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Ask the Readers: Bible Marking Tips
I know, I know… a preacher shouldn’t be asking this question. He should know how. I also know that there is no one right answer to this question, but hearing from you will help others. The question is: how do you “mark” in your Bible? I have started doing more and more of this, but I have never really developed a system, so my notes are a mish-mash (at best), and I want to do two things: (1) continue marking in my Bible, and (2) have some type of orderly system. In the comments, please leave any tips you have. They can be anything from the type of Bible you…
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Lebanon Road Reading for September 2-8
Months: August-November Theme: Through the Bible in 122 Biographies These four months will walk through the Bible with short readings about people, from well-known to unfamiliar. Sunday, September 2: Rehoboam : 1 Kings 12:1-20, 14:21-31 Monday, September 3: Jeroboam: 1 Kings 11:26-40, 12:25-14:20 Tuesday, September 4: Ahab : 1 Kings 16:29-34; 20:1-21:29 Wednesday, September 5: Elijah : 1 Kings 17:1-19:18 Thursday, September 6: Elisha : 2 Kings 2, 4, 6 Friday, September 7: Naaman & Gahazi : 2 Kings 5 Saturday, September 8: Josiah : 2 Kings 23 Note: This series has been adapted from Zondervan, as published at http://alextran.org/2007/11/25/23-bible-reading-plans-that-will-satisfy-anyone/.
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National Chain Prayer 2012
The idea is only two weeks old, but it has grown to something that I believe will be something we remember for years to come. First, let me give a little background, then let you know about a wonderful idea. Many things in our society seem to be moving quickly away from God and the Christian foundations of this country. Thankfully, there seems to be a strong movement among many Christians to counteract that movement, but in proper ways. No violence. No hate. No cruelty. Instead, Christians seem to be more fervent in prayer, as we seek to bring America back to her moral grounding in Scripture. In just a…
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Next Door
We love our neighborhood. It is one of those neighborhoods where kids still run up and down the streets playing and parents need not worry. Children learn to ride bikes on the sidewalks and roads, and older couples walk holding hands. Not everything is perfect, but we are truly blessed by our Lord to live where we do. A couple of weeks ago, I had a conversation with our next-door neighbors (we only have neighbors on one side). While they are not Christians, they have always treated us well. He has helped me with a handful of projects around the house, and they have given us several things over the…
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Stop Sucking Your Thumb!
My daughter is 6-years-old. She is our precious treasure. We love her so much. But she still sucks her thumb. It drives us crazy. We tell her over and over to stop. We have tried several things, but it truly is a habit that she has had since infancy. We try to tell her that big girls don’t do that. We try to tell her what it could do to her teeth if she keeps it up. We try to convince her to break the habit. Then, at 2:38 this morning, she was crying. I got out of bed and went to her room. She told me that she had…
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A Tear-Jerking Visitor’s Card
This is a true story. I wish parts of it weren’t true, but it is. As the services finished, I followed “preacher protocol,” and stood at the back of the building. There was wonderful conversation, hand-shaking, and the joy of Christian fellowship. As I try to do, I made an extra effort to “catch” anyone I didn’t recognize and be sure to introduce myself and thank them for coming. As I was talking with a couple of our wonderful young folks, a guest came up to me. I will admit, he didn’t smell all that great, and he looked a little dingy, but he had a big smile on his…
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Are You Always That Happy?
Last week, I was walking to a session at Polishing the Pulpit with a friend whom I do not see often. Our families used to get together for meals when we lived in Alabama, and it was great to see them again. The wife didn’t know where her class was to be, and I was going to a nearby classroom, so we walked together so I could show her where her class was. On the walk, she said that she read our blog from time-to-time, and then she asked, “Are you guys always that happy?” I laughed out loud and said, “No.” I wish I could say, “Yes,” but there…
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Lebanon Road Reading for August 26-September 1
Months: August-November Theme: Through the Bible in 122 Biographies These four months will walk through the Bible with short readings about people, from well-known to unfamiliar. Sunday, August 26: Eli : 1 Samuel 2:27-4:22 Monday, August 27: Samuel : 1 Samuel 7:3-8:22, 12:1-25 Tuesday, August 28: Jonathan : 1 Samuel 14, 20 Wednesday, August 29: King Saul : 1 Samuel 18-19 Thursday, August 30: Abigail : 1 Samuel 25 Friday, August 31: Amnon : 2 Samuel 13 Saturday, September 1: Absalom : 2 Samuel 15, 17, 18 Note: This series has been adapted from Zondervan, as published at http://alextran.org/2007/11/25/23-bible-reading-plans-that-will-satisfy-anyone/.
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Start Planning Now for PtP 2013
Yesterday, my family and I returned from another wonderful week at Polishing the Pulpit. This was our third year to attend. Different from the first two years, though, I was not speaking, so I got to attend a couple more sessions than in past years. 2519 people attended PtP this year, and the program just keeps on growing. That is so encouraging! There is simply no way I can describe how wonderful this week is, and it isn’t just for preachers! The name may throw you off a bit, because the idea was started for preachers, but there is something for everyone. So, I am encouraging every member of the Lord’s…
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Lebanon Road Reading for August 19-25
Months: August-November Theme: Through the Bible in 122 Biographies These four months will walk through the Bible with short readings about people, from well-known to unfamiliar. Sunday, August 19: Joshua : Joshua 23-24 Monday, August 20: Deborah: Judges 4-5 Tuesday, August 21: Gideon : Judges 6-8 Wednesday, August 22: Jephthah : Judges 11:1-12:7 Thursday, August 23: Samson : Judges 13-16 Friday, August 24: Ruth & Naomi : Ruth Saturday, August 25: Hannah : 1 Samuel 1:1-2:21 Note: This series has been adapted from Zondervan, as published at http://alextran.org/2007/11/25/23-bible-reading-plans-that-will-satisfy-anyone/.
