Choose Joy

“Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
The Sovereign LORD is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights.”
Habakkuk 3:17-19 (emphasis mine)

I have always loved this passage. Habakkuk the prophet had the right attitude. He chose to praise God and rejoice in Him, regardless of his circumstances...no matter how dreary and depressing they were. We often cannot control what will happen to us or what trials we will face but we can control our attitudes and reactions. Though...(fill in the blank with whatever troubling you: eg. health problems, relationship problems, death of loved ones, financial crisis, etc.), yet God is still Who He is and still in control and still loves us and cares about us. Therefore, we can choose to always trust in Him and rejoice in Him. He is our Lord. He is our Savior. He is our Strength.

Let's choose joy and commit to walk in joy no matter what's going on around us. Let's look to God who is our Source of joy, instead of fretting over our situations.

Lord, please help us to have a thankful & joyful heart/attitude even through our difficult times. Please enable us to bear hardships and endure trials while reminding us, Lord, that You're with us through it all.  

"But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful." Psalm 68:3

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" Philippians 4:4

"I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness." Isaiah 61:10a

Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the video.


This post is linked up with In 'Other' Words @MiPa's Monologue, Brag on God Friday @Beholding Glory, Spiritual Sundays, Sharing His Beauty @The Beauty in His Grip, Playdates with God at The Wellspring, and "Hear It, Use It" @Graceful.

Friday's Fave Five #63

It's time for another Friday's Fave Five (hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story).

My Fave Five this week:-

1. I love Fridays! We host a weekly dinner and Bible Study for the international students (who attend our local university) in our home every Friday evening.  Food...friendship...fun...fellowship ...studying God's Word...praying for one another...sharing Christ's love...priceless!

2. Shopping at a homeschool bookstore. I could easily spend hours there and go broke :).

3. Shopping at an Asian grocery store. I enjoy Asian foods such as curry, dim sum stuff, Thai peppers, seaweeds, all sorts of noodles, etc. It's a real treat whenever I go to one (none is near us).

4. My current giveaway: you can win a copy of The Mighty Macs DVD on my other blog. Ends 3/4/12

5. My 18 yo daughter, Alyssa's eBook, Deadly Delirium is being released today by the Euterpe (YA) Imprint of Musa Publishing! She is hosting a giveaway on her blog where you can win a copy. You can also check out her Deadly Delirium Facebook page for all the interviews, reviews, and giveaways.

Review: SongCompanion

I received a free SongCompanion for review. SongCompanion is an interactive publication in pdf format that explores the lyrics and themes of some Christian songs to help you learn and grow in your faith. Music often touches people's hearts in a powerful way and gets stuck in people's minds for a long time. Tom Houck, the founder of SongCompanion, hopes to provide fun, enjoyable learning tools for spiritual growth. Each SongCompanion is like a devotional/Bible study guide based on a meaningful song. The one I reviewed is based on the song, "How Many Kings" by Downhere. I love this song; in fact, it's one of my all-time favorite Christmas songs :). I enjoyed the colorful, multi-media SongCompanion. It is filled with great relevant Biblical truth, interesting information, web links, video clips, and more. Did you know that Downhere is a Canadian band? I didn't know that. The theme in the How Many Kings SongCompanion is humility and serving others. I really like the Deep Dive Questions; these questions help readers dig deeper into God's Word and reflect on real-life applications. SongCompanions can be used for personal use or for group discussions. Check these wonderful resources out at http://www.SongCompanion.com/.

The Secret to Being Content

“Being content does not mean we are satisfied. In fact, to be content is to know we will always
be groaning this side of eternity. Yet when we believe that fullness will come, that there is more than this life, we live with contentment.”

Lisa Graham McMinn, The Contented Soul (found in Mornings with Jesus, p.30)

I don't fully agree with the quote above. I know what she tries to convey. Our longing for our true home, Heaven. Yet I believe we can be content and satisfied on this side of eternity, too. I like the commentary that Keri Wyatt Kent made about the quote above in Mornings with Jesus: "The 'more' she writes of is Jesus. His love and grace are sufficient. Resting in Him, we can be content." I agree with that; Jesus Christ is the key.

"But Godliness with contentment is great gain." (1 Timothy 6:6) Would you like to know the "secret" to being content? I believe we can truly be content only when we realize that we are complete in Christ. No one else and nothing else will ever make us complete. Six years ago, I wrote the following poem, "Complete in Christ" to remind myself of that, and hopefully, it may encourage others as well.

Complete in Christ

Philosophy, psychology
Idolatry, ceremony
They do not set us free.
We are complete in Christ...Christ alone.

Legalism, mysticism, asceticism
Animism, Hinduism, Buddhism
Don't be fooled and trapped in man-made religions.
We are complete in Christ...Christ alone.

Spiritual formulas, worldly principles
Self-help books, staged miracles
These won't save us. Don't be gullible.
We are complete in Christ...Christ alone.

Elaborate church buildings, expensive programs
Certain prayer patterns...we have to discern
Don't be captivated. Don't be intimidated.
We are complete in Christ...Christ alone.

Popularity, plastic surgery
Model looks, designer clothes
Don't be envious. We don't need those.
We are complete in Christ...Christ alone.

Drugs, cults, New Age, evolution
Power, portfolios, prosperity
Don't be led astray. Don't love money.
We are complete in Christ...Christ alone.

Luxurious homes, acres & acres of land
Private planes, latest high-tech gadgets, fancy cars
We don't need anything extra.
We are complete in Christ...Christ alone.

Degrees, recognition, career
Costly hobbies, social status, approval of peers
Think of heaven, not just now and here
We are complete in Christ...Christ alone.

Human regulations, immediate gratification
Sensual indulgence, collection of things
They give us no peace. True joy...they don't bring
We are complete in Christ...Christ alone.

~ Copyright 2006 Urailak Liljequist

It's our human tendency to desire "more" and "better" and "new" and "exciting". It's our human tendency to get bored easily, to complain, and to be ungrateful. With Christ's strength, we can overcome the human tendency (aka our sinful nature). "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, Who is the Head over every power and authority." Colossians 2:9,10


This post is linked up with In 'Other' Words @Writing Canvas, Brag on God Friday @Beholding Glory, Spiritual Sundays, Sharing His Beauty @The Beauty in His Grip, Playdates with God at The Wellspring, and "Hear It, Use It" @Graceful.

Movie Review: Deadline

Inspired by a true story, Deadline (PG 13) is a powerful movie about the unsolved murder of a 15-year-old African American, Wallace Sampson, in Amos, Alabama. Nineteen years after the cold-blooded killing, Trey Hall, is on a search for truth. She wants to know what happened to her housekeeper's son, Wallace. Trey asks Matt Harper, a reporter at The Nashville Times, to help her investigate this case. Obstacles arise against Matt. His publisher objects it. His fiancee calls the wedding off. His father is battling cancer. Matt gets assistance from a fellow reporter, Ronnie Bullock, who is a very interesting redneck.  Deadline is a story of racism, redemption, relationships (esp. between father and son), justice, journalism, hope, and faith. It portrays the ugliness and devastation of racism as well as the beauty and restoration of racial harmony. I was so touched that I got teary eyes a few times. The climax is truly heart-wrenching. The cast did a fantastic job. I really enjoyed this gripping film. I love the poem, "Times" by Wallace Sampson (written on the day he died):
Times are hard here
Times are uneasy
Times call for courage
And the hope that these can still be
In fact, still are
The best of times

Deadline is adapted from Mark Ethridge's novel Grievances. Ethridge is a former managing editor of The Charlotte Observer. Deadline is directed by Curt Hahn, starring Steve Talley and Eric Roberts. You can watch the trailer and sign up for email updates including when Deadline will be released in your area at http://www.deadlinefilm.com/.

Cry in My Heart

Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the video.

"But Thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head." Psalm 3:3 (KJV)
"The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." Psalm 18:2 (NIV)

What do I have if I don't have You, Jesus?

Love Test

“Love is patient,
love is kind.
It does not envy,
it does not boast,
it is not proud.
It does not dishonor others,
it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil
but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects,
always trusts,
always hopes,
always perseveres.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV)

I love this passage about love :)! The word "love" is so overused and misused that it doesn't mean much nowadays. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 spells out what true love in action really is. I like to put it all into questions as a test to check how I daily do in the "love" department. Well, I definitely fail more times than I can ever count :). The good news is: each day we still breathe, we get to practice loving again and again. "Life is ripe with opportunities to learn love ♥...The world is not a playground; it's a classroom, and the eternal lesson is learning how to love better.♥" (~Henry Drummond)

Love Test

Am I patient?
Am I kind?
Do I envy or get jealous?
Do I boast?
Am I prideful or puffed up?
Am I rude/do I dishonor others?
Am I self-seeking/do I demand my own ways?
Am I easily angered/provoked/irritable?
Do I keep any record of wrongs/hold grudges?
Do I delight in evil/rejoice in iniquity?
Do I rejoice with the truth?
Do I always protect my loved ones?
Do I always trust?
Do I always hope?
Do I always persevere/endure through every circumstance?

Love waits. Love cares. Love gives. Love shares. Love is humble. Love rejoices with those who rejoice. Love is not grumpy. Love is polite. Love puts others above self. Love overlooks offenses. Love forgives. Love stands up for what is right. Love believes. Love never gives up.

Love encourages rather than envies
Love notices rather than neglects
Love comforts rather than complains
Love appreciates rather than aggravates
Love makes sacrifices rather than makes excuses
Love seeks to understand rather than demands to be understood

"♥ Love is a rich, vigorous expression of character--God's nature in all its fullness.♥" ~Henry Drummond

My prayer today: Thank You, Lord, for loving us unconditionally and eternally...and for teaching us in Your Word how to love! Please fill our hearts with Your love and help us love like Jesus!

Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the video.


~This post is linked up with Spiritual Sundays, Sharing His Beauty @The Beauty in His Grip, "Hear It, Use It" @Graceful, Playdates with God at The Wellspring, and In Other Words (this week @Heart Choices) .

FIRST Wild Card Tour: Reasons for Hope by Carl Kerby

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!




You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

           Today's Wild Card author is:

Carl Kerby

and the book:

Reasons for Hope

Genesis Publishing Group (November 22, 2011)

***Special thanks to Audra Jennings – The B&B Media Group – for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Carl Kerby is president and founder of Reasons for Hope (rforh.com), founded in 2011 as a response to a calling from God to proclaim the authority and authenticity of the Bible. He was previously a founding board member at Answers in Genesis for ten years and served there for over fifteen years. Before that he worked as an air-traffic controller at O’Hare International Airport. Kerby’s love for Jesus fuels a passion to engage the minds and hearts of youth and adults so that they can know the truth of God’s Word. He is a sought-after speaker both in the United States and abroad. Yet his most cherished accomplishment is his 29-year marriage to his wife, Masami, and his roles as father to his children, Alisa and Carl, Jr., and as grandfather to Trey.
Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Life is not always picture-perfect, and sometimes it is difficult to see God’s plan or purpose—especially during difficult times. Reasons for Hope: In the Mosaic of Your Life, by sought-after speaker Carl Kerby, researches the many aspects of faith that will encourage everyone looking for hope in today’s troubling times. With humor and passion, Carl answers questions about suffering, evolution, relativism, faith and more, strengthening his readers and equipping them to offer true hope to a broken world.

“In a mosaic, the artist arranges pieces of cut or broken stones or tiles to create a decorative pattern. We may struggle to grasp the overall design of a mosaic when we’re looking at the individual pieces up close, because what we see looks like a piece of junk, broken and useless. But when we step back far enough to view the entire mosaic, we get a new perspective, and we see the intricate beauty of the finished masterpiece. That enables us to grasp the original intent of the artist,” explains Carl Kerby. Reasons for Hope chronicles Carl’s rocky start as the son of a professional wrestler and takes readers from his difficult teen years and his military career to his stressful responsibility as an air-traffic controller at one of the nation’s busiest airports and ultimately to his ministry calling as a speaker. Carl reveals how God has created a beautiful mosaic from the broken pieces of his life, held together by the saving grace of the cross of Jesus Christ. As readers join in Carl’s journey, they will come to understand how the bigger picture of their own lives reveals a unique and beautiful mosaic.

Using his dynamic and infectious passion, Carl reveals God’s hand throughout his life, from childhood to adulthood, from unbelief to belief. No matter what the circumstances, God gathers up the broken pieces of life and forms them into something beautiful, all according to His purpose and plan. Carl’s story will not only give reasons for hope but will also encourage readers to share their only true hope, Jesus Christ. Readers will walk away knowing that the broken pieces of their lives are used by God to make beautiful and useful vessels for His work


Product Details:
List Price: $14.99
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Genesis Publishing Group (November 22, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1933591099
ISBN-13: 978-1933591094

MY THOUGHTS AND REVIEW:
I enjoyed reading Reasons for Hope. It's partly autobiography and partly apologetics. Like Mr. Kerby, I like mosaics. When my daughter was little, she and I made a few mosaics out of broken dyed Easter egg shell pieces (we crushed them on purpose). Each piece by itself was not pretty to look at but when we put all the pieces together into a picture of a flower in a vase, it became beautiful. Mr. Kerby wants to encourage readers to see that God can take all the broken pieces of their lives and turn into beautiful mosaics. While we focus on our brokenness and unpleasant circumstances, God sees the whole big picture. The author's broken life stories are used as his powerful testimony to God's grace and redemption. He hopes we will do the same (sharing our life stories to point people to Jesus, our Hope). He shares how Jesus offers hope, help, and healing. I can really see the author's humility, passion for God and God's Word, and love for the lost through the pages. Mr. Kerby also desires to equip Christians to be ready to defend our faith. He answers questions about pain, suffering, death, evolution, dinosaurs, race, etc. I appreciate his explaining in easy-to-understand terms, unlike some experts who use tons of big scientific words that make my head spin :). If you feel broken and hopeless, please read this book. And if your hope is in Christ Jesus and you know others who need hope but you're not sure how to share with them the reasons for your hope, I recommend you read this book, too.
"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." 1 Peter 3:15-15


AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Rocks,
Stones, Boulders and Mosaics

Craig DeMartino had no clue that his
life would change forever when he set out for Colorado’s Rocky Mountains on
July 21, 2002. A rock climber, Craig was doing what he loved best as he scaled
the heights of the Sundance Buttress in Rocky Mountain National Park. Little
did he know that the harrowing climb would be the last time he would plant both
feet on a mountain.

After a tragic instant of miscommunication,
Craig tum bled off the rocky cliff and plummeted nine stories to an almost
certain death. Freefalling at over sixty miles per hour, he crashed onto the
mountain floor—feet first. His boots exploded upon impact, and his feet and
ankles were shattered. A powerful shockwave moved up his body, breaking his
back and fracturing his neck. The fall also punctured a lung and tore a
shoulder. After being evacuated to the hospital, Craig remained unconscious as
the doctors advised his family that he had less than an hour to live.

But God had a different plan for
Craig. Through a series of miraculous events, Craig survived his
one-hundred-foot fall.

Although Craig didn’t conquer the
mountain by rock climbing, he did conquer the “rock” of difficulties that he faced
after the accident, including the amputation of his right leg eighteen months
later. Following his miraculous survival, and during his challenging recovery,
he discovered a renewed relationship with Jesus Christ, which led to a passion
for testifying of God’s wondrous power in his life. He’s even proven the
overcoming power of God by the strength and perseverance he exhibited when he
became the first amputee to climb the 3,000-foot face of El Capitan in Yosemite
on June 5, 2006, just six weeks shy of the four-year anniversary of the
accident.

No doubt, Craig’s fall from the cliff
was traumatic. But he recognized that his “rendezvous” with the rocks below was
not an unforeseen accident in God’s eyes, and that how he responded to his
predicament would change the entire course of his life.

“I think that’s how God works in our
lives—there are no accidents, only things that work for the good of the
kingdom,” Craig writes. “I think that’s the key to my attitude in general, that
I know God uses everything that happens to me to further the kingdom. That on
even the really bad days, and I have a lot of them, He is using the things I
do, and you do, to make an impact somewhere. Even when I don’t think that’s
happening, it is, and I usually see it down the road in ways I never could have
imagined.”

I believe God knew Craig would suffer
that fall, and He is the one who gave him the fortitude to survive the rocky
ordeal. Because of that experience, Craig now encourages others to live their
lives centered on Christ.

All of us, like Craig, face
challenges in our lives. How we deal with those challenges is what this book is
all about. Do we use the stones, rocks and boulders of life to build a strong
foundation or are we crushed by their weight?

As I look back over the years, I can
clearly see the stumbling stones and crushing rocks that were problems and
obstacles in my life. But I can also see how God used them for His plan and
purpose in my life—to build a foundation that has brought me to the place and
person I am today. I grew up with an extremely unusual background as the son of
a professional wrestler. Professional wrestling is a world that few know much
about, and I’ll be sharing the realities of that lifestyle, giving you a
glimpse of that world, in the following chapters. My path has been a rocky
one—struggling with a difficult childhood, dropping out of high school, even
being homeless at one point. Some of the “boulders” in my life were
disadvantages, but most of them were just difficult situations in which I made
very poor choices. But you know what? None of those boulders surprised God. In
fact, when I remember the negative experiences and failures from my past, I
cling to this passage of Scripture:

He also brought me up out of a
horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and
established my steps. (Psalm 40:2)

And that “rock” is Jesus. This verse
reminds me that I’m not the man that I used to be; God has created a new heart
and new mind within me. He lifted me out of the mess that I was in and placed
me on solid ground. My brothers and sisters in Christ, He’s done the same for
you!

THE BEAUTY OF MOSAICS

To me, a mosaic is such a fitting
illustration of the way God can take the broken pieces of our lives and create something
beautiful from them. My life has been filled with boulders and broken stones.
Yet God, in His grace, has put those stones together in a mosaic to make me
into a useful vessel for His use. I was privileged to serve for sixteen years
with the ministry Answers in Genesis (AiG), teaching people that God’s Word is
true from the very first verse. In January 2011, with the help of some great
friends, I founded a new ministry named Reasons for Hope, as a part of my
desire to equip Christians to offer reasons for their spiritual hope to lost
and dying people. That hope comes only from salvation through faith in Jesus
Christ. I never would have imagined how my life would turn out, but God, the
Grand Designer, has pieced together the good as well as the broken pieces of my
life into an amazing mosaic.

The term “mosaic” also has another
meaning. The “Mosaic Generation” describes the group of young people born
between 1984 and 2002. Sometimes called Millennials, Generation Y, Echo Boom,
or Generation Next, they are the newest of the five generations coexisting in
society today. The others are the Baby Busters/Generation X (born 1965–1983);
the Baby Boomers (1946–1964); the Builders (1927–1945); and the Seniors (1926
and prior; sometimes called Traditionalists or Matures).

Unfortunately, the meaning of
“mosaic” used for this emerging generation is far different from mine. Instead
of emphasizing how beauty can come from broken pieces, it seems they almost
embrace the brokenness as normal.

Maybe more than any other generation
today, those in the Mosaic Generation need to hear God’s truth. Let me share
with you some of the characteristics that are used to describe these Mosaics
(so-called because of their multifaceted, eclectic lifestyles). First, they’re
“plugged in” to all types of technology and media. According to author David
Kinnaman, Mosaics spend up to eight and a half hours every day using technology
and media, often using two or three types simultaneously (such as listening to
music while using the computer). In addition, Mosaics desire fresh, stimulating
experiences and love to express their individuality. Twenty-five percent of
Mosaics have posted personalized content online, including stories, videos,
blogs, artwork, or photos of themselves. More importantly, those in the Mosaic
Generation are nonlinear thinkers who are comfortable with contradiction and
are morally pragmatic (“I’ll do whatever works”).

For Mosaics, this philosophy of moral
pragmatism typically is expressed in the following statements:

■ What is right for you may not be right for
me.

■ I do what I think is best, not what anyone
else thinks is best.

■ You are the only one who can determine what
is right and what is wrong.

■ There is no absolute truth.

Hopefully, if you have a biblical background,
you can see immediately that these statements are at odds with Scripture. The
Bible is clear that all of us have God’s moral law (the Ten Commandments)
written on our hearts to tell us what is right and what is wrong and to convict
us of sin. The apostle Paul states in Romans 2:15 that men have “the work of
the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness...” The
Bible also tells us that God’s Word is absolutely true and is our standard for
living. The psalmist writes, “For the word of the LORD is right, and all His
work is done in truth” (Psalm 33:4), and “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a
light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). Surprisingly, only 6 percent of Mosaic teens
who consider themselves to be “born again” have a biblical worldview (meaning that
they believe in absolute truth, that the Bible is God’s Word, that “Satan is
real,” “Jesus never sinned,” and a handful of similar orthodox beliefs). That
means the other 94 percent adhere in some way to a philosophy of moral
pragmatism. Obviously, we have a lot of work to do as far as sharing the gospel
with this generation.

However, the Mosaic Generation has
many positive qualities, too. Mosaics have a joyful and positive outlook on
life, and they long for personal connection and powerful experiences. They
consider religion and spirituality to be a positive dimension of life, and they
want to experience God’s truth by building authentic relationships with other
people who have faith in God. Most Mosaics agree with the statement that they
are “looking for a few good friends.” I would say that’s true for most everyone
in our culture today.

As we encounter those in the Mosaic
Generation, we can follow Paul’s approach in reaching the lost. He tells us in
1 Corinthians 9:22, “to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I
have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” Paul
never compromised his message or watered down the truth of the gospel, but
boldly proclaimed, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the
power of God to salvation for everyone who believes . . .” (Romans 1:16). He
was always faithful in proclaiming saving grace, so when Paul spoke of becoming
“all things to all men,” he was talking about trying to relate to the lost in
the best way he could in order to reach them with the gospel. He tried to
understand who they were, and be kind and courteous in his approach to witness
to them. For example, to those who are “weak” in the knowledge of the Lord and
the gospel, Paul “became as weak,” meaning he met them at their level of
knowledge and added to their understanding by proclaiming Christ to them. To
those who don’t believe in absolute truth, we can start by addressing their
current beliefs and then help them see their need for the One who is Truth.

That’s what I want to help you do in
this book: to help you become “all things to all men.” No matter which
generations you and I may be in, we need to speak the truth of the gospel in
love, be patient and understanding, and show people the need for Jesus Christ
and His Word. The gospel must always be the primary focus of our message, but
we can support our proclamation of the gospel with our personal testimony as
well. We can share with people how God has worked in our lives. By sharing our
testimonies we can often connect to others in a deeper way and help them to
come to an understanding of the reasons for hope found only in Jesus Christ.

READY TO SHARE

On my travels I often have the
opportunity to meet fascinating people who need the gospel. One of the most
memorable was a professor I met while speaking in Kentucky. He teaches global
warming at a university in England, and his sister (who is a Christian) had
invited him to come with her to hear me speak.

After my talk, he and I had a dynamic
discussion about the topics I had addressed, including the theory of global
warming. He disagreed with me on quite a few points, but I was open to his
ideas and questions. We had a good time dialoguing back and forth and challenging
each other to provide evidence for our positions.

One influential person I had
mentioned in my talk that day was Richard Dawkins, an anti-Christian activist
and one of the strongest proponents of the theory of evolution and the “New
Atheism” movement. I have never met Dawkins personally, but from what I have
seen in interviews, he is an angry man. He hates Christians, and he seems to
“have it out” for the Christian community and anyone who believes in God, creation,
or intelligent design. To give you an example, consider the titles of some of
the books Dawkins has penned:

■ The
God Delusion

■ The
Blind Watchmaker: Why the Evidence of Evolution Reveals a
Universe without Design

■ The
Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution

■ Everything
You Know About God is Wrong: The Disinformation Guide to Religion (contributor)

As I prepared to leave, this British
professor told me, “You know, you’re not what I expected!”

I laughed and said, “I could take
that a couple of ways. What do you mean?”

He told me, “I expected you to be
angry and want to argue with me because I don’t agree with you.”

“I don’t hate you because you don’t
think like I do,” I replied. “In fact, I spent many years believing the same
things that you do. But God doesn’t tell us to fight or argue. He just tells us
to be ready to share with others the reason for our hope. So that’s what I do!”

I continued, “When I see people
harboring so much anger and hatred toward others who are supposedly so ‘stupid’
and ‘uninformed,’ I just don’t understand it. Think about Richard Dawkins. Why
is he so angry? If he truly believes Christians are so stupid, he should feel
sorry for us. For example, if someone walked up to me and told me that he
believed the moon was made of green cheese, and he was totally sincere, would I
get angry and fight with him or call him names? No way. I’d pat him on the back
and say, ‘I love you, brother, but you may want to go get some help!’ The fact
that Richard Dawkins is so angry shows me that the Holy Spirit is working on
him. I’m praying for him. I still believe there is hope for him!”

I told the professor that I had
really enjoyed meeting him and discussing science and Scripture with him. We
shook hands and parted ways. I prayed that he would consider the truths I had
shared with him.

About three months later, I received
an email from this same professor. He said, “Carl, you won’t believe this, but
I trusted Jesus Christ as my Savior the Sunday after I met you!” but I was
thrilled to hear it.

His email continued: “You know what
else? What really got me was what you shared about Richard Dawkins. You didn’t
know this, but not long before I heard you speak, I had actually posted this on
my Facebook page: ‘Richard Dawkins is God.’ ”

I was blown away by this man’s
testimony. Only the living God can take someone from believing “Richard Dawkins
is God” to proclaiming “Jesus Christ is Lord”! This man’s Christian sister had
been witnessing to him and praying for him for years. I’m sure God heard her
prayers and prepared his heart to be receptive to the gospel that day.

I’m humbled and awed that God allows
you and me to play a small role in helping people like this man realize that
God’s Word is true and that it is our standard for living. The apostle Paul
wrote that we are to cast “down arguments and every high thing that exalts
itself against the knowledge of God,” and that we are to bring every thought captive
to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). God has the power and the will
to tear down any argument or speculation that opposes the truth of His Word. I
believe that’s what happened that day. The stumbling stones that had been in
place for years in this man’s life were removed when he simply heard the truth
spoken in love.

JOSHUA AND THE MEMORIAL STONES

The concept of mosaics really begins
to take shape as we consider the purpose of memorial stones in Scripture. The
Bible contains powerful examples of stone memorials that people built to help
them remember how God had worked in their lives.

Let’s start by focusing on the life
of Joshua. This biblical leader was my type of guy; he knew how to get things
done! Remember, as the Israelites anticipated entering the Promised

Land, Moses sent twelve men to spy on
the land of Canaan and report back with their findings (Numbers 13). Joshua was
one of those twelve men. Despite the fact that the cities were well fortified
and it seemed impossible for the Israelites to overcome the Canaanites, Joshua
and Caleb were ready to go for it. In Numbers 14 we read Joshua and Caleb’s
response: “If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and
give it to us, ‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’ Only do not rebel against
the LORD, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their
protection has departed from them, and the LORD is with us. Do not fear them.”
Of the twelve men, Joshua and Caleb were the only two who maintained a faith
that God would lead them into the land He had promised. Based on the report of
the other ten, Israel did not enter the Promised Land and instead was consigned
to wander forty years in the wilderness until the nonbelieving generation had
passed away.

After the forty years of wandering,
Joshua assumed the leadership of the Israelites following Moses’ death, and led
them into the land. Joshua faced fierce battles, leadership struggles, and (of
course) plenty of grumbling and complaining from the Israelite people. But he
had earned the great privilege of leading God’s people into the Promised Land
and he remained faithful to God through it all.

One of my favorite Bible passages
contains the Lord’s powerful words to Joshua:

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong
and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God
is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

During the time of Joshua’s
leadership, the Lord commanded His people to use stones to serve as memorials.
These memorials commemorated times when God performed miracles and showered grace
upon His people even though they didn’t
deserve it (which, after all, is the definition of grace!). In Joshua 4, God
told the Israelites that these memorials would serve as a sign to them and that
when their children would ask, “What do these stones mean to you?” they would
recount how God had miraculously provided. In a way, these assembled stones
were similar to mosaics, creating a picture to remind each generation of God’s
faithfulness and provision.

The Israelites enjoyed gathering
together to celebrate special feasts and festivals, just like we do at Easter,
Thanksgiving, and Christmas. But they didn’t celebrate just because it was fun.
God commanded them to build memorials so that they would never forget His mercy
and grace and to celebrate His goodness and faithfulness to them. He wanted the
Israelites to remember all the ways that He had worked in their lives in the
past.

I believe the same is true today. We
should use the “stones” of hardships in our lives as reminders of what God has
done for us, sharing them with the current generation so that they will be able
to share with future generations the “stones” from their lives.

Chapter 3 of the book of Joshua
records how God miraculously enabled His people to cross the Jordan River on
dry land. He wanted to build up the Israelites’ faith and courage to show them
that He would give them victory in battle over their enemies. Joshua said to
the Israelites:

“Come here, and hear the words of the
LORD your God. By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and
that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites and the
Hittites and the Hivites and the Perizzites and the Girgashites and the
Amorites and the Jebusites: Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all
the earth is crossing over before you into the Jordan. Now therefore, take for
yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from every tribe. And
it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear
the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the
Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, the waters that come
down from upstream, and they shall stand as a heap.” (Joshua 3:9–13)

In the following verses, we discover
something surprising about the Jordan River: it is at flood stage all through
the harvest. Yet here’s what happened:

. . . as those who bore the ark came
to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge
of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of
harvest), that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose
in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan. So the waters
that went down into the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, failed, and were cut
off; and the people crossed over opposite Jericho. Then the priests who bore
the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of
the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had
crossed completely over the Jordan. (Joshua 3:15–17)

Does this ring a bell? It reminds me
of the time when God worked a miracle and enabled Moses to lead over two
million Israelites across the Red Sea on dry ground as they escaped from
slavery in Egypt. Now, God was showing His people that He was still in control
by performing a similar miracle under the leadership of Joshua. (By the way,
aren’t we glad that He’s still in control today?)

I love what happens next; now we’re
getting to the “memorial stones” section. As a reminder to the current and
future generations of what a great thing God had done for His people, God
commanded Joshua to build a memorial. Twelve men (one from each tribe) went to
the riverbed, and each removed one stone. They carried these stones to where
they camped on the western side of the Jordan and piled them up as a memorial.

In addition, God commanded Joshua to
build a second memorial—a pile of stones right in the middle of the Jordan
River! Joshua picked up stones and carried them to the place where the ark of
the covenant was still stationed and “set up twelve stones” in the midst of the
riverbed (Joshua 4:9). (Why would God tell Joshua to set stones in the middle
of the river, since they would quickly be covered when the water started to
flow again? See the sidebar for the amazing answer.)

The Jordan crossing was an amazing
miracle of God, a sign to His people that He was the One who led them into the
land. This miracle was to give them faith that He would also lead them into
battle against the Canaanites and that He would empower them to possess the
land (Joshua 3:9–13). The stone memorial on the riverbank testified to His
faithfulness and served as a reminder to them and future generations that only
God is their deliverer and their source of strength. The stones “cry out” the
message to every generation that God is steadfast in His promises to deliver
and bless His people.

Remember that throughout the Old
Testament, God provided signs to his people to reveal Himself, His plans, and
especially the promise of a coming Messiah. The book of Joshua begins with the
people preparing to enter the Promised Land, their God-given inheritance. They
are not led by Moses, who represents the Law, but by Joshua, an Old Testament
picture and foreshadow of our Savior, who is the only way to our inheritance.

We read in Joshua 3:17 that the ark
stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while the people passed
through untouched by the waters of the Jordan. Often in the Bible we see where
water serves as a symbol of the wrath or judgment of God: the Flood (Genesis
6:17; Hebrews 11:7); the Red Sea drowning of the Egyptians (Exodus 14:28;
Hebrews 11:29); Jonah going under the waters (Jonah 1; 2:3). Even the word
“Jordan” implies judgment. A. W. Pink breaks the word into two Hebrew roots: jor or yar, which is literally “spread,” and dan, which means “judging” (Genesis 30:6). Others define it as yar-dane, meaning “descender.” Baptism,
where the person is immersed in water and risen to new life by the power of
Christ, is also a picture of the old man being judged by God, dying to self,
and being saved by Christ. Jesus’ followers are commissioned to be “fishers of
men” (Matthew 4:19; Mark 1:17), and the Psalms confirm our being taken out from
the waters:

He sent from above, He took me; He
drew me out of many waters. (Psalm 18:16)

Deliver me out of the mire, and let
me not sink; let me be delivered from those who hate me, and out of the deep
waters. Let not the floodwater overflow me, nor let the deep swallow me up; and
let not the pit shut its mouth on me. (Psalm 69:14,15)

“If it had not been the LORD who was
on our side,” let Israel now say—“If it had not been the LORD who was on our
side, when men rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us alive,
when their wrath was kindled against us; then the waters would have overwhelmed
us, the stream would have gone over our soul; then the swollen waters would
have gone over our soul.” (Psalm 124:1–5)

“I will pour out My wrath on them
like water.” (Hosea 5:10)

In Joshua 4, God instructed the
twelve men (one from each tribe) to take a stone from the middle of the dry
riverbed to build a memorial on the west bank of the Jordan. These stones came
from the place that pictures death, the miry bottom of a riverbed. They had
been buried beneath the waters, the picture of wrath and judgment. The “ark of
the LORD,” which is a picture of Christ (in both construction and in being the
place where God dwelled among His people) stood in the midst of the Jordan,
allowing these stones to be brought up out of the waters (death) to create a
memorial of deliverance (redemption). Remember, this was done “that this may be
a sign among you . . .” (Joshua 4:6).

We read in Joshua 4:9 that it was
Joshua, not the twelve, who was told to “set up twelve stones in the midst of
the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the
covenant stood; and they are there to this day.” This is a picture of the
unredeemed, those who die in their sin, who are buried in death by the
righteous judgment of God—“and they are there to this day” (Joshua 4:9). What a
frightening thought and a reminder to all of us to be bold in sharing the
saving grace of the gospel.

The twelve stones taken out from the
Jordan depths and placed on dry ground “where they lodged” (Joshua 4:8)
symbolize those who were redeemed by Christ (the ark) and came out from under
the judgment of God (the waters) to new life in the Promised Land (inheritance of
life in Christ). And remember that the people crossed over the Jordan at the
time of Passover! This was at the “time of harvest” (Joshua 3:15), “on the
tenth day of the first month” (Joshua 4:19). This is a beautiful picture of the
saving grace of Jesus Christ.

The Joshua 4 memorial also reminds us
of a future promise given in Isaiah 43:2, where God says, “When you pass
through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not
overflow you.” Notice that promise says “when,” not “if.” We all know that in
this life trials will come our way, and we must always remember that He
promises to be with us, to deliver us, to set our feet on solid ground. Remember
the verse:

He also brought me up out of a
horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and
established my steps. (Psalm 40:2)

An interview with Carl Kerby, author of

Reasons for Hope in the Mosaic of Your Life

Q: In what ways are our lives like mosaics?

To me, a mosaic is a fitting illustration of the way God can take the broken pieces of our lives and create something beautiful from them. My life has been filled with boulders and broken stones. Yet God, in His grace, has put those stones together in a mosaic to make me into a useful vessel for His glory.

I once saw a large mosaic but was too close to understand the design, so I backed up to get a better view. Just as the mosaic picture didn’t make sense until I got a broader perspective, I had to do the same thing with the struggles I’ve encountered. As I look back over my life from a different perspective, I can see why God has allowed me to undergo some of the challenges I’ve had.

I also realized that the more broken pieces in the mosaic, the more beautiful the picture and the greater its value. The more we’ve gone through, the more amazing the picture our lives can be when we have God’s perspective.

Q: How can Christians use the mosaic of their life to bring hope to others?

People are often encouraged by my story, when they realize that God can use anyone to do His work—even the messed-up son of a professional wrestler who ended up earning his livelihood as an air-traffic controller and then a public creation speaker. Growing up I struggled with a lot of things other people do: an absentee father, my parents’ divorce, alcohol and drugs, run-ins with the law, even being homeless at one point.

No matter our background, we can all share our own life stories, our mosaic, to tell others how God has taken the broken pieces of our life and made something beautiful and valuable. Those rocky areas in our life can be steppingstones for sharing the love of Christ with others.

Q: You address the topic of racism in Reasons for Hope. Why was that issue important to include?

Sadly, evolutionary teaching promotes the idea that people are divided into different “races” with some “races” better than others, leading to all sorts of prejudice, hatred, and bloodshed. I know I was wrong in my racist attitudes when I was young, and many still believe the same way I did. That’s why I take such a strong stand on this issue today.

Ultimately, the issue of racism comes down to this: where did humans come from? When you reject what the Bible says about man’s origin, you will end up with all kinds of wrong beliefs. But Biblically and scientifically, there is only one race of people—Homo sapiens—all made in the image of God. So we need to abandon the term “races” and instead talk about “cultures” or “people groups.”

We have to teach people the truth about racism, but what bothers me the most is that the church has dropped the ball on this issue. In fact, the church (in some instances) is one of the last bastions of racism and prejudice in America. And if we, as Christians, cannot grasp the need to eradicate racism, how can we expect the world to do that?

Book Review and Giveaway: Mornings with Jesus 2012

About the book:

"Be still and know that I am God.” is one of the most beautiful verses from the Bible, but it’s not easy to practice in this busy world. Mornings with Jesus will help you do just that—“be still” in Jesus’ beautiful and powerful presence. For those who are seeking a deeper experience in their relationship with Christ, Mornings with Jesus offers a fresh perspective of who Jesus is (the Healer, the Son of God, the Comforter, the Good Shepherd) and what that means for day-to-day life. With a warm and friendly voice, 366 short devotional writings on the character and teachings of Jesus encourage readers to greet each day by drawing near to Him and inviting His presence into their day. Spend time with Jesus at the beginning of each day and experience His nearness and peace in a new way throughout the year. Each day’s selection includes: • a Bible verse • an entry based on Jesus: His words, miracles, and parables; His wisdom, compassion, and comfort; His mystery, power, divinity, and humanity • a “faith step” that will inspire and challenge readers to apply the day’s message to their lives

 

Link to buy the book:  http://ow.ly/8BbyO  

MY THOUGHTS AND REVIEW:

Spending time with Jesus is the sweetest time of my day (it doesn't have to be only mornings, either). I delight in God's Word; I still get excited whenever I open the Bible. I also enjoy reading devotionals. In fact, I collect devotionals (I currently own about 40). Mornings with Jesus 2012 is a devotional written by several well-known authors: Tricia Goyer, Camy Tang, Judy Baer, Gwen Ford Faulkenberry, Sharon Hinck, Keri Wyatt Kent, and Erin Keeley Marshall. Each day's selection is only one page long. I have read all up to today's date. So far...my favorite entry is from page 22 written by Erin Keeley Marshall. The key verse is 1 John 3:18, "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." As a mother of three (one is a special needs kid), I can totally relate to the exhaustion and the need to be stretched that she talks about. I love what she shares: "However, through the blessings of family, Jesus is growing another blessing in me--the ability to experience Him providing for me as I provide for others....As hard as selfless giving can be, heart growth is a sweet experience. As He blesses me, He is making me a blessing to others." I agree. I sometimes struggle to love like Jesus, but I'm thankful that I get to practice unconditional, selfless love in action everyday :). If you would like daily doses of encouragement this year, check this wonderful devotional out. This book would also make a lovely gift for women in your life.

GIVEAWAY: You can win a copy of this book. Deadline: 2/14 at midnight (Pacific time)

To Enter: Please leave a comment sharing about your favorite devotional(s), favorite Bible verse(s), or favorite author(s). Make sure you also leave your email address so that I can contact you if you're chosen (randomly) as a winner.

For extra entries (please leave a separate comment for each one you do):
- Follow this blog via GFC or NetworkedBlogs
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~ I received 1 free copy of this book via Litfuse in exchange for my honest review and 1 extra copy for giveaway. To read other reviews of this book, visit here.

While I'm Waiting

At our Bible study last night, we studied about Moses in Exodus (and Acts 7). We learned that he had to wait for 40 years between the time he became a fugitive and the burning bush moment. What do we do when we desperately need God's clear direction but God seems silent? My daughter, Alyssa, mentioned one of her favorite songs, "While I'm waiting." "Active waiting" is what we strive for. I hope you will be encouraged by this song :).

Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the videos.

"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:14
"I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His Word I put my hope." Psalm 130:5
"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him!" Isaiah 30:18

Friday's Fave Five #62

It's time for another Friday's Fave Five (hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story).

My Fave Five this week:-

1. Food, fun, and fellowship! Last Friday, we had Chinese New Year celebration dinner with the international students before our weekly Bible study at our home. Hot Pot, Chicken Green Curry, a noodle dish, sweet basil chilli paste and ham...very delicious!

2. Homemade strawberry jam, given to us by one of our neighbors.

3. Great quotes I found this week: “Most Christians salute the sovereignty of God but believe in the sovereignty of man.” ~R.C.Sproul 
"It is the intention to please God in all our actions that is the key to commitment to a life of holiness." ~Jerry Bridges

4. My current giveaway: Win 250 customizable Flyers.

5. We sometimes sing this song "Your Great Name" in our church. Jesus is indeed the Greatest Name of All!
Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the video.

Giveaway: 250 Customizable Flyers

I love UPrinting and I'm glad to be able to offer another giveaway from them. Are you looking for ways to promote your event or business? These club card flyers can also be used as invitations or ticket passes. I plan to use mine to promote my daughter's eBook which will be released in a few weeks. UPrinting products and service are topnotch. Please follow the instructions below to be entered in the giveaway. Deadline: 2/12

Prize Information

250 pcs. Club Card Flyers for One (1) Winner

4.25" x 5.5" or 4" x 6"

14pt Cardstock Gloss

Front Only Printing

3 Business Days Turnaround

*Free shipping

Entry Requirements:

1. Like UPrinting on Facebook

2. Like UPrinting Flyer Printing page (http://www.uprinting.com/flyer-printing.html).  
Extra Entries:

- Leave a comment sharing how you would use the flyers.

- Follow this blog via GFC or NetworkedBlogs

- "Like" my page "Christ Alone" on Facebook

- Follow me on Twitter: @treasuredbyGod

- Share the link to this giveaway post on Facebook

- Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter

Restrictions:

1. This giveaway is open to US residents only, 18 years old and above.
2. No prize substitutions allowed.
3. Winners are allowed to win once over a six-month period.
4. Only email addresses used for the giveaway will be eligible to claim the prize.
   
   ~"You should assume that the owner of this blog will receive free print product in exchange for the post. Any and all reviews posted are based solely on my own experience and may be atypical. Please practice due diligence in making any related purchase decisions."