Mental Musings

Having fun with my homeschool media technology class. We have about 14 students in middle school to high school. I decided that this semester I would challenge them to come up with a pretend product or company that they are going to promote using multiple platforms. Examples: Jetpack Rock star Racing car designer Photography company Anime or comic book publisher They will create an online presence to promote their product/company: Set up a YouTube Channel ( youtube.com) Make some commercials promoting the product/company Make some infomercials about the product/company Set up a website ( sites.google.com ) Should include frontpage, about page and contact page Design needs to be consistent with your product/company image Set up a Blog ( blogspot.com ) Should be a weekly blog post about the process of creating your product/company You can include blogs about the process of setting up the other sites Final blogs prior to the final presentation should be about the features of your product...

19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:19-25) Christians used to meet together daily in homes. Then as ages passed and technology increased, Christians became involved in the daily chores of life, or the intense actions of education and training...

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9) Ever notice how some of our old sayings are just plain bad advice? For instance, we are taught that instead of getting mad we should get even; or at the very least to take them to court. Yet God says that we are not to take out vengeance on others, but to leave that to Him (Romans 12:19). He goes further and tells Christians that we are not to take each other to court (1 Corinthians 5:6-7), but to work things out in a prescribed method (Matthew 18:15-17). We are taught not to just stand there, but to do something. Yet God's word teaches us that we are not to just do something, but to wait on the Lord (Psalm 37:7, Isaiah 30:18) for the battle belongs to Him (2 Chronicles 20:15, Ephesians 6:13). What about "don't rock the boat"? I believe that J...

The following is fictional, but wouldn't it be great if it were true. Adam: Hey, John, this is Adam returning your call. You really missed it today. Oh, man, you should have been there. John: I know. I tried to catch it on the radio, but I only got to hear the last half. If only I didn't have to work every Sunday. Adam: Hey, I TIVO'ed it. If you want to come by tonight we can watch it again. It was the most incredible, unbelievable experience of my life. I certainly wouldn't mind watching it again. John: You bet. I'll bring some snacks over. Hey, I could wear the jersey I got for Christmas. Adam: Absapositvely. I wore mine today. Matter of fact, the whole place was purple today. John: Man! I have got to get my hours changed. I just cannot miss another one. Adam: Your hours do really stink, but at least we can scream and shout and sing together tonight. My place for the best instant replay yet. John: Thanks, man. See you soon. Adam: All right. And don't forget to...

Our Bible Study group has been working through the Experiencing God study by Henry Blackaby and Claude King. This study has been out for 20 years, but it is, in my opinion, one of the best discipleship-based bible studies available. Learning how to know and do the will of God is the entire purpose of discipleship. This is my fourth time to lead a group through this study. We have reached the point in the study that speaks about milestones or spiritual markers. This is one aspect of the study that has stuck with me for the past twenty years. Even prior to the study I remember being led by my mentor in the ministry, Dr. Randy Von Kanel, to keep a spiritual journal. He explained that the journal would allow me to go back and see how God had worked in my life during my summer as a teen missionary in Wyoming. I have not always kept up my spiritual journaling, but I do see blogging as a means for Christians to write out what God has been saying to them. It is a way for us to leave spiritual ...