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Coffee Break – 03.17.2014

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French Press Coffee – I typically use a Chemex for my coffee brewing. I enjoy the way it allows more of a taste of the bean in the coffee, and filters out most of the oils released during the roasting process. However, if you want to taste those oils, as I do occasionally, a French press or press pot is an excellent tool to keep handy. This article gives you ten steps to follow to make sure your press is creating the best coffee possible.

Who Was St. Patrick? – Today is the day we all wear green. But just who was this guy that the day was named after? This brief video by Rose Publishing gives an excellent overview.

Surreal Photoshop Masterpieces – Ionut Caras is a photoshop master! An excellent photographer in his own right, he takes his shots and makes them surreal in almost believable ways. Incredible art! Check out more on Where Cool Things Happen and ChurchMag.

It’s OK To Write In Your Books – I almost always read with a few pens handy (Pigma Microns and a Hi-Tec C Coleto) and a couple of highlighters (Avery yellow and pink). I make lots of notes in my books and refer back to them frequently. I also create my own index of pertinent notes on those blank pages found at the back of most books as well. This post on the Patheos blog gives five reasons why you should write in your books.

Pascal’s Method For Presenting The Christian Faith – I found this to be very enlightening. One of the things that I believe we fail at in the church today, at least in the US, is effective evangelism. Too many people simply don’t share their faith with others. And while Pascal’s method outlined here might not be the best approach for everyone, it’s better than no approach at all, don’t you think?

10 Reasons To Avoid Sexual Immorality – Our culture has made “loose living” an acceptable norm. From a passage from Proverbs, this article by Peter Krol identifies ten reasons to avoid immorality. This wisdom is needed now more than ever.

The uncreative mind can spot wrong answers, but it takes a creative mind to spot wrong questions. – Sir Antony Jay

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Memorize Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:6-7

So far, in the second chapter of his letter to Timothy, Paul has illustrated his point with three images, that of a son, a soldier, and an athlete. With this week’s passage, he begins a fourth image, that of a farmer.

Take a look at the passage for yourself in 2 Timothy 2:6-7:

2 Timothy 2:6-7

Paul’s use of imagery throughout this chapter is very effective, though brief. Most of his illustrations only last for a verse or two, and then he is on to the next idea. However, he packs a lot of punch into each of these perspectives.

The fourth illustration is one many of his readers would have been very familiar with, coming from the world of agriculture. Farmers are hard workers. I am acutely aware of this, since we live in an area that consists of a lot of farmers. Many of the people I know who work at farming do so from very early in the morning and throughout a long day. Whether it is farming for food, or with livestock, farming is difficult labor! And when Paul uses a word that is translated as “hardworking,” the idea conveyed is that there is a heavy weariness that comes from this hard work.

It’s interesting to note that this idea of a farmer, as well as the previous two, the soldier and the athlete, are all three illustrated in 1 Corinthians 9 as well. Paul really likes these ideas.

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Book Review – Christian Biographies For Young Readers: John Knox by Simonetta Carr

Christian Biographies For Young Readers: John Knox by Simonetta CarrI enjoy biographies. I especially enjoy biographies of prominent Christian leaders and figures from history that played a large role in kingdom work. And when I have the opportunity to read and review such a biography, I do so.

That’s why I was pretty excited to read Simonetta Carr’s new biography on John Knox. As part of the Christian Biographies for Young Readers series, this has the potential to instill a love for biographies in the lives of my kids.

Knox led an interesting life, during an exciting time. As a Protestant believer in the 1500s, Knox played an important role in the Reformation, including pastoring a church where several members helped translate the Geneva Bible, one of the first versions of the Bible in the English language. This Bible pre-dated the King James version by more than half a century, and played a key role in the Reformation.

Much of Knox’s ministry was centered in Scotland, but he spent a lot of time in England and Geneva as well. Knox was very outspoken, especially of matters of faith, and even more so when government tried to dictate in matters of faith and worship. Knox’s stance against such tactics landed him in trouble more than a few times throughout his life.

In this biography of John Knox, Simonetta Carr address not only Knox’s life, but the greater cultural issues that drove him to become the man and leader he was. And she does this in a manner that is engaging and interesting, especially for younger readers.

I plan to pass this book around among my kids and see if it inspires them as it did me.

John Knox is an interesting figure form church history. Who is your favorite figure from the history of the church? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

If you are interested in reading this biography of John Knox, from the Christian Biographies For Young Readers series, by Simonetta Carr, you can purchase it at Amazon.com.

Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received this book free from Cross Focused Media as part of their Cross Focused Reviews blogger review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links”. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.“

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Coffee Break – 03.10.2014

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Top 10 Coffee Drinking Countries – I found this info graphic to be quite interesting. It didn’t surprise me at all to see that the US is the top importer of coffee. But I was a bit surprised to see that the US isn’t one of the top consumers. Like I said, interesting.

Guns N’ Roses “Sweet Child O’Mine” Retooled As 1920s New Orleans Jazz – This is just what the title says it is. And it’s awesome!

How To Speak Postmodern – Though an older post, this is still relevant, and is increasingly so. It’s a bit tongue in cheek, but carries a kernel of truth. Enjoy.

Developing Discerning Reading Skills – Just because a book has been published doesn’t mean that it should be read. There are a lot of books out there that fit that description. I answer questions all the time about “Should I read this?” or “Have you heard about this book?” This article seeks a way to equip the church to be more discerning about the books we read.

An 8 Point Interpretation Of Genesis 3:15 – We are studying through Genesis on Wednesday nights at out church. We are in Genesis three this week, so the timeliness of finding this post is convenient.

5 Tips For Teaching Your Children Self-Control – As a parent, teaching my kids to have self-control can be pretty difficult. It’s hard enough as an adult. Trying to teach a three year old, or a five year old, or even my teen or pre-teens, can be frustrating. Here are five tips to help you out with that.

He that is everywhere is nowhere. – Thomas Fuller, Chaplain to Charles II of England

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Memorize Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:4-5

The second chapter of 2 Timothy is full of a series of illustrations that Paul is using to get a point across to Timothy: Stay strong in the faith. In last week’s passage, we saw the image of a son, and the beginnings of the image of a soldier. In this week’s passage, the idea of a soldier will be completed as well as a picture of an athlete.

You can see this week’s passage in 2 Timothy 2:4-5:

2 Timothy 2:4-5

The images that Paul uses as illustrations throughout this chapter bring home forcefully to Timothy, and the rest of Paul’s readers, that faith is like anything else in life. It takes endurance and effort. There is a level of commitment necessary to stay faithful.

I see three lessons to be gained from these verses. Two come from the image of the soldier, and the final one comes from the picture of the athlete.