FIVE ON FRIDAY - April 18

 

One of my goals is to be more productive with my blog. I have things I want to share, but I struggle with the discipline to write. My plan is to do better, and to post more regularly on my blog. 

I recently started receiving a weekly email from Tim Ferris, author and entrepreneur (check out his blog here). The email is called "5-Bullet Friday" where he shares short points of interest with his readers. To help get me started I am blatantly borrowing his idea and plan to make at least a weekly blog on Fridays of things from my life that I find interesting, and I hope you will too. So here goes ... 

1. BIBLE READING PROGRESS

I am using the YouVersion Bible App for my daily Bible reading and following a reading plan from The Bible Project (check out the plan here). This week's readings have been in 2 Kings 1-19. The nations of Israel and Judah are pretty much on a downward spiral and judgement from the nations of Assyria and Babylon is coming. The reading is like watching a train wreck about to happen - you know something bad is coming, but you just can't look away. 

2. BIBLE VERSE I AM MEMORIZING/MEDITATING ON

"Cast your burden on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken." Psalm 55:22 

Confession - I am guilty of "Yo-Yo" praying about my "burdens." That is, I throw them at the Lord in prayer, but there is an invisible string attached that brings them right back to me, so I don't really turn loose of control. Through this verse God is reminding me that it really doesn't work that way if I want Him to sustain me. The word "cast" in this verse literally means to "throw down" and turn loose of something. I'm learning to cut the string on the Yo-Yo, so to speak. 

3. BOOK I'M READING

"Respectable Sins: Confronting the Sins we Tolerate" by Jerry Bridges. (NavPress, 2007). I'm about a third of the way into the book and Bridges has laid out a pretty compelling argument that Christians are hard on blatant sins (and sinners) like adultery, murder, false witness, etc., but tend to be soft on "respectable" sins like pride, unthankfulness, selfishness, anger, sins of the tongue, etc. It's a hard read because it hits so close to home. 

4. QUOTE I AM PONDERING

    From the above book - Bridges emphasizes the need for Christians to rely on the Holy Spirit not only to deal with sin, but to live a life that honors God: 

"Regardless of how much we grow, however, we never get beyond our constant need of the enabling power of the Holy Spirit. Our spiritual life may be compared to the motor of an electric appliance. The motor does the actual work, but it is constantly dependent upon the external power source of the electricity to enable it to work. Therefore we should cultivate and attitude of continual dependance on the Holy Spirit." (pgs. 48-49)

5. DAD JOKE I'M DIGGING

Shared by my friend (and Deacon) Dennis: 

A pastor interrupts his sermon to ask three men on the front row: "What would you want your friends and loved ones to say as they are looking down at you in your coffin?" 

Tom: "That I was a good husband and father." 

Bill: "That I lived a good life of kindness to others." 

Dan: "Hey look, he's moving!" 

A merry heart does good like a medicine ..."  😊

If you have any thoughts or ideas for future "Five on Friday" blogs, let me know. 

Have a blessed weekend! Hope to see you Sunday!