Boys in the ‘70s and ‘80s loved to jump ramps. We would lay a post on the ground and nail one end of a piece of scrap plywood to it, and voila! a ramp. Most of these were rudimentary, made from found wood that we dragged home from someone’s trash. Some of the ramps wereContinue reading “Jump the R.A.M.P.S.! Joshua 1:8”
Tag Archives: Memorize
NO CONDEMNATION. Romans 8:1.
What is Christianity to you? Rules and guilt? Yuck. No wonder you’re not excited about it! Judaism was about rules—613 rules. Jesus rescued us from rules. If church or faith or conversations about God leave you thinking about rules, then your faith is still in elementary school. Let’s graduate: Jesus delivers you from rule-following—and HeContinue reading “NO CONDEMNATION. Romans 8:1.”
ROMANS CHAPTER EIGHT. Romans 8.
Hey! Stop whatever you’re doing and read Romans 8! Is that not the richest passage, filled with amazing promises for your life? No condemnation. The Spirit gives peace. In Christ, we conquer sin. The coming glory outweighs present problems. God helps us, even fixing our prayers. God causes good to come in all things. IfContinue reading “ROMANS CHAPTER EIGHT. Romans 8.”
PAIN IS WEAKNESS LEAVING THE BODY. Acts 14:22.
I once made daily trips to LA Fitness. The people-watching was entertaining—not only do some “gym-rats” develop odd physiques because they work out one part of the body to the exclusion of all others, but some have peculiar habits, such as spending three-solid hours on the stair master machine, a circular spray of sweat puddlingContinue reading “PAIN IS WEAKNESS LEAVING THE BODY. Acts 14:22.”
EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION. John 8:31-34.
Which of the following are addictive? Drugs. Porn. Violence. Pain. Eating glass. Eating dirt. Tobacco. Marijuana. Chocolate. Alcohol. Gambling. Gaming. Sports. Screens. Cell phones. Exercise. The Bachelor. Plastic Surgery. Dieting. Tattoos. Shopping. Tanning. Hoarding. Diet soda. Chewing ice. Sadness. Worry. Rejection. I hope you chose all of the above. Not all addictions are the same—butContinue reading “EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION. John 8:31-34.”
DO YOU HAVE A HIGH BOREDOM TOLERANCE? Nehemiah 8:1-3.
How do you feel about reading aloud? My mind can wander when I listen to a lengthy reading. After all, we are the SHORT ATTENTION SPAN GENERATION, right? We crave fast food, music every second of our lives, TV and movies during every free moment until we hit the pillow late at night. Few thingsContinue reading “DO YOU HAVE A HIGH BOREDOM TOLERANCE? Nehemiah 8:1-3.”
YOUR FIRST BIBLE. Nehemiah 8:3
Do you remember your first Bible? Most of us received one as first graders, and we went home and sat down and opened it. We were excited. We turned to Genesis 1:1, and started reading … and it quickly became difficult and a little boring. The Bible is not a children’s book. It includes rape,Continue reading “YOUR FIRST BIBLE. Nehemiah 8:3”
Pray Like Nehemiah. Nehemiah 1:4-11.
A wise king surrounds himself with capable people. Pharaoh made Joseph second-in-command, Genesis 41:40-42. Nebuchadnezzar elevated the best of the Hebrews, young men “skillful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge,” bringing them into his service, Daniel 1:3-4. The same is true of Nehemiah. He was the king’s cupbearer, a position of great trust. ThereContinue reading “Pray Like Nehemiah. Nehemiah 1:4-11.”
Write This Down! Ezekiel 40:4.
What is with these kids? Classes began last week. I had a room full of college kids staring at me as I told them about the class. I told them about myself and the way class would be structured—all the usual things. They listened but wrote down nothing. Then we began discussing the law. AndContinue reading “Write This Down! Ezekiel 40:4.”
Middle Management. Jeremiah 38:20.
When a teacher wants to become a principal, she seeks a masters degree in middle management. The degree may be officially named “Educational Administration,” or something similar, but the nickname among teachers is “mid-management degree.” The challenge of working in middle management is that you are trapped in the middle. You are not a topContinue reading “Middle Management. Jeremiah 38:20.”
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