Thoughts from the Birdnest: May 2011

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

The @restorecc / @Libertyrestore offices just got furniture.

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Sunday, May 22, 2011

It was Hillybilly Hymn day @Libertyrestore. Nothing like worshipping to bluegrass!

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Friday, May 20, 2011

The End? (My weekend thoughts and plans in light of tomorrow's "Judgment Day")

The Twittersphere (at least the people I follow) has been a buzz of mockery about Harold Camping's prediction that true followers of Christ will be raptured tomorrow, May 21, and that the universe will be completely destroyed on October 21. I know it doesn't really matter what I ultimately think, but I've had several thoughts. So I decided to write a quick post just to get them off my brain so I can get some RiverTree work done.

I hope Camping is right because:

I'd love to go be with my Jesus!

But I'm certain Camping is wrong because:

He's been wrong before in his end times prophecies, which means he is a false prophet.
The Scriptures are quite clear we can't know the exact date of the end. (Acts 1:7, see also Matthew 24:36)

I'm grateful Camping is wrong, because:

There are too many people I care about and am praying for that I want to be with Jesus.
I really, really want to see the vision God has given me for a church planting movement in Iowa to become a reality.

So here is what I am going to do this weekend:

Have a Half-Birthday Daddy Date tonight with my now-seven-and-a-half-year-old son
Take my 13-year-old daughter out for breakfast tomorrow morning.
Take my 11-year-old daughter out for ice cream tomorrow afternoon.
Go to church Sunday morning to help set-up, greet people, and worship Jesus.

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King's Cross by Timothy Keller (Book Review)

I have noticed that I tend to write book reviews (and reviews for other products) for works that I have thoroughly enjoyed. This one is no exception.

However, unlike my other book reviews, I am going to keep this one short and to the point. I am not going to "review" the book, per se. Instead, all I need to say about Keller's latest book is this:

King's Cross is a simple walk-through of the highlights of the Book of Mark from the Bible.
Like his sermons, Dr. Keller's insights into Mark and first century culture weaved with his expansive understanding of today's culture will delight your heart and mind.
However, I found myself not falling in love with Keller's words as I read. Rather, Keller's words helped me fall in love with Jesus even more.

I am recommending this book to just about everyone I interact with: those in full-time ministry, long-time Christians, spiritual seekers, and more. This book really hits people no matter where they are in their spiritual journey, and truly will help multitudes of people go deeper with Jesus in their spiritual journeys, regardless of where they are in that journey.

Rating: 5 Crowns of out 5

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Thursday, May 19, 2011

How God Mows Me

I'm told you should change the mowing pattern of your lawn regularly. Doing the same pattern too much stresses the lawn, affecting the strength and quality of the grass. Perhaps this is an "old lawn's tale," but I faithfully switch between north/south one week, east/west the next, and diagonals the third and fourth weeks. I never repeat a pattern.

As I was mowing my lawn yesterday afternoon before the rains came, I got to thinking how God handles me like I do my lawn. I have found He rarely ever repeats a test in my life. While I learn through each trial, gaining wisdom that helps in future difficulties, each trial is different. God is mowing a different pattern in my character so that I can grow stronger into the image of Christ.

If God allowed the testing of my heart to happen identically each time, I'm prone to think I'd stop seeking and trusting Him by faith. Instead, I'd probably start relying merely upon the wisdom I have gained, leaning on my own wisdom.

But by allowing different trials into my life, God keeps building, growing, stretching, molding, and mowing me into the image He already sees me to be. Like Michaelangelo merely let the famous image of David come out of the rock by chiseling away the parts that didn't belong, so God is bringing out the image of Christ through the various trials life brings.

This is why James 1:2 tells us to "Consider it pure joy when you encounter trials of various kinds." Being cut by the mower blades hurts, but there is something far greater that awaits, so we can actually have joy in the midst of the blades whirling through our life.

Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance, character, and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:3-5)

Posted via email from erin bird's web nest