The Dark Knight

"He is not the hero we deserve but the Hero we need" -sound like my Savior.

From the motion picture "The Dark Knight"

The Dark Knight

"He is not the hero we deserve but the Hero we need" -sound like my Savior.

From the motion picture "The Dark Knight"

Waiting for the Light!

This morning I woke up in Kapoli, Honolulu - Hawaii. There is a 6 hour time difference between here and my home in Cleveland, OH. I had my choice of rooms in the home where I was staying and I choose the loft upstairs because I could open a host of windows and there was a nice cross-breeze. However, one of the challenges that I had not realized about the loft was that there we no lights. This space was lit by the sun and the moon. My second morning there I woke up around 4:00 AM or (11:00 AM in Cleveland). There were several others in the house and so I decided to stay in my bedroom and wait on the light. Don't we find ourselves at so many times "just waiting on the light." "Weeping my endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning light.". I had to wait quite a few hours. The Sun didn't come up until 7:00. I had to wait, but eventually the light I was waiting for arrived. Joy is like that too sometimes....you have to wait for it...but it does come.
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A Leap Of Faith

challenges you to take a leap of FAITH. The greater the RISK, the greater the REWARD. In the end--just before you FAlL, drop, crash, or just IMAGINE yourself doing so--you'll discover WHO wouldn't let you down; WHO wanted you to trust THEM because they were pushing/keeping you from the very beginning. I DARE you to take a LEAP in YOUR LIFE.
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Focus and Imagination

"You Cannot depend on your eyes , When your imagination is out of focus"

You got 1 week to pray

"Seven days without prayer makes one weak"

Sayings

"Get Right or Get Left"

"when you point one finger at someone the other3 fingers point back at you"

Open hands and Closed Fists

"how can you receive with a closed fist"

Your Eyes are Closed

Ego causes blindness....

Knees and Ankles

"He who spends sufficient time on his Knees will have little trouble standing on his feet!!"

Hemmed in

"The day that is hemmed with prayer, is less likely to come unraveled!"

Pressure and Pearls

" "A pearl is a beautiful thing produced from an injured oyster. Find the treasure in your injury."

Today & Tomorrow

"THE BEST PREPARATION FOR TOMORROW IS TO DO TODAY'S WORK EXTREMELY WELL." ~ Anonymous

Brooks and Blessings

1. Jabbok, where Jacob wrestled with God	Gen. 32:22
2. Eshcol, where the 12 spies of Israel cut down a sample of the marvelous fruit of the Promised Land	Num. 13:23
3. Sinai, the stream at the base of the mountain where Moses disposed of the golden calf Israel had made	Deut. 9:21
4. Besor, where David and his mighty men camped briefly en route to do battle with the Amalekites	1 Sam. 30:9
5. Cherith, where Elijah was fed by ravens	1 Kings 17:3-4
6. Kishon, where Deborah and Barak defeated Sisera	Judg. 4:13
7. Kidron, which the Savior crossed en route to Gethsamane	John 18:1

Willmington, H.L.: Willmington's Book of Bible Lists. Wheaton, IL : Tyndale, 1987, S. 43

Brides

1. Eve, bride of Adam, married in Eden	Gen. 3:20
2. Rebekah, bride of Isaac, married in Beersheba	Gen. 24:67
3. Rachel, bride of Jacob, married in Haran	Gen. 29:18
4. Zipporah, bride of Moses, married in Midian	Exod. 2:21
5. Ruth, bride of Boaz, married in Bethlehem	Ruth 4:13
6. Esther, bride of Ahasuerus, married in Persia	Esther 2:16
7. Mary, bride of Joseph, married in Nazareth	Matt. 1:24
8. Bride at Cana	John 2:1
9. The Church, bride of Christ, to be married in heaven	Rev. 19:7

Willmington, H.L.: Willmington's Book of Bible Lists. Wheaton, IL : Tyndale, 1987, S. 43

The Restless Seas of Time

1. Noah’s ark, used to save humanity during the Flood	Gen. 7:1
2. Moses’ ark, the tiny boat in which Moses, aged three months, was placed to escape death	Exod. 2:3
3. The ship Jonah boarded to go to Tarshish	Jon. 1:3
4. The boat James and John were in when Christ called them to follow him	Matt. 4:21-22
5. Peter’s boat, which Jesus used to preach from	Luke 5:3
6. The boat Jesus used to tell his parable on the sower and the seed	Matt. 13:2
7. The boat in which Jesus rebuked the angry sea	Matt. 8:24
8. The boat Jesus entered after walking on the sea	John 6:21
9. The boat in which Paul was shipwrecked en route to Rome	Acts 27:41

Willmington, H.L.: Willmington's Book of Bible Lists. Wheaton, IL : Tyndale, 1987, S. 41

Mountains of Faith!

Consider Preaching the Way God Moved at Various Mountains

Mountains in Scripture:

1. Arat (Genesis 8:4): Where the ark of Noah landed.
2. Carmel (1 Kings 18:19): Elijah challenged the priests of Ball
3. Ebal (Deut. 11:29; 27:9-13): Where the curses of Israel (if the people disobeyed) were pronounced; located in Samaria
4. Gerizim (Deut. 11:29; John 4:20-21): Where the blessings of Israel (for obedience) were pronounced, and where the Samaritians later build their temple: located opposite Mount Ebel.
5. Gilboa (1 Sam 31:1-6): Where Saul was defeated by the Philistines and killed along with Jonathan, his son: located on the eastern side of the Plain of Esdrealon
6. Gilead (Gen. 31:20-49): Where Jacob and Laban made their covenant; located southeast of the Galilean Sea.
7. Harmon (Matthew 17): Where Jesus was transfigured; located southwest of Nazareth
8. Hor (Numbers 20:25-29) where Aaron died; located northeast of Kadesh
9. Horeb: The Sacred Mountain chain of which Sinai was the summit; located in the peninsula between the Gulf of Aqabah and the Suez (A) Exod: 3:1 - Here Moses received his commision at the burning bush (B) Exod 17:6 - Here Moses brought water out of the rock. (C) Exod 32-33 - Here the people watied as Moses spent 40 days on Mount Sinai (D) 1 Kings 19: - Here Elijah fled from Jezebel.
   
10. Lebanon (1 Kings 5:6-14): Where the cedar and cypress timber was cut for Solomon's temple: a snowclad mountain range extending in a northeasterly direction for a hundred miles along the Syrian Coast.
11. Moriah (Gen. 22:2; 2 Chron. 3:1): Where Abraham almost sacraficed Isaac and where Solomon build teh temple
12. Nebo (Deut. 3:27; 34:1-4): The Summit point of Mount Pisgah, where Moses viewed the Promise Land; located east of teh Jordan River
13. Olives: just east of Jerusalem (A) 2 Sam 15:30 - David crossed this during his flight from Absalom (B) Luke 19:41 - Here Jesus wept over Jerusalem (C) Matt. 24-25 - Jesus preached his final discourse
14. Pisgah (Num 22-24; Deut. 34:5-6): where Balaam attempted to curse Israel and where Moses was buried; located east of the Jordan River.
15. Sinai (Exod. 20:1-17): The summit of Mount Horeb where Moses received the Ten Commandments.
16. Tabor (Judge 4:6-15): Where Deborah and Barak descnded to defeat Sisera; located in Gilee, east of Nazareth.
    

Willmington, H.L.: Willmington's Book of Bible Lists. Wheaton, IL : Tyndale, 1987, S. 209

The Lords Prayer

Matthew 6:9-13

⁹"This, then, is how you should pray:
" 'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
¹⁰your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹Give us today our daily bread.
¹²Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
[For thine is the Kingdom, and the power,
and the glory forever. Amen.]


Consider dividing up the passage by verses and preaching it.

Learning to Pastor

"You never really learn how to pastor. The pastorate involves a lifetime of trial and failure, and only God in heaven knows the outcome. Furthermore, you can't learn this art in any class or seminar taught by the local seminary or Bible college. In the end your people are your teachers. Week by week, Sunday by Sunday, the congregation rates and grades the preacher-pastor on his witness and his work. It is a process which can be, at the same time, unnerving and gratifying."

An excerpt from Preaching Through A Storm, taken from pgs 11-12

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Elevation, Opposition & Position

"Get ready for a SHIFT! When God gets ready to use anyone, he ELEVATES you to a new position. ELEVATION sometimes comes with OPPOSITION! The OPOSITE, from Oppose comes to strengthen your POSITION as God separates and aligns you for where he is taking you. In order to get toy our destiny you often need to adjust to your new position, if u do not let opposition limit the ELEVATION God decides to bring you to. REJOICE!"
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Making Vision Stick

Andy Stanley says, "To make vision stick, state it simply, cast it convincingly, repeat it regularly, celebrate it systematically, and embrace it personally."

Weebles Wobble But They Don't Fall Down

Weebles is a trademark for several lines of children's roly-poly toys originating in Hasboro's Playskool division on July 23, 1971. Shaped like eggs with a weight at the fat, or bottom end, they wobble when pushed, but never fall completely over, hence the name and the slogan "weebles wobble, but they don't fall down."

The popular catchphrase, "Weebles wobble but they don't fall down", was used in advertising during their rise in popularity in the 1970s and during the relaunch in the 2000s.

It's about what's on the inside of you that counts!!!!

It's all in how you spell it!

When life gets you down remember this: STRESSED backwards spellS DESSERTS

Math is a lot like life...

Math does not only apply to numbers but also to life. For when looking at negative situations with absolute value lenses, the outcome will always be positive. In other words your attitude determines your altitude.

The road to success...

The road to success is not straight. There is a curve called failure, a loop called confusion, speed bumps called friends, red lights called enemies, caution lights called family, and flats called jobs. But, if you have a spare called determination, an engine called perseverance, insurance called faith, and a driver called Jesus, you will make it to a place called success.-Unknown

Prayer For Preaching

God I am seeking to find my way into God's presence. No preaching can take place unless You the Divine Preacher comes. Speak to me oh God in a way that is life giving, powerful, clear & easy to understand. Comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable. My trust is that you, oh God, might be glorified, your people edified and the devil terrified. Do a work, oh God, Do a work! In Jesus Name I pray, Amen!

The Power Of The Holy Spirit

"Our prevalence in prayer lies in the plea, "Lord, do as thou hast said." How greatly we ought to value the Holy Spirit, because when we are in the dark he gives us light, and when our perplexed spirit is so befogged and beclouded that it cannot see its own need, and cannot find out the appropriate promise in the Scriptures, the Spirit of God comes in and teaches us all things, and brings all things to our remembrance, whatsoever our Lord has told us. He guides us in prayer, and thus he helps our infirmity." ~ C.H. Spurgeon, The Holy Spirit's Intercession, April 11, 1880

A Word from Dr. Carolyn Ann Knight...

Believable...memorable...liveable...quotable! Persons who listen to our sermons should be able to believe what we say...remember what we say...do what we say...repeat what we say. This is how preaching transforms.
~Dr. Carolyn Ann Knight

One way to have a daily devotional...

This is great for devotional...not necessarily Bible Study.

Apply a reading methodology! One recommended method is SOAP. It's simple and doesn't require you to be a Bible buff or scholar:
• Scripture: start with just enough to give you a complete thought. Usually, less than a chapter. As you read, if the subject or topic seems to change, stop right there! Mediate on that! You can always add more as you get more out of reading. Be sure to read it silently and then out loud twice.
• Observation: As you read write down questions that come to mind, promises, instructions, commands, examples (good/bad), etc., you run across. Try to answer the questions you raise, ponder the instructions/commands, etc.
• Application: ask yourself what can you take away from what you just read, how you can apply it to your life or who God might want you to share it with if it doesn’t speak specifically to your life at that moment.
• Pray, close in prayer; thanking God for what He revealed

Evidence of an encounter...

A few days ago I read Genesis 32:22-32. Here we find the story of Jacob's wrestling with God. I began to wonder during the times in my life when I have wrestled with God what have I longed for. Part of my wrestling with God, like Jacob, is a desire to be blessed. If we are honest...all of us, at one time or another, have wanted something from God.

One of the blessings that Jacob finds is amazing. God changes his name from Jacob to Israel. It is as if he generates a brand new identity as a result of his encounter. We all hopefully become "new creaters in Christ"

Also, Jacob becomes closer to God by wrestling with him. Even beyond the actual wrestling, for Jacob to ask God His name is to try and learn more of him. We all come to know God better as a result of wrestling with Him through the ups and downs of life.

However, what I have overlooked time and time again in this passage seemed to stop me in my tracks the other day. When I wrestle with God, like Jacob,I long to have evidence of my encounter with Him. In vv. 24-25 God touches the socket of Jacobs hip and he is no longer the same. When I think about it, Jacob's walk begins to change. You see the change in his name was important, but you would have to talk to him in order to find out his name. How amazing would it be if people knew we had been touched by God by the way we walked? That there was something in the way we carried ourselves that set us apart. Something about the way we lived our lives.

They say our life should be a sermon. Not one that is preached through our words but lived out through our actions. What's your walk looking like today?