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  • November 30, 1999

Archives For November 30, 1999

Perfect Assurance…From our Perfecter

May 6, 2009 — 2 Comments

How easily we allow the “STUFF” in life to impact our assurance (and sometimes our confidence) in our Heavenly Father. The fact is that while our situation, circumstance, whatever may change:

HE NEVER CHANGES! HE IS THE SAME
YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVER!

While I can’t recall a specific example right now, I’m sure there were times growing up when I was afraid to do something, but my dad said “Dennis, trust me.” When I remained afraid, I’m sure he was frustrated, but he still assured me that it was OK – “Dennis, trust ME.” I’m sure in my heart I knew that he had my safety and security in mind, but still…“Dad, I’m afraid!”

So, after much prodding, I probably begrudgingly did it and I’m sure I got hurt or it didn’t “go right” a time or two – but my dad’s love and care never ceased…even when I may have thought, “Wait a second!”

How much more is our Heavenly Father
trustworthy, caring, and constantly on our side!

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Hello. My name is Dennis…and I’m a multi-tasker

May 1, 2009 — 2 Comments

OK, I’ll admit it; I’m a compulsive multi-tasker.  I’m doing it right now as I write this.  I do it all the time – even when I don’t realize it!  It can be an advantage – getting more “stuff” done in less time and I’m obsessive enough that I’m typically pleased with the results (ok, maybe not all the time.)  But one area that I really challenge myself on NOT multi-tasking is during my focused time alone with God.  I’m not saying I’m always successful, but I try.  Jesus did it – He carved time out to focus and pray – so should I:

“When Jesus heard what had happened, He withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place.”  Matthew 14:13

“…He went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.  When evening came, He was there alone…”  Matthew 14:23

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up…”  Mark 1:35

I believe focused time alone with God is crucial for every believer.  Without it, we’re unprepared, running aimlessly and punching at open space as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9…picture a noted computer entrepreneur dancing on TV, its bad (ok, he tried, but it was still bad – not that there is anything wrong with bad dancing). Sadly, without focused time alone with God, we’re missing out on [don’t miss this] communion with the Creator of the whole universe. This is nothing new or profound, but it is basic.

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Actions Speak Louder…From the Boardroom to the [insert where you are right now]

April 30, 2009 — Leave a comment

Just like most of you, I get a ton of email each day – between my home and work accounts, its data overload (throw Twitter and Facebook in there and my head starts spinning at times – but its fun!).  One email that I always read/scan at work is called SmartBrief on Leadership.  It’s a collection of articles on leadership, innovation, etc.; there’s always one or two articles that are pretty good reads.  I also never miss the daily quote at the bottom.

I always find it interesting to read the articles with two hats on: corporate director and Christ Follower – even though they are one and the same…hopefully, you know what I mean.  I guess I look at life and all my experiences through bifocal lenses…you know, you’ve seen people with them on – constantly lifting their head up and down to see things through the two sections of their glasses.  I do that with most everything – my wife can confirm that I can find the comedy, absurdity, profoundness, etc. in most stuff (I talk to the TV a lot).

Anyway, today there was an interview with Brazilian banker Roberto Setubal, who transformed his company in a number of ways: culture, organizational structure, decision-making processes, and leadership style.  It was an interesting Q&A but one jumped out at me:

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Two Great Ones From Job (the book, not my work)

April 29, 2009 — Leave a comment

Number One: A Reading

I usually read The Daily Bread at some point each day and today’s reading was great.

I won’t retype it here (click here to read it for yourself), but what a gut check to even consider having the attitude that Job had in 2:10: “Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?”

I’m “all over” the GOOD stuff and my adversities are pretty tame compared to some (especially after reading a Tweep’s post about here trip to India – truly CRAZY LOVE in action).  I pray that I would be enabled by the power of the Holy Spirit to have this Job-itutde [ok, so now God will provide me an opportunity…].

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May it be so in me, O Lord!

April 28, 2009 — 1 Comment

If you are not familiar with Andrew Peterson…get!  On my way to work today, I queued up a shuffle of his CDs on the iPhone and heard an older song that I hadn’t heard in a while…just had to share.  I hope this isn’t morbid, but I told my wife that I wanted this played at my memorial service.

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Two Visuals: One Cool, One Scary

April 27, 2009 — 3 Comments

bblvizJust thought I would share two visuals from last week…

The Cool!

I am always looking for cool backgrounds for church and was looking through my “finds” last week and saw the one to the right.  A while ago, I StumbledUpon this site that had a “visual” of the Bible and its linkages.  Visually, it is pretty cool – seeing the rainbows of colors and their interconnectedness.  But…if it ended there, it would be just another interesting image.  The truth of the “coolness” is that this picture represents God’s Awesome Word!

As faithfacts.org puts it:

“…the Bible contains 66 books, written by approximately 40 different writers, over 1600 years, on 3 different continents, in 3 different languages, on thousands of different subjects, yet with one central theme-God’s redemption of mankind from sin won for the whole world by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

The story behind the image is interesting (and sure, you could do this to many other books, including other works related to world religions); but, it is so much more than just a neat image with and cool back-story about how it was made.  WOW!!!!

BTW, there are some other cool visualizations on this person’s site…check them out!

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A Thought for Our “Gathered” Worship this Weekend

April 25, 2009 — Leave a comment

I pray as we gather this weekend to worship our amazing and awesome God, that this Charlie Hall song would be the posture we take as we worship Him with our intellect through hearing from His powerful, life-giving, and life-changing Word.

My my peeps and tweeps be blessed where ever they happen to be, o Lord!  AMEN!

x

Closer

Beautiful are the words spoken to me
Beautiful is the one who is speaking

Come in close, come in close and speak
Come in close, come closer to me

The power of Your words
Are filled with grace and mercy
Let them fall on my ears and break my stony heart

Come in close, come in close and speak
Come in close, come closer to me

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One Liners from the Facebook and Twitter Universe

April 24, 2009 — Leave a comment

So I am four months into Facebook and three weeks into the Twitter (@dennarr) and blog universes and must say that I am having fun connecting so many people.  One of the especially cool things has been the regular encouraging exchanges that I get personally or am part of through online conversations with fellow Christ-followers.

Three exchanges really got me thinking this week and I just had to share!  The first was a question posed on Facebook by Fred McKinnon (a worship leader from Georgia).  The second and third were a barrage of Francis Chan one-line quotes via Twitter from Jenni Clayville (a worship pastor from Oregon attending Exponential 2009) and Dawn Carter (a blogger, God-Lover & Missional Mom from SoCal – attending Catalyst West Coast 2009).  [Chan must have jetted coast-to-coast this week!]

I hope these encourage AND challenge you as they did me!  It is a TON of stuff to ponder and pray about!  [BTW, they all said I could share on my blog for the encouragement of others!]

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IT’S OBIVOUS…don’t miss it!

April 23, 2009 — Leave a comment

sunset

We’ve all seen it on the news…a reporter standing in a war zone talking into the camera – gunfire and bombs going off in the distance. He or she knows the gunfire and bombs are there, but keeps talking – giving the news, describing their surroundings. Suddenly, the gunfire or bombs are no longer in the distance…we see them “hit the deck” – now, they are fully aware of their surroundings. We say to ourselves (or the TV) – “hello, don’t you know what is going on all around you?”

Sadly,  it is often like that for us…with GOD? We know He is THE Almighty and Sovereign Creator – but we miss the obvious affirmation of HIS creation!
O, the Psalm 19-of it all! We take for granted the mind-boggling fact that He was and is so creative by not fully “seeing” everything around us – at any given moment, whether you’re standing on the beach or (like me right now) sitting in front of a computer (“I’m a PC!”  But I love my iPod & iPhone – guess I’m conflicted.)

Think about the snowball effect of our Awesome God’s Genesis 1:3 command. The person sitting next to you, the one on your mind right now, the phone you’re holding, the car you’re driving down the freeway in at 65.1 MPH…while Twittering, the iPod you’re listening to, the amazing creation that you are about to shuttle to soccer/baseball/gymnastics practice, the beans that were cooked/ground up/brewed that you are drinking, the very ground/carpet/pavement you’re standing on…all a result of those four, powerful, monosyllabic words: Let there be light!

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A Tale of Two Women

April 22, 2009 — Leave a comment

(Sung to the theme from The Beverly Hillbillies)

Come and listen to a story, ‘bout a gal named Sue
Church volunteer – amateur singer, too
The crowds and the judges were doubtful of her skill
She reminded all you can’t prejudge – although we prob’ly will
(Forgive us, Lord. It’s sin. We know.)

AND

Come and listen to a story, ‘bout Carrie Prejean
Christian first, then model…beauty queen!
The crowds and the judges were sure of her skill
Till she showed integrity – now it’s all ill will
(I wonder Lord, would I have done the same? Hopefully, that is,
through the p’wer of Your Spirit!)

Wow…in the space of two weeks, two confident women – with differing public reactions.

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