God of Love, God of Judgement part 2 - Michael Ramsden, RZIM

True love doesnt exist in the absence of judgement, it only exists in the presense of it. The words "i love you" are meaningful only when the person who speaks them truly knows you. (not the image of you, the mask, but rather, the reality of you)
When there isn't anyone that truly knows you, with your good traits and your bad, you're in a very lonely position. -Michael Ramsden for RZIM
If you've never known truth, you've never known Love. -Black Eyed Peas Where Is The Love?

These tidbits came from an interesting message by Michael Ramsden, filling in for Ravi Zacharias aired on 3/29/11.  Ramsden speaks about the alleged discrepancy that God seems all about judgment in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible whereas He is about Love and mercy in the New Testament.  You can listen to the broadcast online here. Or go to RZIM.org  and look in the section called "Just Thinking" and you'll find it among the archives of MP3.

21 Questions Christian Women Ask About Sex - Focus on the Family 3/31/11 Linda Dillow, Lorraine Pintus

Focus on the Family 3/31/11 Linda Dillow and Lorraine Pintus offer insights from their book Intimate Issues: 21 Questions Christian Women Ask About Sex. (Part 1 of 2) 
On the topic of sex, silence may well have been the Church's biggest downfall, as well as a downfall for parents who somehow thing that not talking about it will allow everything to "just work out." Instead it causes those who wonder, from our offspring to simply people in the world to seek the knowledge from 'the world.'
Song of Solomon, and even books in the New Testament speak on the subject of sexual intimacy.
This broadcast of focus on the family presents two Godly women discussing, very candidly, this topic from the woman's perspective and it really has some worthwhile comments - not just for women. If a husband is ONE with his wife then it'd be worthwhile to the man to have a better understanding of his wife's perspective on things.
We must remember that we have an enemy that is most cunning at pushing every button,to destroy intimacy, to destroy anything Good and Godly. That enemy pushes so many lies to every individual from negative self-image; or reminding of past relationships that were hurtful; and perhaps most impactful - the view of sexual ideas being shoveled out in every form of media and entertainment.
Please  check out the link below at FocusOnTheFamily and gain some insight on these roadblocks to intimacy facing your wife, your daughter, and other women in your life.
Focus on the Family 3/31/11 Linda Dillow and Lorraine Pintus offer insights from their book Intimate Issues: 21 Questions Christian Women Ask About Sex. (Part 1 of 2)
No More Headaches: Enjoying Sex & Intimacy in Marriage  Juli Slattery (host of Focus on the Family)
Intimate Issues: Twenty-One Questions Christian Women Ask About Sex Linda Dillow, Lorraine Pintus
Intimate Issues: Twenty-One Questions Christian Women Ask About Sex (Kindle)

Lead Me, Sanctus Real

Lead Me by Sanctus Real

A great message for all Dads, Fathers, Papa's, Granddads, Grandpas, Grandfathers, Peepaws and other father figures. Be lead down the right path, and there's a decent chance that you'll have someone special following in your shadow.





Lead Me by Sancuts Real MP3 download
Pieces Of A Real Heart  Sanctus Real album mp3
Pieces of a Real Heart  Sanctus Real CD

Modesty displaying your Christian Attitude? What's your fashion saying?

CJ Maheny addresses fashion modesty as an expression of the attitude of your heart, especially for females. FamilyLife March 30, 2011

Just based on the title, I know that the content is one that most of America should hear (if they would actually understand and 'get' what's being said); in the host introduction of the broadcast though, the hosts of FamilyLife, in my opinion, tend to focus their words on "dressing for the church" rather than reinforcing that it isn't about a church dress code, its about a life dress code.

Return by Capital Lights, youtube by bran3009

Ginny Owens - If You Want Me To

Ginny Owens is a Christian musician who has written several well versed songs that really hit the core of realistic Faith. Given the fact that she has been blind since age 3 exemplifies her witness that God can do remarkable and unimaginable things of less than perfect circumstances. I think her cover of the song Be Thou My Vision is particularly appropriate so go give that a listen after you listen to the following song also by her. If You Want Me To is one of those songs that when you are amidst a dark or hard time in your life, that you can really cling on to. And realizing that Ginny herself undoubtedly had struggles due to her blindness, and even just the struggles that we all might face, the song has proven to be one that many can relate. The youtube presented may not fit very well with the tune, I didn't create it, but does present the lyrics and audio in a decent enough format. If you are a good video creator, maybe you'll make your own attempt at doing this song justice.







Without Condition is the album that this song is on. Be Thou My Vision, is also on this album.
If you want me to - MP3 download @ amazon
Without Condition downloadable MP3 album

Jesus isn't just the best way to die, He's the best to live. ~Tommy Sparger, NorthPointChurch Springfield, MO

Cup runneth over

My cup runneth over,  doesn't always feel like it, but it is nonetheless.

Preparing Your Daughter for Dating - Family Life

 Interviewing Your Daughter's Date - Family Life with Dennis Rainey


     A four part series from Family Life about Interviewing your Daughter's potential date. Don't think you need to worry much about protecting your daughter? Think your daughter is smart or wise enough to protect herself and be a "good girl" - that mentality is EXACTLY why you should be listening to all four broadcasts below! The links below will take you to the FamilyLife website, you might want to right+click them and choose to open in a new tab or window.
Part 1 - Your Daughter Needs You
Part -2 Prepping Daughters for Dating - FamilyLife
Part 3 - Protecting Your Daughter
Part 4 - Drawing the Line- Your Responsibility

The Afters - Light Up The Sky - Official Video

Lucy by Skillet from their album Awake - on youtube

The Most Hostile Environment for Our Daughters Ever- James Dobson on For Faith and Family

The Most Hostile Environment for Our Daughters Ever- James Dobson on For Faith and Family

The March 22 For Faith and Family broadcast, included a talk with Dr. James Dobson about the hostile environment that the degrading generations have now place our Daughters in. "Perilous" is a term used by Dobson to describe the cultural and societal influences affecting girls today, whether by media or even by ourselves not pulling our heads out of the sand long enough to see what's going on.  This talking of the subject is spot-on and if you have a daughter, have a granddaughter, simply CARE about someone's daughter you really should heed the warnings Dobson and the host bring out because if you open your eyes and look around as you go about life, you'll definitely see EXACTLY what they're talking about, and its pretty frightening for the sakes of girls growing up today.
What they say in this talk isn't sensationalism, but rather an eye opening observation of  whats going on in everyday real life. Next time you walk in a mall, go to the grocery store, or go to church, intentionally take note of the fashions that the females you see being displayed (and that's just the tip of the iceberg of more serious issues).
Again, the link to the broadcast is here  and a link to Dobson's new book that they reference (at amazon) is here.

Please listen to at least that portion of the broadcast (there are other speakers afterwords of interest too) and be intentional about seeking your own methods of influecing the girls in your life to understand the reasoning behind modesty; to understand their worth according to God; and to understand that what movies and pop culture say they isn't the Truth.

NPC Whats Wrong With God part 3

NPC Whats Wrong With God part 3


Northpoint Church in Springfield, MO with Tommy Sparger presents What's Wrong With God? series part 3

In this part the issues of dogma are discussed, and bigger issues that you really need to hear to believe. This is one of those MUST WATCH kind of videos that you wish you could tie up all your friends and make them listen and consume and attempt to digest what he's trying to say.
Please, check it out now.

Try out a Chronological Bible Reading Plan

Try out a Chronological Bible Reading Plan

Biblos.com goes by many names. You can go to the same site, albeit a sub-page, by hitting Scripturetext.com
and if you peruse the site long enough you may discover the other urls going to it as well. Telling you that wasn't really my point of this post but rather to say HELLO READ YOUR BIBLE, and if you want a different way to read it besides starting at Gen 1.1 you can check out the Chronological reading plan, also set by days of the year(for reading the Bible in a year) which in contrast has you start by reading Gen 1.1.
Reading the Bible in a year isn't for wusses though, some days have several chapters, and some days are lighter reading. If you've the time each day, it is a cool way to consume the Word within a year. I find that if I push too hard at the quantity, simply for 'achieving that goal' that I don't tarry long enough to smell the roses, and get all that one can get (as if that was even possible).

The Word is without a doubt the most important literary work of any time, regardless of whether you're a Christian or not. Are you an atheist, well, The Bible is still the most important book of all time, and you're living proof of it - wrap your mug around that one for awhile.

Biblos.com is my favorite Bible site - the people behind it have poured so many features and functionality into it that I've yet to find anything comparable. I suppose audio Bible linking to the verses would be a neat feature that BibleGateway.com has on Biblos, but hey, there's certainly nothing wrong with having multiple Online Bible bookmarks saved back right?  Being a pack rat is fine when it comes to bookmarking.

smiles to you! Read God's Word today, it'll do you good, I promise, and God is holding the Guarantee!

Mark Anderson is on Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family has a message by Mark Anderson, star marathon runner who allows insight into the turmoils of his life growing up. Even his birth was fairly shocking by most's standards. His mother was brought to a hospital because of a 6lb tumor that needed immediately removed from her mid-section. Upon removing the tumor the doctors discovered a 2lb child underneath, and though giving no odds of survival, he did survive and went on to become a successful track and field athlete, but not without enormous hurdles and struggles along the way.
Worth a listen.

Grace to You broadcast with John MacArthur - Wives Roles in the Bible

Grace to You broadcast with John MacArthur - Wives Roles in the Bible

    In the 3/18/2011 broadcast of Grace to You with John MacArthur, he talks about the roles of wives as described in the Bible. Now before discounting such role identities as 'old fashioned' - consider how culture and society is today versus the "golden age" or "innocent age" when shows like The Andy Griffith Show or Leave it to Beaver aired on TV rather than "Pretty Little Liars" and being obsessed with teenage looking vampires (yes I'm staring at you Ed, right in your sparkly face). So be open minded and consider the points as you listen to John:



Grace to You


The letter he reads from a working Mom is especially convicting and moving. The letter is towards the end around 8:39 or so (for some reason the video's counter counts down rather than up, so its at the 8 min 39 sec TIL end mark). Summarizing, she mentions her story, working from home ...out of seeming necessity, and how the Christian world around her stood silent and unmoving to offer any form of assistance whatsover. Shame on us for allowing someone praying and striving to find Jesus;  and in us not finding Him at all.

I was convicted to be more watchful and keep my eyes and ears open to those around me that may well be hurting or in need of something even I can give. We all have the ability to perform miracles in the daily lives of those around us.

Never Alone

Never Alone

Being a follower of God allows for the understanding that one is never alone.

1. You + God
2. You + Spouse
3. You + Spouse&Kids
4. You + Everyone Else (your neighbor Luke 10.33-37)

So as you can see, being 'alone' is really a term to mean being only with God. Evil goads us to believe that we're alone without God and just looks where that gets you. Consider the amount of depression, suicides, self-esteem problems and so forth that express the feeling of loneliness as a characteristic. How do you feel during times of stress or anxiety when you are "alone" (in the sense that you are ignoring God)? Is it a surprise then that while turning our back on God, ignoring or neglecting Him as our company when others aren't around, that we feel cold; ignored; abandoned; frightened; anxious; sad and/or depressed; with little or no hope; etc?
Kind of sounds like "hell" if you ask me. Oh wait, that's actually a descriptor of a place or status known as "Hell" that being a place "without God."
Encourage those in your circle of influence, try to be intentionally seeking them, thinking about them, caring for them. Don't let things like feeling awkward, stop you from asking someone you know if they're "OK" and furthermore making actual real efforts to get to know that person and not letting an "OK" be a sum-up of your relationship. Is "OK" good enough, really?  How many times have you been in the absolute DUMPS and yet told a passerby that you're OK, or worse yet that you're "good" when they asked how you were doing? We are all of us habitual liars and fakers.
Be Intentional, Be Real, and you will be Inspiring to others.

Inspiration

Inspiration -  the action or power of moving the intellect or emotions;  the act of influencing or suggesting opinion.
In a clever campaign by those battery guys with the pink bunny mascot, the  Energizer Bunny Keep Going Facebook Contest has 100 SemiFinalists waiting for your vote to progress them to the next round in this inspiring contest!  The contest is all about finding individuals that have endured hardship, the odds, naysayers, all with a vision or goal in mind to achieve. Much less worthwhile things can be done today than to read through the bios of the semi-finalists and allow you yourself to be Inspired.