This is a weekly newsletter to share my favorite things from around the web, books, articles, and random observations.
Hello friends. Happy Friday.
This week, I read a statistic that says 76% of people who attend church think God's Word is something less than inspired. They may think it is helpful or a great guide for life, but not the inspired Word of God. They do not see it as inerrant. This means without falsehood and inspired by God. This is why so many people can attend church but leave, saying it doesn't work. "It" will not work if you do not let God lead. One of the goals I am shifting this newsletter over to is to reinvest the power of simply reading God's Word. The other is to understand the Christian faith, specifically the authority of God's Word. There are three ways we can experience the life-changing power of God's Word:
1- Reading it daily.
Not long ago, I asked my daughter if she wanted to try shrimp. She turned up her nose and said she didn't like shrimp. She had never tried shrimp before, and I knew she would love it if only she would try it. Well, I finally convinced her to give it a try. Now, it's her favorite food. I think God's Word is a lot like that. Many people say they don't like to read it or don't understand it. My response is usually, "Have you ever tried it?" If we read God's Word, He will start transforming us from the inside out.
2- Exploring apologetics.
Apologetics is a fancy word that means "in defense of the faith." There are many good answers to the questions people have about the Bible. Because of technology, they are also at our fingertips. I hope to share with you one apologetics resource each week.
3- Lettings God's Word defend itself.
Charles Spurgeon once said, "The Word of God is like a lion in a cage. He doesn't need defending. Just open the door and let Him do His work." When we read God's Word, we don't have to convince people of its power. The Word of God helps us to know and experience the power of God. God's Word teaches us the principles of the Kingdom of God.
Here's the question: What if people read the Bible? We are slowly getting to a place where technology is more impressive and less reliable. I wonder if we will eventually get back to old-school pen and paper. Then we can trust it. The good news is God's Word is always trustworthy. If we just read it, it will reveal God to us and change our lives forever.
Community Update
We have created a Facebook Group called the "Bible Breakdown Podcast Discussion." The goal is to give us a place to share ideas and insights, ask questions, and more. Click here to join the discussion.
ð§ The Bible Breakdown Podcast>>>
The Book of Numbers has begun. I hope you are enjoying it so far. The name of the Book of Numbers is deceptive. The Jewish Torah calls it "In the Wilderness." That fits much better. This book chronicles the mostly tragic 40 years the nation of Israel spends in the Wilderness. If I were to give it a theme, it would be "Learning to Trust the Lord." The more we dig, the more we find. Check out a quick Introduction to The Book of Numbers.
My favorite episode this week: My episode this week was Numbers 01. Yes, it is a bunch of names... but think about it. All those names belong to people who were born into slavery. Now, they are preparing to take their homeland back again. It must have been an exciting time. They have been set free, and now it's time to regain what belongs to them. Listen to it here.
To all my RLC family...
1. Baptism Sunday is Approaching! Only two weeks till our next baptism Sunday! Do you know anyone at RLC who needs to hear this news? Tell them to contact us so we can see if baptism is their next step!
2. Real Men. This week's challenge was about reading and Memorizing God's Word. To join the challenges, text "rlcMen" to 94000. Next Event: May 20th.
2023, Let's grow DEEP and let God determine how HIGH!
ðŠ From My Blog This Week>>>
Story Time: Why I Hate Tambourines. I'm not a big fan of tambourines. In this blog post, I share a story of when I had to take one away from a precious lady in front of many people.
ð Matthew 6:7-15 (Fellowship). This past Sunday, we talked about fellowship... or fella-ship... or feller-ship. When we realize who we are talking to, prayer becomes something extraordinary.
ðĪ My Favorite Links This Week
ðĪĢ Funny- The Best of Time Hawkins. This guy is truly a comedy legend. The funniest part of his comedy is how relatable it is. He truly speaks from lived experience. Link.
ð§ Men Only- The Danger of Being Too Nice. This video talks about how it is okay for there to be a "healthy edge" to men. We should be kind but not always not overly nice. The video explains the premise. Link.
ðšCulture- "Homosexual" in the Bible is a verb, not a noun. This video is an interview with ex-homosexual Becket Cook. He talks about a theological framework to see this topic. If anyone can speak to it, he can. Link.
ð Apologetics- How Can Jesus Be the Only Way? This is a great question. The simple is easy. Often, we hear that all religions are the same. When someone says that to you, realize you are talking to someone who reads too much social media. They have yet to study this matter for themselves. All major religions are very different. There can only be one way. Link.
ð§ Mental Health- Cal Newport calls our cell phones "Anxiety Machines." When you hear his reasoning, it's hard to disagree. Link.
âĄïļ Focus- Merphy Napier is a professional reader. Her career is reading many books and talking about them on YouTube. This means she must be able to focus and read all the time. This video is a fresh take on familiar ideas to get more done by focusing correctly. Link.
ð§ Song of the Week- Closer (MavCity, feat. Brandon Lake) Such an awesome song to remember the closeness of the Lord. Since Genesis 3, God's goal has been to be close to His creation again.
ðBook of the Week- So Good They Can't Ignore You. Someone once asked the famous comedian Steve Martin how to get famous when there are so many people doing the same things. Steve Martin said, "Be so good they can't ignore you." In his book, Cal Newport does a deep dive into this idea and how most of us are trying to share ourselves with the world in the wrong way. The goal is to be consistent and good at what you do. This comes from a long time hammering away at the same craft. This book is worth reading more than once.
âïļ Quote of the Week
If life were predictable it would cease to be life, and be without flavor. -Eleanor Roosevelt
ðĪŠ Dad Joke of the week
I'm so good at sleeping that I can do it with my eyes closed!
ð Funniest meme of the week
Have a great week!
