Isn’t it amazing how complicated we can make things?
We’re always trying to find an easy solution to things and yet in the end we end up filling things with junk and clutter we don’t need and doing more damage than good
Diet fads, home exercise equipment, the latest electronic gadget that puts us further in debt.
Yet, things were pretty simple in the beginning.
Continue reading Declutter your soul
I’ve been using YouVersion for some time, both online and on my mobile devices (first two BlackBerry’s and now on my G1).
It’s amazing how powerful a platform YouVersion is. And there’s a number of cool things you can do with the platform, both online and on your mobile device — all for FREE.
So here are the top 10 things you can do with YouVersion on your mobile device…
10. View comments and contributions from more than 6 million readers around the world.
9. Follow along with one of 22 different Bible reading plans.
8. Replace that 17 pound Bible you’ve been lugging back and forth to church.
7. Bookmark passages for later reference.
6. Tweet your tweeps with links to your favorite Bible passages.
5. Share your thoughts with others by responding to polls and leaving comments through YouVersion Live.
4. Put a massive Bible search engine to work, so you’re no longer left saying, “It’s somewhere in the back…”
3. Find 41 different ways to say “Jesus wept.”
2. Read the Bible, in your favorite translation, anywhere and everywhere.
So what about number 1? Well, that’s for you to tell me.
YouVersion is all about how you put it to use.
So let us know, in the comments below — What’s the #1 thing you do with YouVersion on your mobile device?
Don’t have YouVersion on your mobile device? You can get it for Android, BlackBerry, iPad, iPhone, Java, Mobile Web and Palm WebOS.
Go the chance to officially meet Brandt Russo last night in Midlothian. Had a great time hanging out and catching up with him — and I was able to convince him to do a short video interview as well.
For more information check out:
adoptajesus.com
cantignorethepoor.bigcartel.com
Or listen to Brandt share his story on the Something Beautiful Podcast.
I’ve been thinking a good deal about love and fear lately.
A couple thoughts that got things flowing in my mind…
Where love is fear won’t tread
– David Barnes
Is it true that perfect love drives out all fear?
– Bono
The idea brings up a lot of questions rolling around in my head. And hopefully some answers as well.
What is it that I fear?
My greatest fear is claustrophobia, but I also fear something happening to Laurie, the babies or my family. Occasionally I can be overcome with a fear of heights.
Can these be overcome by love?
I believe so. When I have someone who loves me and assures me that they’re their by my side — my fear will dissipate and I’ll be comforted by my loved one.
What about other fears?
Fear of threat from enemies, fear of strangers, fear of the unknown, fear of immigrants and the Taliban?
How about gays, democrats and Obama?
I truly believe love can drown out those fears as well.
God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.
We, though, are going to love—love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first.
If anyone boasts, “I love God,” and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won’t love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can’t see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You’ve got to love both.
1 John 4:16-21
So what’s the take home?
Should we fear anything?
Imagine if we experienced this kind of love everyday — perfect love.
Would you fear anything?
And once we’ve experienced this kind of perfect love — imagine if we shared it with the world around us.
Imagine if we loved in such a way that our spouses lived without fear… That our best friends lived without fear… That our neighbors lived without fear… And that our enemies lived without fear.
What would that do to your marriage, your neighborhood, your world?
Amazing!
We know it so well, we’ve embraced it heart and soul, this love that comes from God.
God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us.
There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear.
Leadership Network is planning a repeat of last year’s #thenines event.
The event takes place for nine hours on Sept. 9, and features nine-minute messages from folks around the “Christian sphere” geared towards other Christian leaders.
Last year, they did a great job of mixing up the conversation, and this year they’re hoping to do more of the same — but allowing others to submit and vote for their “favorites.”
I could probably be nit-picky and say I think it’s silly that we’re voting for our “favorite Christian speakers” but instead I chose to take advantage of the opportunity and nominate some folks I think deserve to (and should) be heard and I invite you to do the same.
I nominated Greg Russinger, Jay Bakker, Mark Horvath, Shaun Groves and Cornel West.
I also voted for Andrew Jones (Tall Skinny Kiwi), Mike Rusch, Charles Lee, Shane Claiborne, Skye Jethani and Brian McLaren.
And I’m tempted to add Trucker Frank to the mix as well — but I have a feeling he’d turn them down :-).
Who do you think the Christian community needs to hear from? What voices have been left out?
You can vote online at http://twtpick.in/4k and you’ll apparently need a Twitter account to vote and nominate.
For more, you can read some of my thoughts from last year’s event:
ALAN HIRSCH SHARES DURING #THENINES
NOTES FROM #THENINES
SKYE JETHANI :: WHERE DOES OUR LEGITIMACY COME FROM?
“OFFICIAL” NOTES FROM #THENINES
VIDEOS FROM #THENINES ONLINE
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BTW… Everett Bogue’s new book, Minimalist Business, is now available. If you’re interested at all in building a business online, either full-time or part-time — it’ll be worth it to you to grab a copy. And if you buy it within the first 24-hours (before 10 a.m. PST, Wednesday morning) you’ll save some cash as well with his special “early bird pricing.” Get your copy here.
You can also read some of Everett’s other work, How to Create a Movement (FREE), The Art of Being Minimalist or his blog: farbeyondthestars.com
Gabe Lyons, Jon Tyson, Tyler Wigg-Stevenson, Shannon Sedgwick Davis and Nicole Baker Fulgham recently talked with ABC News about the new face of American Christianity.
A great conversation!
I love their posture and their thoughts. No left or right. No young or old. Just people who want to make a real difference in the world in the name of Jesus.
They talk about adoption issues, education, nuclear proliferation, AIDS, poverty, Joseph Kony and more.
The upcoming generation of Christians will not be defined by one or two issues — and I believe we’re interested in looking more outward than inward.
No more us vs. them.
And I firmly believe that the world should be better because followers of him live in it. Everyone should live better lives because they live by Christians.
And that goes beyond just “Christians.”
I hope that you live a better life because you know me — or live by me — or read something I wrote along the way. It’s not an egotistical thing. I just take ownership of this broader idea and hope that I’m making your world better in some form or fashion.
“I’m excited about a church that shows up… and shows up on time… living out tenants of justice and mercy that is thick in the Bible that I believe in — and one that’s daring and courageous and willing to jump off a cliff for it.”
– Shannon Sedgwick Davis
If the video doesn’t show, watch it on ABCNews.com.
(HT to Charles Lee for the video)
Also, if you’d like to find out more about Tyler Wigg-Stevenson, and the great work he’s doing with the Two Futures Project, be sure and check out his recent interview on our podcast.
