In his book Boomerang, Michael Lewis states, “A person on a diet who sensibly avoids coming face-to-face with a piece of chocolate cake will find it hard to control himself if the chocolate cake somehow finds him.” The term Madison Avenue is used metonymically to describe the advertising industry in America. If there is one thing Madison Avenue understands, it is how to get the proverbial chocolate cake in front of consumers.
Category Archives: Lifestyle
“I want to pray!” The request was too sincere and heartfelt to turn down. It came after the Bible story while I was teaching FBC’s preschoolers, and before I closed us in prayer, I let one of the four-year-old boys pray. “Dear Jesus, thank you for Christmas,” he started, then his voice trailed off into mumbles. Our story wasn’t about Christmas; it was about God feeding the Israelites in the desert. One of the three-year-old …
Yesterday was our home visit for our home study, which, for those who don’t know, is the process that approves a couple to be able to adopt. For more than a month, I had poured over every detail of our home, making sure that I had everything on the list completed. Plug covers on all outlets? Check. Cleaning supplies in a locked cabinet out of reach? Check. Fire extinguisher readily accessible but out of reach …
Most of the RMGs work in a similar way. There is some fellowship, worship, prayer, teaching, discipleship groups, and then more fellowship. So, one might ask, “What is the real reason for the RMGs?” They sound like a fancy Bible study or a small mid-week church service. But, that is not it. In a word, the reason we have RMGs is “discipleship.”
Previously I presented the Old Testament directives for giving; now we’ll turn to the New Testament. In Matthew 6 Jesus says this: “When you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do…” It is important to note that He doesn’t say if you give, but when you give. Jesus simply assumes it. In fact, there’s nowhere that Jesus tells us that we shouldn’t give to the Lord’s work. After Jesus’s …