Give ‘em an offer they can’t refuse…
An offer to those in the blogosphere who are in ministry, writing, small business, and are thinking about or looking to build/change/modify/update/overhaul their website.
This is something I do on the side. I have done my share of web design over the past several years, and am looking to expand the market a little. For a small fee (I have to keep the lights on I guess) I can do some pretty nifty and professional-looking things for a webpage. Especially at heart for me are small businesses, ministry groups, churches, and such…those who want a website, can’t figure out how, and don’t have the huge dollars to spend on a professional website design firm.
Comment or send an email to junior at floodcity dot net if interested!
More about the issue of gambling
If you’d scroll thru the comments on the post “It’s Too Much of a Gamble”, you’d see that Susan from Sisters’ Weblog dropped a comment in about the issue of gambling. I happen to really like what link she left me…it’s from her notes on a sermon that Pastor Chuck at Northbrook Church gave a while back. I apologize that I don’t have her direct permission to post this, but I’m going to do it anyhow. I cut a few things off, but here is the crux of the post about gambling and the lottery, etc., and I thought these were good points:
Jesus would NOT play the lottery because:
I. IT IS MOTIVATED BY GREED – Greed and God can not exist in the same heart. (Luke 12:13-21)
People who support the lottery claim it is used for education. While a small portion of it may be used that way, is that really the reason people play it? Does Joe buy a ticket thinking “I’m going to contribute to the education of Tennessee’s youth”? I doubt it, I think Joe wants to win the jackpot.
(Bill’s side note: 38 cents of every dollar goes to PA Seniors programs, the beneficiary of the lottery in Pennsylvania, with the other 62 cents going to payouts, administration of the lottery, etc. Not a real great ratio…)
II. EXPLOITS THE POOR – Jesus loves the poor. The lottery hurts them. (Luke 18:18-23)
I learned today that in statistical studies on the lottery, it shows that those people with incomes below $10,000 a year participate in the lottery more than any other group. Middle income families a little less and high income brackets rarely at all.
Studies also show that at the end/beginning of the month, once welfare checks are recieved, that there is a spike in lottery sales in poor neighborhoods. The lottery is looked upon by the government as a way to get back the money from the welfare system.
There are more lottery outlets in poor neighborhoods than in affluent ones, because that is where the players are.
III. IT IS POOR STEWARDSHIP OF GOD’S RESOURCES – Everything on earth belongs to God. (Matthew 25:14-30)
The lottery is like playing the midway games at the fair. You know you will lose, therefore, why spend money on playing? Statistically there is a greater chance of being struck by lightning TWICE, than winning the “big one”.
That was the crux of it that I wanted to share with you all. I would just encourage you to meditate on those thoughts a little…they were good ones.
Ultimate?
I was telling Jana how I enjoy bouncing around the blogosphere and seeing what people are up to and talking about.
This post caught my attention this morning. My comment was “I’m with ya!” Go have a read over at Jana’s blog and enjoy it. I thought she hit it right on! We have modified the language and changed what words really do mean.
Too Much of a Gamble?
Oh, could I start a stir with this one…
I was approached in the office today by one of our survey party chiefs. He says to me: “Hey Bill, Cash5 is up to $660,000 tonight, you playin’?” Of course my answer is no. He replies: “ah, but you gotta play to win!”
Gambling never made sense to me, even when I was unsaved. Why on earth would I spend money to have a chance at winning more money? And surely, the minute I won a big sum of money, I’d be related to just about everyone in town! I could never understand why it’s such a draw. Then, once I got saved, I figured it out.
“No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” – Luke 16:13
Does God want us to be grovelling around for everything, depending on government social programs, barely having enough to get by? NO! God wants to prosper us. But here is the thing: Money is a hard master that can easily replace God as the first priority in our lives. Wealth promises power and control that it can’t deliver, and it surely can’t bring health, happiness, or eternal life. It is much better to trust God, serve God, and have eternal peace and security, than to serve money that’s here today and gone tomorrow.
Herein lies the draw I was talking about: Many think that money can bring those things. If I just had that kind of money, my bills would be paid. I’d own my house. I’d be out of debt. I’d save the rest.
Yeah, right. Not many I know who came into big money “saved the rest”.
Now, before someone comes along and blasts me for teaching some sort of commandment of men here and that Paul told us that we have liberty not law, consider:
“All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable”
Is it lawful to go buy a lottery ticket? Sure. Every state has a lottery, as long as you’re older than 18 (maybe 21 in some places) and possess enough American dollars to purchase a ticket, you can get one. But ask yourself, is it profitable? Is spending $2, 5, 10, or more on the lottery helping you? Is it helping others? Is it providing your family’s needs? Does spending that money that way bring glory to God?
If your answer to one or more of those questions is “no” then perhaps you should reconsider your stance on the lottery.
Hard statement to hear, I know. But as Christians, I believe in my heart that we are given a responsibility to do things to bring glory to God and to minister to and serve others. This may strike a nerve with you, but if that’s the case it’s not me; I’m just the paperboy.
To me, it’s just too much of a gamble.
Christian Carnival Online
This weeks edition of the Christian Carnival is now online at Eternal Revolution. The post from WRW is featured in the Church and Mission portion and is “From the Comfort Zone to the End Zone”.
Thanks to ER for hosting!
From the Comfort Zone to the End Zone
My pastor is preaching this message series right now at church. He has 12 different points he’s covering as to why people don’t leave the comfort of the familiar, the normal, the routine, to pursue God’s call for their lives or for the church to move beyond the normal to God’s call as a body.
It left me thinking about a tangent thought: Is there really a cost? We’re told in the scriptures about considering the cost (Luke 14:28), so surely there has to be a cost to staying in the comfort zone and not heading to the end zone. There is a cost.
Growth.
John Ortberg, in his book “If You Want to Walk on Water You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat”, tells the story of his grandmother, Florence. Florence was given pieces of china (a very exquisite set hand-crafted in Europe, no less) as gifts during her youth. Because of the value of the pieces, she would meticulously wrap the piece and put it in the attic for fear it might be broken if used. Florence wanted to save those pieces for a special occasion that never came along. She went to her grave without ever opening or using the greatest gift she ever received. Now that these dishes have been passed to John’s mother, they are used at every possible opportunity.
I like how Ortberg continues this thought. There are two ways to view a gift: that it’s so valuable it can’t be risked, or that it’s so valuable it must be risked. To say it can’t be risked makes the realization that things may not always go smoothly or well. Not everyone will admire the gift. It might get broken. But to say it must be risked recognizes that leaving a gift in a box forever thwarts the desires of the giver. Just like Florence’s plates, we’ve been given a gift by God, and we have to choose how we use it.
We all know the story of when Jesus walked on the water across the Sea of Galilee. Peter decided to get out of the boat and walk to Jesus. He chose that second way. He took a risk. Dale Bruner writes that “it’s important to see that Peter didn’t ask for a promise – i.e., “Lord, promise me I won’t sink” – but specifically for a command: “Lord, if it is you, command me.” Peter just wanted a chance. But the other eleven sat huddled in the boat, not wanting to risk anything. They wanted a promise or a guarantee rather than an opportunity.
We marvel at growth, whether it’s a child learning to walk and talk, the first blade of grass, a garden, a teenager getting their driver’s license, whatever. But for as much as we marvel at growth, there are really few things sadder than stagnation. No one plans a vacation to the Dead Sea. Whenever I think of stagnation, I think of “softball guy”…that guy in the La-Z-Boy watching whatever’s on ESPN, once the poster child for being fired up and full of dreams, yet settling for the comfort of the easy chair and whatever sport is on TV.
That, my friend, is the tragedy of the unopened gift and unrealized potential for growth.
Jesus tells a story about a “CEO” and three “employees” in the parable of the talents. Each is given a gift…a lavish opportunity. Each one had to make a choice as to what they would do with that gift. Just like Florence had to make a choice. Just like Peter. Just like us. Sir, you have a gift inside of you. God has given you a gift, an opportunity. Part of growing is using that gift despite the risk and what may happen to the gift.
Will your gift stay wrapped in the attic, or will you use it at every chance, despite the risk? That’s your choice.
Persisting in Prayer
Let’s look at Luke 18:1
Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,…
This scripture is the beginning of the “Persistent Widow” parable. As you may recall, the persistent widow continually expressed her need to the judge until he took action on her situation. That’s what we should do with our needs in presenting them to God…be persistent. Persistence in prayer until we get an answer from God is not about endless repetition or painfully long sessions, but is instead about keeping our requests before God daily, believing He will answer them. He might delay in answering us, but His delays always have good reasons.
As we persist in our prayer life, we grow in character, faith, and hope as individuals and as a body. Are we persistent in what guidance and direction we seek from God? Are we continually interceding for our President, our churches, our pastors, and each other? Are we in need of a “shot in the arm” for our prayer life, because it has fallen apart some?
WRAP Week Prayer Directive – November 5
Today’s WRAP Week Prayer Directive:
First, thank God for all that He is able to do. This is the final day of directives for this week, and while the results aren’t landslide in nature, He is at work. Also, continue to pray that Godly men and women…but especially men…will be raised up within the local communities that will stand firm in rejection of this kind of stuff. Pray that they will be steadfast. Continue to pray for the chains to be broken from those addicted. Pray for those who are called to activism within the community (via petition drives, etc.) will be raised up and begin to take action as God leads them to. Continue to remember those who work in this industry, pray that God will continue to soften their hearts and work at bringing more people out of this place.
Thanks to all of you who participated along in this week of prayer regarding the porn industry..both for deliverance of people from it and for a change of heart of those stuck in it. I pray that we as men will continue to stand fast in our rejection of obscene materials.
If you could put a price on it…
Now…if I could just find a buyer…
Big Talk does not equal Big Walk
I really have grown to appreciate my brother in the Lord Paul’s ponderings on his blog. This post of his hit me right between the eyes the whole way through, but there’s a particular part of it I want to take and develop just a bit more. I just want to talk from the heart about it, with no real set script or agenda…more like some open thoughts I guess.
Peter, before Jesus’ arrest, was confident that he would stay with Jesus, even if it meant death, but instead the Apostle denied that he even knew Jesus. Brave talk and positive thinking do not necessarily translate into courage when the chips are down.
See, we can promote a lot of things with the words we speak. Peter certainly did it, and Jesus even knew exactly what was going to happen before the sun came up. And it did happen. I posted the other day about living “stress free” and in that I mentioned that faith is more than emotional feeling. It’s also more than a mental assent to a set of rules, beliefs or doctrines. Faith incorporates so many things, because there are times where faith crosses beyond rules and doctrines…transcends all emotional feelings, to a place of being solely dependent upon God for the results. Saying you have faith and really truly having faith are two different things, and it always seems to come to light when you get in that place where nothing makes sense, there’s no rules to go by, and your feelings have lied to you.
Guys like to fix things…admit it…and if it ain’t broke we break it so we can fix it. I’m the biggest to blame at something like that. I look around at my current situation and think “ok, what can I do to correct thus-and-such and make sure that that-over-there gets taken care of”. I get in the way of what God wants to do! Yet when I talk to others, I profess that “God is in charge.” Is He, or am I? Even when things look their worst, and the clock is ticking loudly before something bad happens, we sometimes need to take that step back and say “God, I see so much distress around me, but I hold all of this up to You.” It’s a tough place to be, because maybe you’re talking about having a utility shut off, a car running out of gas, or something like that. But God has a strange way of making things work out if we truly take the step back and walk what we say…that we have faith in Him.
My encouragement is twofold to you tonight: 1. We all have a little bit of Peter in us…in that we say things that make us sound bigger, bolder, and more secure than we really are. And even though Peter made a bold statement that he didn’t follow through with, he wasn’t the first and he won’t be the last. 2. Peter went on to do great things for God despite the big talk (and big mistake)! God can still use you and develop your faith to the place where your talk and walk line up more closely. You have to let Him do it, though. You cannot develop that place in your faith without allowing God to develop it, lest you have faith in yourself alone and not God.
Just some open thoughts. Feel free to feedback on them.
