This Week in Blogworld 10.20-26

Mike Leake

Sorry, Kids. We At It All.

This is an interesting article encouraging younger adults to speak out against the present generations accumulation of debt.  (HT: David Murray)

For When You Marry Wrong

I love the honesty of this article.

I’m told that I HAVE to watch this. Haven’t yet but plan on it:


(RSS click through)

What Every Church Leader Should Know about Sexting

Or reason #500 why you shouldn’t give your child unfiltered internet access on their phone.

Doubts: Fatal or Futilie?

I appreciate the conclusion.

What the Church Can Learn from Chick-fil-A

As a former Chick-fil-A employee, I must say, this is spot on.

I just could never believe in a God who would…

Great point.

This is hilarious (RSS click through):

18 Things I Will Not Regret Doing With My Kids

I really appreciate the honesty of Tim Challies in this post.

10 Traits of Joyous Pastors

I want to be known as a joyous pastor. These ten traits will go a long ways towards that.

Ja Rule Exposes My Sinful Heart

Great news about Ja Rule, and a great article of response from Thabiti.

Empty Applause

Mike Leake 1 Comment

This quote by Jimmy Needham stuck out to me today:  

Be Thou exalted over my reputation,
‘Cause applause is a poor form of soul medication.

Applause really is poor medication. It’s like drinking a Mountain Dew for energy, you get a boost for a moment but crash and burn later. It’s never enough to actually sustain you.

Applause doesn’t go deep enough. It’s too weak to provide the sustenance our soul needs. With one piece of negative criticism the high from our applause quickly withers.

The only one that can really sustain us is the Lord. That is why I like this quote from Thomas Boston:

And when the applause is obtained, what do you have? A vain empty puff of wind. They think much of you, you think much of yourself and in the meantime God thinks nothing of you.

Vain. Empty. Puff of Wind. Fitting words for applause when it is our foundation.

In our 21st century world it might be fitting to replace“applause” with retweet, like, share, or link. I’ve found as a writer that if I am doing what I do for the sake of a retweet or a share, then I’m building a ministry on sand. I’m destined for a roller-coaster of emotion. I’ll be floating on cloud nine when an article I write is linked to. Likewise, the pit of despair will be my only companion when I go through a dry spell.

This is a question I’ve asked myself numerous times over the last 5-6 years of writing. Do I rejoice when Jesus is glorified and I’m not? Or as Jimmy Needham has worded it, “So friends, will we point to the Son till our own flames grow dim?”

Yes, I want you to share this post, like it, benefit from it, and see it find a wider circulation. But I want to want that because I believe it will exalt Jesus—not my own reputation.

—

Consider purchasing that entire Jimmy Needham album. (While you are at it buy everything from Needham).

Pray For Your Son: 31 Day Challenge—Day Twenty-Five

Mike Leake 1 Comment

Day Twenty-Five: That he would be compelled to share Christ

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” –Matthew 28:18-20

No matter his age, our son is commissioned by God to spread His glory to the nations. He first must be a disciple himself, then through his following after Jesus he must shine the light of Christ to the nations. We all know how difficult it is to boldly proclaim the gospel. Let us pray, then, today that our sons would be compelled to share Christ.

Heavenly Father, I pray that my son would have a heart to share the good news of Jesus Christ with his friends, family and peers so that others may be reached for Christ.  May he realize that all people are precious to God. May he also be compelled to spread God’s glory to the nations.  May God use him as a disciple wherever he goes.  Amen.

—

Sherry Heeke is a homemaker, wife to David, and mother of 3 amazing sons, Logan (13), Dylan (9), and Dawson (6). All three boys are on the autism spectrum, so she never has a dull moment. Sherry is a member of First Baptist Church in Jasper, where she sings and plays bass guitar in the praise band.

Pray For Your Son: 31 Day Challenge—Day Twenty-Four

Mike Leake

Day Twenty-Four: That he would be a compassionate warrior

The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. –Genesis 2:15

I’ve been teaching my five year old about the fall of mankind and what it has done to men. I’ve explained that God created us men to be compassionate warriors: men of valor that work hard, with hearts to protect. Real men fight for righteousness. But, as I’ve explained to my son, the fall has left us men as grouchy wimps instead of compassionate (tender) warriors. We are lazy when we should work. Or we use our job to hide us from the more difficult tasks of being a man at home. We aren’t compassionate, we are selfish. Thankfully Jesus restores humanity and manhood. I encourage my son to live in that redemption instead of the rebellion of being a grouchy wimp.

Father, thank you for restoring manhood. I am grateful that you have given us pictures throughout your word of what a real man is to look like. I know that in Jesus we have everything that we need for life and godliness. Lord, I pray that you would work in my sons heart and help him to be a compassionate warrior. I know that through his whole life you will call him to be that. Help him to hurt with those that hurt. And to be a man of valor that stands up for others and mostly for the truth of the gospel. Amen.