Thankful for Holy Things

My personal favorite Autumn / Winter fragrance. I'm Thankful.

 Getting over the Fall

Another month, another roundup of popular posts. If you're new to the blog or just haven't been following too closely you can definitely get up to speed by reading these posts. For those of you who are only interested in brand-new stuff, it will interest you to know that this is the first time that you cannot read every popular post. A few of these are podcasts that can only be listened to. So enjoy, & be thankful for some holy things!

November Posts

Entry	Pageviews
Elijah & the Double Portion (First Guest!) Nov 1, 2012	100
Thorn of Humanity IV: Nightingale & the Rose Sep 19, 2012	61
Grunt Work Nov 18, 2012	42
Interview with Glenn Craig of YFC Nov 5, 2012	34
Is Natural Love Created Equal? Nov 4, 2012	30

All-Time Posts

Entry	Pageviews
Thorn of Humanity IV: Nightingale & the Rose Sep 19, 2012	154
Athletes With Shuffling Feet Mar 16, 2012	129
Elijah & the Double Portion (First Guest!) Nov 1, 2012	100
A Grief Observed: Book Review Aug 10, 2012, 5 comments	98
It Just Don't Look Right Sep 14, 2012	89

Richard Dawkins & Alister McGrath Debate

Apologetics FTW (For the Win!)

I was recently asked to recommend reading for an intellectual & to be honest I was not sure where to begin. I asked a few of my trusted thinkers & they directed me to Alister McGrath. After a quick Google search I found this series of videos documenting a debate between he and Richard Dawkins (I put together a playlist & am pretty sure I successfully embedded it here). I like the way McGrath comported himself & delivered succinct answers to all of Dawkins' questions. It even appears that McGrath was able to earn Dawkins' respect, which is the ultimate skill for a debater. 

As for the content, there are several places where Alister McGrath delivers excellent points. There are also several weak areas where he could have directed the conversation differently for maximum effect. I suppose this happens to everyone when engaged in a discussion. You know, on the way home you remember something you should have said that would have been a better point. But, alas, the discussion is over & you're talking about how awesome the Miami Heat are or something.

In addition to McGrath's responses take note of Dawkins' concerns. He is not an idiot, & raises several valid questions. I think there's a lot that can be learned from this debate--from both sides.

Experience His Goodness

He gives power to the weak
    and strength to the powerless. 

Even youths will become weak and tired,
    and young men will fall in exhaustion.

 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
    They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
    They will walk and not faint.

Jeremiah 40:29-31 

Every morning when you get up, remember that God's loving kindness and compassion toward you are new and fresh today. God is ready to meet with you and renew you spiritually and cleanse you. You are His son or daughter. You may have offended Him deeply, but you are still His child and He wants to renew the closeness of your walk with Him. God is reminding you today that whatever you wake up to, you can "hope in Him." If you will once again "wait for Him" and "seek Him," you will once again experience His goodness.

--My Sunday School Teacher

This text captured my attention for the second time this week & I wanted to share it with my readers. Remember to experience God's goodness today & every day!

Grunt Work

Labor of...

It's been a while since I volunteered for an event and had no creative control over it.

- 6+ years of directing a week of camp
- Leading & planning youth group
- Teaching Sunday School
- Christmas play writing

I'm used to creative control in ministry. That's why this weekend was an eye opener for me.

I volunteered to help staff a race last Saturday called Pretty Muddy. I had no idea what to expect or what I would be doing. I was completely at the mercy of the organizers.

My first job was to welcome guests & make sure they got answers to their questions. My second job was to hand out free t-shirts at the registration table.

Handing out shirts was the worst.

I was getting yelled at left & right. "Size large! Size XL! Size small!" And I had to shag down the right size for the right person. There was no room for creativity. No room for innovation.

Oh, my mind wandered towards innovation. I wanted to make the process more efficient. But my rank (grunt) did not permit me to act on my brilliance.

This weekend taught me a valuable lesson about humility. It reminded me of my roots & the things I have come to take for granted. There is value in simply doing as you are told & letting others plan the event. Remember that whatever you so, it is for The Lord & focus on that fact.

Not Many Masters

Meeting Notes

Check out my meeting notes from last night's message. It is hosted on Evernote, a great note taking application that I recommend for everyone who wants to remember anything. The topic was "Be Not Many Masters" in the Challenge of the Double Portion section of our Passing the Faith Along Series at Bible Truth Chapel. The passages suggested for this study were James 3 & Galatians 2. I used the SCORRE Worksheet to express my thought process & organize them.

I know, that was a mouthful.

Some Highlights

For those of you who just want the highlights, here they are. 

• We focused on the Responsibilities of a Teacher / Master & how those responsibilities relate to James' statement that there should not be many teachers.
• We stated that every teacher should be fully aware of their responsibilities because they are subject to a higher standard.
• We emphasized that the teacher is subject to a higher standard because God is specifically interested in what His people are being taught.
• We answered the question: Does this passage mean there should be only a small number of good teachers?
• We explored the question: What happens when we drop the ball?

The evening's message was recorded & I expect any gaps in the study can be understood by listening to the recording. It should be up in a couple weeks. If you have a pressing question, leave me a comment & I will gladly respond. Or hit me up on Twitter!

More Reading

• Elijah & the Double Portion
• Outline of James
• Off the Menu

Interview with Glenn Craig of YFC

In preparation for the 3rd Annual Miami Youth For Christ Wild Walk, I sat down with the Greater Miami Youth For Christ CFO & director of the Juvenile Justice Outreach, Glenn Craig.

During this podcast, we discuss the following topics:

• YFC's mission & goals
• YFC's philosophy towards youth ministry & relevancy in current culture
• What to look for in a youth leader
• How to handle discouragement & remain faithful through trials
• What to expect at this Saturday's Wild Walk

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Is Natural Love Created Equal?

With this political atmosphere I have been forced to consider sin & it's manifestation in the human race. Namely, is sin natural or unnatural?

We have no definitive statement either way. Sometimes scripture talks about how men would be given over to their natural desires. Other times, sin is described like an alien invasion. What is true?

The importance of this discussion seems monumental. "It's natural" serves as a justification for a lot of things. But what does the Bible say?

I feel that the Bible leans more towards acknowledging that these things are natural--even if you describe it asan alien nature, it is here with us now.

Would I be surprised if scientists found a homosexual gene or mental wavelength? No. Not one bit. And my faith would not be shaken.

You see, scripture says we naturally sin and must supernaturally over come it. Scripture assumes we are liars and tells us to be truthful. Scripture assumes we are murderers and tells us to love. Scripture assumes us to be lustful and tells us to be pure. Therefore, it follows that when scripture talks about homosexuality, that trait is natural and it must be overcome.

These things are not easy or nice to hear. But I cannot see around it. Just because something is natural does not make it right. I am not advocating hate crimes or prejudice, I speak only theologically in this article. The Christian response to this issue is as it always is, to live one another.

Elijah & the Double Portion (First Guest!)

Podcast: The Christopher Jimenez Show

I am joined by my first guest on the show ever: Steve Slusser. Steve holds degrees in Nursing from the University of South Florida & Biblical Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary. He is currently the Director of Camp Horizon & my father in law. You can find his blog at A Word With Friends.

In this podcast, Steve lays a foundation for understanding the double portion as it is intended in 2 Kings 2 & throughout the Old Testament. In addition, he gives us a few principles that can be translated into our lives as we seek to be used as tools for God's purposes.

Outline

• Who was Elijah?
• What was the inheritance of the Levite?
• What about the law concerning the inheritance of the firstborn?
• How do these elements relate to the double portion?

Watch on YouTube