A friend sent me this video. Normally, I watch and let them pass by.  However, just this morning I was talking with a brother about the Christian struggle. We spoke about being real, about our walk and learning to fully surrender to Jesus when under temptation. Is it not by His power and by His Spirit alone that we have any hope of escape from temptation (1 Cor 10:13)?   Yet there are so many things that pull us away from Christ and into this world.  With our self-righteous attitudes, we define spiritual battles with things like politics, social ills and everything else outside ourselves. The real question is, what do we truly love? What replaces Christ in our lives?  Satan doesn't have to conjure up elaborate schemes, he merely has to leave us to our own lustful desires. There is our spiritual battle!  It is the all consuming lust for money, sex, success, affirmation, esteem, you name it.  Yet we know that:

There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. Proverbs 14:12

Truly, is there anything, anything in life greater than Christ? I say No, nothing!

How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?  Lifehouse, Everything

Here is a story (a real one for many, I'm sure) nicely told - artistically.

 

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Christianity | Culture

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In looking to get a new bible for our 7-year old son Zack for scripture memorization. We were considering the bibles we (Anne and I) use at home.  For study we use the NASB though I have been enjoying the ESV.  Neither of us use the NKJV nor the NIV which are also popular.

Zack will be memorizing scripture with other kids who use the NKJV.  I felt that the NASB was a bit too technical for a 7-year old so it came down to either the ESV or the NKJV.  We decided to compare his first memory verse using the NASB, ESV and NKJV.  I fired up Logos, typed in 2 Corinthians 9:7 in the Parallel Bible Versions tool and here's what I ended up with:

NASB ESV NKJV
7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

Now personally, I liked the ESV's wording better.  Anne was also comparing these versions and she preferred the the NKJV over the ESV. I couldn't see a drastic difference until she read her version of the ESV as:

"Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

What concerned me was that there were two different texts for the same ESV translation!  What's up with this?  After looking further, Google reveals that there has been a 2007 text update to the ESV translation. I suppose this is normal, but I cannot see from my printed copy any way to determine which text version I have without doing an actual comparison of verses like 2 Corinthians 9:7.

I found one blog where the author has posted some of the differences.  As this author notes, Gen 30:35 is funny and my son would certainly have appreciated the humor of the 2001 version. 

ESV 2001 ESV 2007
But that day Laban removed the male goats that were striped and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white on it, and every lamb that was black, and put them in charge of his sons. But that day Laban removed the male goats that were striped and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white on it, and every lamb that was black, and put them in the charge of his sons.

Oh, btw, we decided upon the ESV but will be waiting to buy him a Bible when I know that the ESV Kids edition is based on the 2007 text update.

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Christianity | Family

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Every now and then while listening to new releases on Napster I find a truly gifted musician.  Sierra Hull, a 16-year old mandolin prodigy is such an artist. For those that appreciate bluegrass, you'll want to listen to her new album Secrets which was just released this month, I believe.

You can watch Sierra (a much younger Sierra) performing with Alison Krauss below, be careful though, you can't sit still and listen to this - almost spilled coffee on my keyboard!  Have fun!

 

Click here for more on Sierra Hull

 

Cluck Old Hen

Cluck old hen, cluck and sing
Ain't laid an egg since 'way last spring.

Cluck old hen, cluck and squall
Ain't laid an egg since 'way last fall.

My old hen's a good old hen
She lays eggs for the railroad men.

Sometimes one, sometimes two
Sometimes enough for the whole damn crew.

Sometimes nine, sometimes ten
That's enough eggs for the railroad men.

My old hen, she won't do
She lays eggs and taters too.

The old hen, she's raised on a farm
Now she's in the new ground, diggin' up corn.

The first time she cackled, she cackled a lot
Next time she cackled, cackled in the pot.

From: Vester Jones. Folkways 3811

The old hen cackled, she cackled in the lot
The next time she cackled, she cackled in the pot

The old hen cackled, she cackled for corn
The old hen cackled, now the chickens all gone

That old hen, she’s raised on a farm
Now she’s on new ground, digging up corn

From Brad Leftwich. Round Peak Style Clawhammer Banjo. Words from Tommy Jarrell. Key A

Cluclk old hen, cluck I said
Cluck old hen your widdies all dead

Cluck old hen, cluck for corn
Cluck old hen your widdies all gone

My old hen’s a good old hen
She lays eggs for railroad men
Sometimes one, sometimes two
Sometimes enough for the whole dang crew

I had an old he, she had a wooden leg
The best dang hen that ever laid an egg
She laid more eggs than the hens around the barn
Another little drink wouldn’t do me no harm

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Culture | Stuff

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I have two words to say on this prayer, simply profound.

 “I asked the Lord that I might grow
in faith and love and every grace;
might more of his salvation know,
and seek, more earnestly, his face.

I thought that in some favoured hour
at once he’d answer my request;
and by his love’s constraining power,
subdue my sins and give me rest.

Instead of this, he made me feel
the hidden evils of my heart,
and let the angry powers of hell
assault my soul in ev’ry part.

‘Lord, why is this?’ I trembling cried,
‘Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death?;
‘Tis in this way’ the Lord replied,
‘I answer prayer for grace and faith.

These inward trials I employ
from self and pride to set thee free,
And break thy schemes of earthly joy,
‘That thou may’st seek thy ALL in me!”

                               -- John Newton

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Blogging Bride Xavier Pacheco 17. May 2008 19:44

Well, I've done it. I've managed to convince my wife to blog.  Truth be told, she writes very well. She has read and edited most of my technical writings including the 1000+ page programming books and not once did she doze! She reads and edits almost every paper, article, class and anything else I write for public consumption.  Her focus, motherhood, homeschooling, Christian parenting and more - all great topics.

Welcome to the Blogsphere Anne!

Anne's Blog

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Here is an interesting development. According to the website:

"...the deepest purpose of the Manifesto is a serious call to reform—an urgent challenge to reaffirm Evangelical identity, to reform Evangelical behavior, to reposition Evangelicals in public life, and so rededicate ourselves to the high calling of being Evangelical followers of Jesus Christ."

The manifesto is a serious self-assessment of evangelicals.  I have only skimmed it at the moment. There are some very interesting points that certainly resonate with me and others that make me say, hmmmm.

Regarding Reaffirming Our Identity, the manifesto states:

"Our first task is to reaffirm who we are. Evangelicals are Christians who define themselves, their faith, and their lives according to the Good News of Jesus of Nazareth. ... Believing that the Gospel of Jesus is God’s good news for the whole world, we affirm with the Apostle Paul that we are ―not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation. Contrary to widespread misunderstanding today, we Evangelicals should be  defined theologically, and not politically, socially, or culturally."

On Reforming Our Own Behavior:

"...to be Evangelical or to carry the name Evangelicals is not only to shape our faith and our lives according to the teaching and standards of the Way of Jesus, but to need to do so again and again. But if the Evangelical impulse is a radical, reforming, and innovative force, we acknowledge with sorrow a momentous irony today. We who time and again have stood for the renewal of tired forms, for the revival of dead churches, for the warming of cold hearts, for the reformation of corrupt practices and heretical beliefs, and for the reform of gross injustices in society, are ourselves in dire need of reformation and renewal today. Reformers, we ourselves need to be reformed. Protestants, we are the ones against whom protest must be made."

On Rethinking Our Place in Public Life:

"We affirm that to be Evangelical and to carry the name of Christ is to seek to be faithful to the freedom, justice, peace, and well-being that are at the heart of the kingdom of God, to bring these gifts into public life as a service to all, and to work with all who share these ideals and care for the common good. Citizens of the City of God, we are resident aliens in the Earthly City. Called by Jesus to be ―in the world but ―not of the world, we are fully engaged in public affairs, but never completely equated with any party, partisan ideology, economic system, class, tribe, or national identity."

It will be interesting to see where this goes.

I'm posting the link here to gather others' thoughts. I'll follow up after a more thorough read.

Please comments welcome:

click image below to read about it:

EvangelicalManifesto.com

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Christianity | Culture

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