a nice camera, a Pentax K20, that I use most of the time. But occasionally, I see an opportunity for a shot and I don’t have my camera handy.

Photography Apps

Fortunately, the cameras on most mobile devices have become quite good. And with several key apps, I can capture a shot with my phone that is almost as good as one shot with my camera.

Due to the overwhelmingly large amount of quality apps out there, this list contains more than my top five apps. There are several that I use frequently. And, even though some overlap somewhat, each one is a quality app that does things that other apps just don’t do as well.

Each of these are used primarily on my iPhone 5s, but the bonus app at the end of the list is on my iPad.

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Book Review – The Confession by Robert Whitlow

The Confession by Robert WhitlowOver the weekend, I read Robert Whitlow’s newest book, The Confession. Overall, I enjoyed the book. In the genre of legal thrillers, it isn’t the best I’ve read, but it wasn’t bad.

The story line begins with Holt Douglas and a friend leaving a party drunk. An accident occurs, leaving the friend dead, and Holt responsible. Fast forward ten years, and Holt Douglas is an assistant country prosecutor with a great job, a steady girlfriend, and an established place in life. His goal is to fulfill the dreams of his dead friend.

But never, not once, in the past ten years, has he shared the secret he carries concerning the truth of that night.

Things begin to heat up in town as Holt stumbles across a cold case murder file that seems to have been covered up. Who was involved and just how deeply does it all go? Holt is determined to find out.

Throw in a female deputy sheriff who is attracted to Holt, causing problems with his girlfriend, a looming political campaign his boss needs to win, and the spiritual weight of the burden he carries, and it isn’t long before his life begins to spiral out of control.

As he struggles to come to terms with all that is going on, Holt discovers that God is actively seeking him. With numerous people praying for him, and his connection with a nearby minister, Holt begins to see just what God can do in his life.

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Coffee Break – 08.18.2014

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Honeybees Love Coffee, Too – What do honeybees and humans have in common? We both love our caffeine. This is a pretty fascinating infographic detailing the similarities between humans and bees, and the importance of coffee to both.

Cities Shrouded In Fog – One of the most beautiful elements of nature, in my opinion, is fog. I love the way it flows around everything in its path, whether it be trees or buildings. These images of cities coated in fog are simply stunning.

Extremely Detailed Paper Birds – I am continually amazed at the level of creativity that people possess. This artist creates birds from paper that look real.

How To Be Be More Grateful – Here are five simple things that each of us can do to be more grateful on a daily basis.