by Andy Wood on May 30, 2008
in Spoofs
First a little Burger King spoofing fun, then a modest little reminder that religion killed Jesus…
Until Jesus returns, we will always have to face the difference between man-made religion and authentic relationship with Christ.
But isn’t religion a good thing? Nope. Religious people killed Jesus. And the “infidels.” And those they labeled heretics. And the Anabaptists. And suspected witches. And a few churches I know.
Religion is different than relationship. Religion is man’s search for God. Relationship is God’s search for man.
So what’s wrong with religion?
[click to continue…]
Somebody gave a very large sum of money to a respected businessman to bless a poor pastor. Thinking that the amount was too much to send all at once, the businessman forwarded just a portion along with a note that said simply, “More to come…” In a few days the pastor received another envelope containing the same amount of money and the same message: “More to come…” At regular intervals, there came a third, and a fourth. In fact, they continued, along with those encouraging words, until the entire sum had been received.
In much the same way, the Holy Spirit has chosen to give us His blessing in “measured amounts.” It’s staggering to realize the full extent of the salvation Jesus Christ has purchased for us. It will take eternity to comprehend it all. So as you receive good things from the hand of a good God, remember, there’s more where that came from. And if you have ever thought of becoming a follower of Jesus Christ, here is a sampling of what He promises:
[click to continue…]
Imagine being the captain of a historic sailing ship – a master of commerce and an expert in trade throughout the Mediterranean. You live to taste the salt in the air, to roam from port to port, from culture to culture, bringing value, goods, and trade to each. You perform a greatly-needed service, and your work is honorable.
And, let’s just assume that you’re greatly blessed and good at what you do. Your business has prospered as you have prospered others.
And, while we’re assuming, let’s just assume that you recognize the source of all your blessings, and seek to live gratefully and humbly before your Creator.
Too bad.
Storm’s coming anyway.
[click to continue…]
A Picture and a Hundred Words
In a train station somewhere is a parable for our time. Just count the arrows.
Don’t you wish sometimes there was just one way out?
One way home?
Don’t you wish somebody – anybody – would make it plain?
Multiple choice is fine when you’re picking soup or paint colors.
But some decisions require a way – a truth.
When the “way out” only involves a map, any set of steps will do.
But when it’s real life you’re looking for, limit your choices to Someone who is willing to be the way – not just point.
“I AM,” said He.
He is.
(Photo by liamvictor)
Louise has had a rare kind of kidney cancer for the last 10-11 months. She believes in prayer, and has a lot of people praying for her. Add your own prayers to the list on her behalf. She believes that with God’s help, she can beat it.
She receives chemotherapy treatments, and recently had an idea for a way to brighten her day while she was taking them: Red shoes.
“I just thought the would make me feel better to look down at my red shoes,” she explained.
So she called Zappos to place her order. She was greeted with their “usual greeting that is so comforting.” She skipped the company’s joke of the day, and soon was greeted with a customer service rep. “Gracious” was the word she used to describe this individual who helped her with her order. “We talked a little, and I explained why I wanted these shoes. She, as all of your employees, [went] out of her way to please customers. That was that.”
The next day, to her surprise, Louise received a beautiful arrangement of red tulips, in a bright red vase and a beautiful red ribbon. She couldn’t imagine who sent them. She opened the card and began to cry. The card read,
[click to continue…]
It’s a long way from Fairfield, Connecticut, the home of General Electric, to Henderson, Nevada, the home of Zappos. The gap is even wider between their respective products and services.
GE is a multinational American technology and services conglomerate. Zappos sells shoes, handbags, and other items online – to the tune of more than $1 billion this year.
Both made the news last week. And it all has to do with their “Bottom 10.”
General Electric is a household name; chances are, you have something in your home with it’s name emboldened on it. The only original company still listed on the Dow Jones Industrial Average, more recently, GE is the company that Jack rebuilt, and one of the most admired in the business world today. Jack Welch determined in the 1980s that GE would be number 1 or 2 in particular industry or leave it completely. He also started the practice of firing the bottom-performing 10% of his managers every year.
Last week the Wall Street Journal reported that GE was sending its century-old appliances business to the auction block. Say it ain’t so! The American company that “brings good things to life” may be bringin’ ‘em from Korea or Sweden or somewhere else. From a sentimental perspective, it hurts. But from a management perspective, it was an overdue decision.
[click to continue…]
A couple of months ago, Brent (my associate and partner at Turning Point Community Church) and I were in a “Sez Who” mood and we confronted the question:
Who sez you have to have a slump in the summer?
So we began exploring ways to make summertime a growth time – corporately, spiritually, and in every other way. The result was a spiritual growth campaign we just started called Grow!
I’d like to invite you to join us.
Feel free to include your small group, youth group, bridge club, antique car collectors group, prayer circle, missionary society, civic club, blog network, softball team, church, or small nation.
Here’s the way the Grow! campaign works. It has four components:
1. The Grow! Manual
This is a 13-chapter growth manual that can be used in a variety of ways. It is PACKED with scripture-based discussion starters, spiritual foundation/formation truths, and opportunities for you to apply the principles in each chapter to “write your own story.”
You can download the manual in .pdf format by clicking here. If you would like the manual in hard copy, spiral-bound format, email me for details in how to get it.
2. The Grow! Podcast
You will have the opportunity to hear a motivational message via the TPCC or iTunes Podcasting (or, if you’re in Lubbock, you can join us in person May 18-August 10).
3. Grow! Groups
Consider starting a group – even if it’s a group of 2 – to discuss what you’re learning, how you can pray for each other, and how you can apply the principles discussed in each chapter.
4. Grow! Online Forums
We’re in the process of establishing some online discussion forums – primarily through blog networks. The central location for this for starters is our church’s Nfusion Blog. I’ll also be doing some here. But we’re interested in establishing a participating bloggers network. If you have a blog of your own, consider helping us, and we’ll link people to your site.
There are two types of Grow! forum formats. The first involves posting insights related to the current chapter. This could include additional verses, questions, etc. The second involves establishing discussion forums that ask people to respond to specific questions.
If you’re willing to be included in the Grow! network – even if it’s just occasionally – please reply to this post below or contact me via email.
A very dear friend who lived thousands of miles from me, who by God’s grace I helped influence to become a follower of Christ, wrote me afterward and said these amazing words:
“Let’s pray together and grow together, even though we’re mere earthly miles apart.”
I issue to you the same invitation.
In my previous post, I told the story of a rainy head-on collision between a bicycle and a car – and I was on the bicycle. Here are some lessons I have learned or been reminded of since.
The Christian life isn’t a joyride in the rain, but a war. If that analogy offends you, or if you’ve never experienced life on the battlefield, chances are you have never taken your relationship with Christ very seriously. This war we are engaged in is one we’re destined to win. The Lord Jesus has conquered sin, death, and the devil, and those of us who belong to Him are heirs of that purchased victory. But until He comes again, you face the realities of spiritual warfare on a daily basis. In your struggle against the forces of the world, the flesh, and the devil, you will find no peace talks, no negotiations, no cease-fire orders. You’re in it for the duration.
[click to continue…]
(A Turning Point Story)
What do you do when you encounter somebody who’s made a wreck of his or her life? What do you do when that that wreck of a life shows up in your place of worship? What do you do when YOU are the wreck?
The closest I ever came to having a horse was a 1964 Ford Tractor at my granddaddy’s, and a ten-speed bicycle I got for Christmas my ninth grade year in school. I put miles – miles – on that bike.
Now, years later, it leaned against the wall in my dad’s workshop in disrepair. But for some strange reason, Daddy and I were inspired, and decided to get it going again. A brand new front tire, new tubes, adjustments to the brakes, handlebars and seat – only one thing was missing. Our hand pump wasn’t strong enough to inflate the tires completely. So we pumped them up as much as possible, and decided to take the bike to a nearby service station to finish the job. We had to hurry, though, to outrun one of those afternoon thundershowers so common in Mobile during the summer. We took the short cut through the woods behind the house – I on my old trusty-rusty steed and my dad on my sister’s three-speed. We emerged behind a shopping center near the service station, only to be greeted by a sudden downpour.
So we waited.
It was frustrating to sit there, pinned in by the rain with our destination in sight. So when the shower let up a little, we decided to make a mad dash for it. We had a plan, sort of. We’d go across the parking lot, behind the Seven-Eleven store, through the little alley, to the Texaco station. Once we go the tires pumped up, we’d figure it out from there.
Off we flew! Across the parking lot. Around the back corner of the Seven-Eleven.
Just one problem.
[click to continue…]
Challenging times call for fresh, intelligent ideas!
You won’t find any here.
What you will find is the latest collection of Hanukkah Hams – episodes of brilliance on the Blooper Reel of Life.
The last edition focused on life behind the wheel. This one’s dedicated to power. Electric power. Human power. Kangaroo Power. Hang on, there’s something for everybody.
Starting with this clever photographed solution to every man’s summertime dilemma – how to get your George Foreman Grill to work inside your above-ground swimming pool. God forbid you have to actually step over the three-foot side and cook your burger on dry land. Where’s the challenge in that?
[click to continue…]
