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Top Posts For February 2012

It’s March. It feels like spring is already here.

That might be because we spent the last week of February in Florida.

It was nice…

Wordle.net Word Picture for February 2012

Here are my top seven posts for the month of February:

  1. The Maniac And The Messiah
  2. The Principle Of The Path by Andy Stanley – Extended Review Part 4
  3. The Difference Between Purpose, Vision, and Mission
  4. Tips For Becoming More Consistent In Your Bible Reading
  5. 11 Things I Love About Field Notes Brand Journals
  6. E.M. Bounds On Prayer… One More Time
  7. Book Review: Eat Mor Chikin; Inspire More People by S. Truett Cathy

It was very surprising to me to see that not a single one of these posts was written in February; all of them were older posts. That makes me think that I’m writing content that has a long shelf life; and that excites me.

My favorite post written in February was Why You Need The Church (And Why The Church Needs You!) This post was written to address a need I see: people thinking that they don’t need to attend church to grow in their faith.

If you are a blogger, leave a comment with your top post for the month. If you don’t blog, leave a comment with a favorite post or blog that you read this month.

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Memorize Scripture – Week 8

Do you ever get the feeling that you aren’t in control?

I don’t know about you, but I hate that feeling.

However, that is something that I’m just going to have to learn to live with. Take a look at Proverbs 16:9:

Proverbs 16:9

I can make my plans, but God’s plan supersedes mine. I can direct my life in the directions I want to go, but what God wants is what will occur.

The key, is to develop such a heart for God, and a heart like his, that my wants reflect his wants, that my desires are what he desires, that my plans are set because I’m in tune with his plan.

How does one go about achieving that?

Prayer. Studying the Word.

Consistently.

Continually.

Completely.

What plans do you have in your life that you need to seek God’s counsel on? You can share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Why You Need The Church (And Why The Church Needs You!)

One of the more disturbing trends I’ve seen in my experience in youth ministry is the perceived lack of need for church. This is something that seems to be an ever-growing problem.

Stained Glass

I hear it all the time:

  • “I don’t like organized religion.”
  • “I don’t like the music/preaching/style/time/etc.”
  • “I don’t have time for church.”
  • “Sunday is my only day to sleep in.”
  • “I don’t need any help.”
  • “I don’t need the church.”
  • “I can do this on my own.”

This really bothers me, for several reasons. But let me state it succinctly: You need the church. And the church needs you.

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Memorize Scripture – Week 7

This week, I’ve been struck with the sense of entitlement that most people seem to have.

It’s disgusting.

But as I look at my life, I see that I’m just as gross. So many of my thoughts are centered around my wants, my desires, me…

But thankfulness should be the state of my heart, because of what God has done for me.

This week’s passage is from Psalm 30:11-12. Check it out:

Psalm 30:11-12

God did for me what I could not do for myself. God removed my sin, and made me a new creation. God gave me a reason for joy.

My life should reflect a response of gratitude.

Do you live with a sense of entitlement, or with an attitude of gratitude? You can share your thoughts in the comments section below.

God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?

Benjamin Franklin
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Classic Bible: My Favorite Passages From Joshua

This is part of the Classic Bible: Favorite Stories & Passages series. Read more from the series!

2012 is a year of challenge for me.

I typically read through the Bible at least once each year, and many times I make it through twice. But this year, I’m stepping it up a bit.

I’ve decided to use Professor Grant Horner’s Bible Reading System, reading 3660 chapters of the Bible over the course of the year. This is the equivalent of more than three times through the Bible. Not every passage will be read three times, but many will be read much more than that.

Courage

In the process of going through the Old Testament books of history, I recently finished the book of Joshua. While this isn’t my favorite Old Testament book, there were several passages that jumped out to me.