Friday Funnies

The Leaning Tower of Perseverance

James 1

Youth Group Gathering.

2 Kings 12

2 Kings 12 07-25-10 from Chris Johnson on Vimeo.

You are blessed to be a blessing!

The FAB 5... safe and sound

Last week was hectic... VBS...vacation planning.... packing... cleaning... not to mention the normal stuff that needs to be done.

Yep, last week had a lot going on and that's good.  Daniela and the kiddos are enjoying some much needed time in S. Florida. Above is a picture of my children, their aunt and her cousin.

Thanks to all of you who have been praying fortheir safty and my sanity while their gone.

Be blessed y'all... be a blessing!

VBS this week

It has been an interesting week...

VBS is a great and exhausting time.

Recently I have been thinking about how tired I have been and how much
I am looking forward to some down-time tomorrow.

Here's a question for you:

Why aren't most of us tired in the WORK of the Gospel?
(notice i didn;t say, "tired of the work")

Maybe being exausted from the ministry is a good thing... maybe this
is what Paul refers to when he encourages Timothy to "The hardworking
farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops."(2 Timothy
2:6)

Keep pushing... keep training... keep striving to proclaim the Gospel.

Video from last week's Youth Outing!!!

2 Kings 8:1 - 6

2 Kings 8:1-6 from Chris Johnson on Vimeo.

CHRISTIANS...

WE HAVE AN AMAZING STORY TO SHARE!!!!

On Guard!

Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith.

Grace be with you.

1 Timothy 6:20-21

 

There are some people that are what Daniela and I call "conversation enders".  They do not engage in conversation, not because it is a controversial topic or lacks debate fodder.  No… they just end it abruptly.

 

Paul is by no means a conversation ender, but he sure does end it abruptly here.  It is almost as if he gave his full speech, said what he needed to say and stepped off the platform. 

 

Paul tells his protégé to guard what has been entrusted to your care. You know… it's not just your money that Jesus sees as stewardship.  It's your time, your family, your career and THE DOCTRINE you have learned.  Are you guarding yourself from false teaching?

 

This is not easy is it?  No wonder Paul adds: Grace be with you.

I feel classy... Dudes with ridiculously expensive sport cars also dine at Red Robin (yum)

A Promise

Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels.

Exodus 40:34 - 38

 

When my wife goes walking, Anabelle gets really, really sad.  She doesn't want her to leave… even on a walk through the community.

 

The Israelites did not have to worry about the Lord taking a break or wandering off.  They had an ever-present and real reminder of God's presence. So do you!

 

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:13 - 14

 

Jesus promised to NEVER leave you or forsake you.

 

Amen!

Worship

Then the Lord said to Moses: "Set up the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the first month. Place the ark of the Testimony in it and shield the ark with the curtain. Bring in the table and set out what belongs on it. Then bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps. Place the gold altar of incense in front of the ark of the Testimony and put the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.

Exodus 40:1 - 5

 

I wonder how much thought... how much preparation goes into our worship?

 

American Idol?

Then the Lord said: "I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you. Obey what I command you today. I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.  Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare among you.  Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and cut down their Asherah poles. Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
Exodus 34:10 - 14

The first time I read this, I thought: "Why on earth would someone worship an idol?"

They don't deliver… they are foolish… and the Bible says that those who worship them are foolish too! (Deuteronomy 32:21; Jeremiah 10:8; and elsewhere)

We are foolish too… aren't we? Money/power/sex/family/self… don't we put things in the place of the Lord all the time?

I'm so glad that the Lord does not want us to remain foolish!

Remember the height from which you have fallen!
Repent and do the things you did at first. (Revelation 2:5)

 

 

 

 

FRIDAY FUNNIES

Too funny!

Have a great day.

One of those days?

So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
1 Peter 4:19

This morning I had the privilege of studying this passage with a dear friend. It is important when we study the Word of God to see how the author qualifies what he says. Peter, our anxious and zealous friend from the Gospels, has clearly matured in his relationship with the Lord since his teen years.

He walked with Jesus... he spoke to Jesus... he broke bread with Jesus... he was rebuked, as well, by Jesus. He knew Jesus as friend, as comforter, as Lord, and certainly, as Savior. But look at how he refeences Christ... FAITHFUL CREATOR.

Not only Creator... but Faithful Creator.

The next time you are going through a trial... the next trying time in your life... do what Peter says and commit yourself to your faithful Creator and continue to do good.

2 Kings 5

2 Kings 5 07-11-10 from Chris Johnson on Vimeo.


You and Naaman have more in common than you thought.... eh?

FRIDAY FUNNIES

The Izz

Interesting Day... Eh?

If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
1 Peter 4:15 - 17

God has an unusual way of teaching us practically what He shows us in His Word.  Sometimes, the Holy Spirit has revealing the meaning of the text in semi-tangible ways.

1 Peter 4:15 - 17 was the topic of study this morning in a Bible study I lead Thursday mornings.  This was also the devotional from the book I am reading through: EXTREME DEVOTION (Voice of the Martyrs).  This morning's devotional was about several young men in Sudan that, despite being tortured, refused to call Allah "god".  Amen...!  I pray that I would have the same boldness.

But the Gospel seldom gets the spotlight for too long (sigh).

Low and behold... what came across the news wire this morning?  THIS:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/07/08/connecticut.church.scam/index.html?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+%28RSS%3A+Top+Stories%29

If you suffer for the cause of Christ... it is for His honor and your edification.  If you suffer for your own sin and/or foolishness... you get what you deserve.

Let us strive to enter through the narrow gate.

Calling all Christians!

Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer. Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

2 Timothy 2:3 - 7

The first verse of ONWARD CHRISTIAN WARRIOR goes like this:

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war, 

with the cross of Jesus going on before.

Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;

forward into battle see his banners go!

There is something to that.  

• Every day we are called, like a soldier, to duty… to wage war against the enemies of the Gospel.  

• We are like the athlete who competes… who sees the finish line and MUST PRESS ON!
  

• We are like the farmer who can take pleasure in his work.

Why not do what Paul tells his young protégé (Timothy) and reflect on what what Paul wrote.

A DECLARATION OF DEPENDENCE

If the Son has made you free... you are free indeed!


You are blessed to be a blessing.

.

The Need of the Hour

What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

2 Timothy 1:13 - 14

 

I don't think there is enough room here to unpack all that this says, implies, and means!  But for now… let's look at a few obvious things:

 

1.  "What you heard from", Timothy was a product of DISCIPLESHIP!

 

2.  "the pattern of sound teaching", in a world that discards truth as being unfashionable… stay close to SOUND TEACHING!

 

3.  "the good deposit that was entrusted to you", what was entrusted to you was only a deposit… you have not arrived.  DISCIPLESHIP AND GROWING IN CHRIST ARE NOT OPTIONS.

 

4.  "guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit", this deposit is not something you can guard by yourself… you must RELY on the Holy Spirit.

 

5.  "the Holy Spirit who lives in us"… Christ in you = the hope of Glory!  You are PRECIOUS and VALUABLE to God.

 

Be blessed brethren… be a blessing!

THE PAIN-FULL TRUTH!

Double Front Flip Beach Faceplant - Watch more Funny Videos

Folks, the truth is that we can not do everything.  Some of us can't even do some of the "normal" stuff we used to do! (You know... like eat a whole pizza or something like that.)

As we get ready for our big 4th of July celebration let's remember that while we have limits to what we can and can not do.  Tomorrow we will be looking at both our freedom in America and our dependence on Christ.

FRIDAY FUNNIES

It is Friday.

Here are some FRIDAY FUNNIES for you.

Too Funny!

... and now... my favorite!

Rejoice!

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God's word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.
2 Timothy 2:8 - 10

These are very sobering words…

If anyone had ever been in a place to justify complaining about their situation IT WAS PAUL.  Jailed for preaching the Gospel… hurled into prison for declaring freedom of the soul.  And what do we see Paul doing?

Rejoicing!

Maybe we don't need to be delivered from our circumstances as much as we need to be delivered from self centeredness.

Selah.