30 Nov, 2007
'Mr. Toilet' builds commode-shaped house
SUWON, South Korea - Sim Jae-duck has made his political career as South Korea's Mr. Toilet by beautifying public restrooms. Now he's got a home befitting his title: a toilet-shaped domicile complete with the latest in lavatory luxury.
Sim is building the two-story house to commemorate the inaugural meeting this month of the World Toilet Association.
The Seoul conference will be accompanied by a toilet expo featuring exhibits to excite the public about the cause: including a "Hansel and Gretel" bathroom made from cookies and candy that gives presents to children when they flush, and a "toilet gallery cafe" where people can sit on colorful commodes while drinking tea.
The toilet theme is central to the house named Haewoojae, or a "place to solve one's worries," shaped like a 24 1/2-foot-tall toilet bowl. A showpiece bathroom at the center of the 4,520-square-foot house is on display through a floor-to-ceiling window made of glass that turns opaque at the touch of a button. When guests enter to do their business, a motion sensor activates classical music.
The bathroom emerges into a spacious living room featuring a grand staircase and lined by windows curving around the rounded facade of the building.
The home has four bathrooms that include a whirlpool bathtub, urinals and large glass showers.
Occupants gain access to the roof balcony around the rim of the "bowl" by climbing up stairs through what would be a toilet drain — which is equipped to collect rain for some functions to conserve drinking water. The home is encased in smooth, white-painted steel that appears similar to the ceramics used to make toilets.
photo & story courtesy news.yahoo.com, 11/9/07
Wait till you see your new home!
Words can hardly describe it...
John 14:1-4
I Am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life
14:1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” (ESV)
After reading today's God's Story scripture, are you looking forward to your new home for eternity?
OK, be honest. When you first saw today's headline about the "toilet house", did you believe it? You figured it had to be a joke, right? It's real. You have to admit that this Mr. Sim is going to great expense to promote his cause. He has quite the imagination! I'd be nervous about going on the tour though, because what if someone flushes?
Jesus is sparing no expense in building His followers a future home in Heaven. AND you and I can't begin to imagine how incredible it will be - yes you might say that it will be out of this world!
The study notes from Tyndale's LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE remind us of the incredible promise of Jesus:
14:2,3 There are few verses in Scripture that describe eternal life, but these few verses are rich with promises. Here Jesus says, "I am going to prepare a place for you," and "I will come and get you." We can look forward to eternal life because Jesus has promised it to all who believe in him. Although the details of eternity are unknown, we need not fear because Jesus is preparing for us and will spend eternity with us.
Our Heavenly home will be a place with many rooms but it will be toilet-less. We'll have no need for them because we will have new Heavenly resurrected bodies!
How can we connect today's God's Story scripture to our lives?
- Confess those times when your eyes get stuck on earthly treasures rather than on the eternal delight of Heaven. Thank Jesus for His forgiveness, for giving you a new life, for giving you purpose in this life, and for promising you an eternal place that is out of this world.
- Thank Jesus every day for His promise to bring you "home" some day!
- Whenever you see amazing homes, don't begrudge the owners or get jealous. Take a moment and just try to picture Heavenly homes! You can be guaranteed that it will be better than anything you can imagine.
- If you are as bizarre as me, whenever you flush this weekend, just imagine your future home in Heaven.
How can we connect today's story, God's Story scripture and our story to others?
- Show or email the picture and article of the toilet house mansion to your friends and family who need Jesus as their Savior. See how they respond. Listen. Ask Jesus to show you if this would the right time to ask them if you could tell them about your future home in heaven?
- Use this DAILYBIDE to encourage another believer when he or she is down about the challenges we all face in this earthly life.
28 Nov, 2007
NYC eatery offers $25,000 dessert
NEW YORK - This is one rich cup of haute chocolate: A New York eatery is offering a $25,000 dessert bulging with top-grade cocoa, edible gold and shavings of a luxury truffle.
The Frrrozen Haute Chocolate was declared the most expensive dessert in the world by Guinness World Records.
The dessert is a frozen, slushy mix of cocoas from 14 countries, milk and 5 grams of 24-carat gold topped with whip cream and shavings from a La Madeline au Truffle.
It is served in a goblet with a band of gold decorated with 1 carat of diamonds and served with a golden spoon diners can take home.
The dessert was created by Serendipity 3, a restaurant popular with tourists and once featured in a John Cusack movie.
photo & story courtesy news.yahoo.com, 11/8/07
Fine dining!
John 6:26-35 (NLT)
26 Jesus replied,
28 They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?”
29 Jesus told them,
30 They answered, “Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do? 31 After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, ‘Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
32 Jesus said,
34 “Sir,” they said, “give us that bread every day.”
35 Jesus replied,
What does today's God's Story scripture tell us about the "real food" that satisfies and lasts forever?
Today's story about the $25,000 dessert is crazy....unbelievable...and you hope that there aren't people who are so self-centered that they actually would buy this dessert. Yes, think about how many starving people could eat for $25,000.
But $25,000 is nothing compared to the priceless cost of the BREAD OF LIFE. The amazing truth is that this meal with Jesus is free for us...it's on the Father...His grace has paid the bill.
Check out the explanation in the study notes from Tyndale's LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE:
6:26 Jesus criticized the people who followed him only for the physical and temporal benefits and not for the satisfying of their spiritual hunger. Many people use religion to gain prestige, comfort, or even political votes. But those are self-centered motives. True believers follow Jesus simply because they know he has the truth and his way is the way to live.
6:35 People eat bread to satisfy physical hunger and to sustain physical life. We can satisfy spiritual hunger and sustain spiritual life only by a right relationship with Jesus Christ. No wonder he called himself the bread of life. But bread must be eaten to sustain life, and Christ must be invited into our daily walk to sustain spiritual life.
You know how sometimes you save room for dessert, but sometimes you're just too full from a good meal to even think about dessert?
Eat the BREAD OF LIFE daily. It's like "having your cake and eating it too"! It's fine dining that lasts forever...
How can we connect today's God's Story scripture to our lives?
- Praise Jesus for being the BREAD OF LIFE. Confess any way in which you have been substituting worldly junk food to feed your soul. Thank God that this life-sustaining food is free though it cost Him the life of His Son. Ask Jesus to show you how to share His "bread" with a world that is full of spiritually hungry people.
- Memorize John 6:35 as a reminder of how to feed your soul every day.
- Write down a list of worldly "junk food" that has robbed you of real spiritual nourishment from Jesus. Ask Jesus to help you avoid these items. Keep it where you will see it and be reminded to let Jesus help you to eat healthy!
How can we connect today's story and God's Story scripture and our story to others?
- Use this DAILYBIDE as a study and/or discussion starter with your youth group or small group.
- Email this DAILYBIDE to a Christian friend to encourage them by sharing what you are learning.
- Take a friend who needs Jesus as his or her Savior out to eat. Make sure you order dessert and use today's story about the $25,000 dessert as a way to talk about the expense that God paid so that you could eat the BREAD OF LIFE free.
26 Nov, 2007
The Thanksgiving holiday may motivate us to drop a few pounds and get in shape...which of these pictures best describes your physical fitness? Which one best describes your spiritual fitness?
pictures courtesy of maine.rr.com & fitnesstakeaway.com
Time to shape up?
1 Timothy 4:1-10 (NLT)
Warnings Against False Teachers
1 Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. 2 These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead.
3 They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten with thanks by faithful people who know the truth. 4 Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks. 5 For we know it is made acceptable by the word of God and prayer.
A Good Servant of Christ Jesus
6 If you explain these things to the brothers and sisters, Timothy, you will be a worthy servant of Christ Jesus, one who is nourished by the message of faith and the good teaching you have followed. 7 Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. 8 “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” 9 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it. 10 This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers.
According to today's God's Story scripture, why is spiritual exercise so important for every follower of Christ?
In today's passage, the apostle Paul is giving a warning about false teachers. He makes it clear that if we're going to be able to face false teachers, we must be spiritually fit.
If you are a student, you have opportunity for exercise at school or through sports or you work out on your own. You might be someone whose job involves lots of physical activity. Perhaps you like to visit a health club or maybe you just hit the pavement! Are you in shape both physically and spiritually?
It's important to get physical exercise, but it's even more important to get spiritual training. As we allow God's Spirit to make us more like Jesus, we will not only be growing in intimacy with God, but we will be strong enough to withstand the temptation to give in to what is "politically correct" rather than Biblical. Plus, God will use us to accomplish some serious "body" building as we do our part to help build His Kingdom!
How's your spiritual muscle tone? Get off the couch!
- Thank God for the fact that in He is strong in our weakness. Confess any way in which you may have become a spiritual couch potato. Ask His Holy Spirit to give you the discipline you need to get spiritually fit. Thank Jesus that He will stretch you to the point that you develop some muscle to add to His "body". Praise Him for the privilege you have to help build up His Kingdom!
- Try an exercise like running or biking where you can pray while you work out. Do this for 15 minutes a day for two weeks and see what happens physically and spiritually!
- Memorize 1st Timothy 4:8.
How can we connect today's story and God's Story scripture and our story to others?
- Ask another follower of Jesus who you think is spiritually fit to help you and encourage you to train in Godliness.
- Use this DAILYBIDE as a study and discussion guide with your youth group or small group to help each other build spiritual muscle.
- When you find yourself in a conversation with someone who is devoted to being "politically or religiously correct", but not devoted to Christ, remember that in your weakness Christ is strong. You can demonstrate His strength in you by being a humble listener and talking about Christ rather than trying to win an argument.
22 Nov, 2007
Bush Pardons Thanksgiving Turkeys
Turkey is the traditional meal at Thanksgiving. And yet every holiday for the last 60 years, at least one bird has escaped the butcher's axe with a ceremonial White House pardon.
This year, two National Thanksgiving Turkeys traveled from the Midwest state of Indiana for President Bush to spare their lives in the Rose Garden. "May they live the rest of their lives in blissful gobbling and may all Americans enjoy a holiday full of love and peace."
After their pardon, the two turkeys flew first class to Disney World where they will be the honorary grand marshals of the Florida amusement park's Thanksgiving Day parade. The birds, named May and Flower, will retire to a petting zoo at the park.
In his remarks, President Bush gave thanks for a good harvest, a strong economy, and the courage of the men and women of the U.S. military.
"They have worn proudly the uniform of our country. They have offered their lives in our defense. And each year, thousands more volunteer to join their noble ranks to keep us safe. And so on this Thanksgiving we keep their families and their loved ones in our prayers and in our thoughts."
The president and Mrs. Bush will spend the Thanksgiving holiday at the presidential retreat at Camp David.
photo & story courtesy voanews.com, 11/20/07
Thankful for the pardon!
Two turkeys are thankful that they aren't being featured on a Thanksgiving menu this holiday.
Micah 7:18 (NLT)
God's Love and Compassion
18 Where is another God like you,
who pardons the guilt of the remnant,
overlooking the sins of his special people?
You will not stay angry with your people forever,
because you delight in showing unfailing love.
Why is today's God's Story scripture such a great verse for Thanksgiving?
The prophet Micah warned God's people that judgment was coming, but that God would offer pardon to all who would repent.
This week, President Bush did the annual "pardon" for two lucky turkeys. Do you realize that we're not lucky, but blessed? Isaiah wrote that we have all strayed like sheep. Today, let's just say that we have strayed like "wild turkeys". We don't deserve God's forgiveness for our sin, but that's why His grace is so amazing!
Today, with thanksgiving, praise God for His pardon!
How can we connect today's God's Story scripture to our lives?
- Thank God for His mercy! He could give us eternal death, but He has given us a full pardon because Jesus shed His blood to pay the penalty for our sins. Take several minutes to thank and praise Him for His grace...
- While you're eating turkey during the Thanksgiving holidays, tell God thank you for His pardon. Praise Him for the promise of some day sitting at His banquet table in Heaven!
How can we connect today's story, God's Story and our story to others?
With family and friends, start up a conversation about God offering us His loving pardon, by bringing up today's story about President Bush giving a pardon to the turkeys. Let Jesus guide you in knowing how much of your story or God's story to share.
21 Nov, 2007
Frozen Turkey Thrown at Car Leaves Woman Critically Hurt
It was a bizarre and horrible assault. The weapon: a 20 pound turkey thrown out of a moving car and onto the windshield of an oncoming car. The driver was in critical condition. It happened on Long Island in Lake Ronkonkoma. Eyewitness News' Nina Pineda reports.
After being hit with something that weighs more than a cinder block, the victim lost consciousness while driving. If it wasn't for a friend in the passenger's seat who leaned over and grabbed the steering wheel, who knows how many would have been killed?
The assistant chief with the fire department showed us how the impact from the solid frozen mass knocked the driver unconscious.
Asst. Chief Bob Wallace, Farmingdale Fire Dept: "She had severe facial trauma, she wasn't stable, she was in and out. She was unconscious at one point. The steering wheel was flattened out which took a majority of the impact. The turkey ended up in the rear seat behind the passenger side."
Police say they have pictures of the assailants, five teens caught on store surveillance tape in the aisles of the Waldbaum's supermarket.
Police say they bought a 20 pound turkey. They obviously didn't think that their purchase would be traced back to them and a credit card reported stolen in the afternoon.
Danielle Mazzocchi, Resident: "Kids don't think about consequences. They just act and then just take the consequences later.."
photo & story courtesy cms.firehouse.com, 6/14/07
Any "turkeys" in your life?
Romans 12:17-21(NLT)
17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,
“I will take revenge;
I will pay them back,”
says the Lord.
20 Instead,
“If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap
burning coals of shame on their heads.”
21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
How does today's God's Story scripture teach us to respond to the "turkeys" in our lives?
If we are going to be like Jesus, we must be willing to pass on the forgiveness He has given us to others who need our forgiveness.
But this is hard, because people really act like "turkeys"! Can you believe the story about the teenagers throwing the frozen turkey through the windshield of that innocent woman? What were they thinking?
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. If we are truly thankful for God's forgiveness, we will forgive others. This doesn't mean we excuse their wrongs, but we love them in spite of their sins, just as Christ did for us.
Be thankful for the love of Christ in you. It's the only way you can forgive "turkeys".
- Thank God for forgiving you even though you didn't deserve it. Think of someone right now who has hurt you and you are struggling to forgive him or her. Ask Jesus to remove your feelings of bitterness, pain and the desire to get even. Ask God to enable you to forgive this person if it takes awhile for your feelings to catch up. Thank God that He will use this experience to help you become less like a "turkey" yourself and more like Jesus Christ.
- Every time you see a turkey this week, let God remind you to be willing to forgive the "turkeys" in your life.
- Thank God tomorrow for the opportunity to pass His forgiveness on to others.
How can we connect today's story and God's Story scripture and our story to others?
Pray about the opportunity or need for you to talk to someone who needs your forgiveness. Give this person some help, send 'em a card or maybe just start by giving them a smile! Right actions will lead to right feelings! (Maybe you can get together and have a leftover turkey sandwich and talk about letting God help you get your friendship back together.)
20 Nov, 2007
‘No apologies’ over teen who hanged herself over failed romance, kin say
“They’ve absolutely offered no apologies,” Ron Meier told TODAY co-host Matt Lauer on Monday. “They sent us a letter in the mail, basically saying that they might feel a little bit of responsibility, but they don’t feel no guilt or remorse or anything for what they did.”
Rather, said Tina Meier, the people are upset with her for going public with their story. Last week, while shopping, she ran into the woman who invented the hoax, Tina Meier said.
“She asked me to stop doing all of this,” she told Lauer. “I told her that we would not stop, that we were going to continue for justice for Megan because we knew what they did.”
The Meiers’ daughter, Megan, hanged herself Oct. 16, 2006.
The Meiers have not named the people because they do not want to identify their teenage daughter, who had once been a friend of Megan’s.
After the two girls had a falling out, the mother invented a 16-year-old boy, “Josh Evans,” created a MySpace account for him, and made Megan believe he was new in town and thought she was cool.
Megan, a girl who had battled attention deficit disorder, depression and a weight problem for much of her young life, believed him, despite her mother’s warnings to be cautious.
“That was always the talk,” Tina Meier told Lauer, repeating the conversations she had with her daughter: “‘Megan, c’mon, we don’t even know this person. Let’s not get too excited.’ She’d say, ‘Oh, Mom, you don’t understand.’ So I did talk to her daily about that. But children at this age, they don’t think that.”
And then the boy turned on Megan, leading a campaign of vilification and online name-calling that ended when Megan took her own life.
For a year, the Meiers kept quiet at the request of both the FBI and local law enforcement officials while they investigated the incident.
Ultimately, investigators told the Meiers that while the hoax was cruel, it was not criminal.
photo & story courtesy today.msnbc.msn.com, 11/19/07
Parents of MySpace hoax victim seek justice
Are you careful about who you talk to online?
Proverbs 13:20
20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,
but the companion of fools will suffer harm. (ESV)
What does today's God's Story scripture warn us about the people we associate with?
Friends can make us or break us. We must be careful about whom we choose as our closest friends.
The woman who invented the MySpace hoax that helped lead Megan Meier to kill herself did something that can be described as evil, regardless of whether or not our courts find it criminal.
BUT, Megan Meier made a poor choice in getting to know this fake "Josh Evans". Her parents had warned her, but her desire for acceptance from a guy clouded her thinking. Her pain of being let down by this "guy" was so deep that she made the choice to end her life.
Today's scripture does not mean that followers of Christ should not become friends with unbelievers. That's the best of way to communicate Christ's love. But we must be smart about who we hang out with online and in person.
Ask yourself if others who are not Christ followers are being drawn to Jesus because of your friendship, or are you being pulled away from Christ by them?
Are your closest friends people who want to be close to Jesus?
How can we connect today's God's Story scripture to our lives?
- Write out an honest evaluation of your friendships. List your 10 closest friends. Which ones are helping you become like Jesus? Which ones are not? Are you making progress in helping them learn about Christ's love or are they pulling you away from Christ?
- Spend some time with an older Christian friend who can share Godly wisdom with you. If you don't have a friend like this, pray for God to bring this kind of friend into your life.
- If you are a MySpace user, evaluate if it is a positive or negative influence in your relationship with Jesus.
How can we connect today's story and God's Story scripture and our story to others?
- Pray for the family and friends of Megan to experience God's comfort and for justice to be done in this tragedy.
- Get together with other followers of Christ and talk about today's DAILYBIDE. Agree to check on each other and hold each other accountable to make wise choices in friendships both online and in person. Pray and talk about ways to use the Internet to practice 3Story so that you can help others come to know Christ.
- Use today's story as a conversation starter with your friends who don't know Christ as their Savior. Ask him or her about their experiences with the trust factor in friendships. Look for the opportunity to share your story - that you have discovered a personal relationship with God....how you can trust Him...how He has given you hope rather than fear...how He promised to never let you down...
16 Nov, 2007
Which of these have you seen, heard, played, or searched for?
Movies 11/9/2007 - 11/11/2007
- Bee Movie, $26 mil
- American Gangster, $24.3 mil
- Fred Claus, $19.2 mil
- Lions for Lambs, $6.7 mil
- Dan in Real Life, $5.9 mil
- Saw IV, $5 mil
- The Game Plan, $2.4 mil
- P2, $2.2 mil
- 30 Days of Night, $2.1 mil
- Martian Child, $1.8 mil
Source: Box Office Mojo
Personal Computer Video Games Week Ending 11/3/2007
- Hellgate: London
- Hellgate: London Collectors Ed
- Half Life 2: Episode 2 The Orange Box
- Age of Empires III: Asian Dynasties
- The Sims 2 Bon Voyage
- Nancy Drew: Legend of the Crystal Skull
- Flight Simular X: Acceleration
- World of Warcraft
- The Witcher
- The Sims 2 Deluxe
Source: NPD Group
Artists on MTV.com 11/12/2007
- Britney Spears
- Chris Brown
- Lil Wayne
- 50 Cent
- T-Pain
- Paramore
- Rihanna
- Akon
- Alicia Keys
- Kanye West
Source: MTV.com
Online Music Videos 11/13/2007
- Soulja Boy - Crank That
- Alicia Keys - No One
- Britney Spears - Gimme More
- Chris Brown - Kiss Kiss
- Jordin Sparks - Tattoo
- Fergie - Big Girls Don't Cry
- Aly & AJ - Potential Breakup Song
- Akon - Sorry, Blame It On Me
- Sean Kingston - Beautiful Girls
- Soulja Boy - Soulja Girl
Source: Y! Music Videos
Radio Airplay (Top 40 Category) Week of 11/5/2007 - 11/11/2007
- Timbaland - Apologize
- Colbie Caillat - Bubbly
- Kanye West - Stronger
- Timbaland - The Way I Are
- Rihanna - Hate That I Love You
- Daughtry - Over You
- Pink - Who Knew
- Finger Eleven - Paralyzer
- Soulja Boy - Crank That
- Maroon 5 - Wake Up Call
Downloaded Songs Week of 11/12/2007
- Chris Brown - Kiss Kiss
- Timbaland - Apologize
- Alicia Keys - No One
- Colbie Caillat - Bubbly
- Soulja Boy - Crank That
- Fergie - Clumsy
- Finger Eleven - Paralyzer
- Matchbox Twenty - How Far We've Come
- Baby Bash - Cyclone
Source: i-Tunes
Searches on Yahoo! 11/12/2007
- Leaning Tower of Pisa
- Dancing With the Stars
- Christina Aguilera
- Britney Spears
- Katie Holmes
- Beyonce Knowles
- Hi-5
- WWE
- CMA Awards
- NFL
Source: Yahoo! Buzz Index
hot lists courtesy cpyu.org, 11/15/07
What are your desires these days?
Galatians 5:16-19 (NLT)
19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,
How does the scripture in today's God's Story connect to the media in today's culture?
In today's passage, Paul gets real specific with sensual sins. OUCH!
Every one of us struggle with evil desires. We can't ignore them. Most of them won't be noticed by others, but we all know that deep down, there's some pretty ungodly stuff being tossed around.
Paul says that if we're not letting the Holy Spirit control every part of our lives, our sinful nature is going to produce some sinful desires and result in evil.
You may not be sexually active, but if you allow your mind to be continually filled with impure values, doesn't it seem logical that in time you could become eager for lustful pleasures? Will you then have the strength to say no to sexual immorality?
If you are struggling with sensual sin, do you see the connection between what you are putting into your mind with what you are doing?
If we allow the Holy Spirit to control our minds, we will experience God's power to make Godly choices about what goes into our minds and hearts. If we don't, would we want anyone to see our TOP TEN thoughts?
How can we connect today's God's Story with our own lives?
- Start by being honest about the connection between the media going into your head and your attitude, thoughts and actions.
- Thank God for the power of His Holy Spirit to live a life that pleases Him. Confess your struggle with choosing to fill your thoughts with what is Godly and ungodly. Ask His Spirit to control your mind today, for an hour, or maybe just for the next minute! Thank Jesus that He promises you to be able to do with what is pleasing to your Heavenly Father when you abide in Him.
- Memorize Galatians 5:16.
- For one week, read today's scripture every day, slowly and aloud. Listen for some new thoughts and encouragement from Jesus.
- For two weeks, keep a written journal of what goes into your mind from the media...your choices in movies, TV shows, magazines, music, video games, the Internet, and the Godly stuff....like time in His Word, prayer, worship, Bible studies at church or with friends at school or the work place, a Christian book, etc. At the end of the two weeks, evaluate which is having more impact on your mind? Make any needed adjustments.
How can we connect today's story, God's Story and our story to others?
- With friends and family who are followers of Jesus, look at the hot lists together and talk about the connection to Galatians 5:16-19.
- With friends and family who are not followers of Jesus, be careful not to preach at them or judge them for their media choices. Rather, be familiar with today's media, because this is part of knowing how to connect God's Story to their stories. You don't have to see all the movies or hear all the songs to know what's going on. Check out these resources: 3story.org; planetwisdom.com; cpyu.org; dare2share.org;
- With the mind of Christ in you and a growing understanding of God's Story, you can listen to the media perspectives and experiences of those who need Jesus and find those moments to convey spiritual truth in a loving, thought-provoking way. This is part of connecting your story and God's Story to their stories.
15 Nov, 2007
The unstoppable Matthew Fink
When he was 18 months old, Matthew wasn't expected to survive an infection that roared through his body. Much of his arms and legs had to be amputated 12 days after he got sick. For many months, his health was precarious. Whether his brain was spared injury was open to question.
No question now. Matthew is now a college student.
Matthew graduated from high school with honors. He got perfect scores in math and chemistry on his SAT subject exams. Eight prestigious colleges accepted him, and he chose nearby Carleton College in Northfield, Minn.
Someday, he vows, he will be a doctor. A doctor without limbs? "Why not?" asks the unstoppable Matthew Fink. Technology is changing so fast that who knows how medicine will be practiced in another decade. His first choice would be patient care, but there's always research, or psychiatry, or perhaps surgery using a sophisticated version of a joystick. He's a whiz with a joystick.
His parents say that though they are proud of his academic achievements, they value his character more. His dad, Andrew, said, "He's an honest kid, faithful, who thinks about other people."
"And you know what?" his mom, Cheri, added. "He's happy. He's truly happy."
Matthew said he considers himself lucky, but then he amended that: "Very lucky, very blessed. No, not lucky, but blessed." God gave him the opportunity to show others that life is a gift, he said. When he reflects on how he got a second chance to not only live but to thrive, he is likely to say, "To whom much is given, much is required," paraphrasing Luke 12:48.
Matthew is quiet about his faith, but when asked about his disability he said, "God puts certain things in your life to challenge you and the people around you, in order to make you a stronger person and rely on him."
Note: Story by Peg Meier, Photos by Stormi Greener, first appeared startribune.com, 7/20/06
Not Lucky But Blessed
Luke 12:48b (NLT)
When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.
In Luke 12:41-48, Jesus is using an illustration about a master and a servant to tell us how to live until He comes back. We need to do an attitude check to make sure that we are consistently watching for Him, working hard and obeying His commands in God’s Word.
The example that Jesus uses illustrates that faithful followers will be given more opportunities and responsibilities. God doesn’t hold us responsible for what He has not given us. But God does expect us to use whatever abilities, knowledge and resources He has blessed us with, to serve Him and honor Him until Jesus returns to take His followers home to Heaven.
In Today’s Story, Matthew quoted today’s scripture. He doesn’t see himself as disabled, but very able to use his “blessing” to serve God. That kind of heart is way more important than arms and legs!
- Read the whole illustration that Jesus used in Luke 12:41-48.
- Make a written list of how God has blessed you with abilities, understanding, resources, circumstances, etc. Now write a note to God expressing your gratitude and desire to serve Him with any opportunity and responsibility He gives you.
- Talk to Jesus in prayer right now. Confess any way in which you have been focusing on what you can’t do rather than on what you can do. Ask Jesus to show you how gifted He has made you and how to use those gifts. Thank Him for giving you the power and attitude you need to serve Him in the responsibilities He brings your way.
- To appreciate Matthew’s heart and perspective, have someone duck tape your feet together and your hands behind your back for one hour. Remember that Matthew said, “I’m not lucky, but blessed!”
- Pray every day for Jesus to give you opportunities to love and serve others with the abilities and resources He has given you.
- Email this DAILYBIDE about Matthew to some friends to encourage them, or better yet, tell them Matthew’s story in person. It may start an interesting conversation.
- Pray for Matthew as he is in college this fall. Pray that Jesus will continue to use his story to impact the stories of others.
14 Nov, 2007
Why Do People Faint?
Fainting is pretty common in teens. The good news is that most of the time it's not a sign of something serious. Here are some of the reasons why teens faint:
- Physical triggers. Getting too hot or being in a crowded, poorly ventilated setting are common causes of fainting in teens. People can also faint after exercising too much or working out in excessive heat and not drinking enough fluids (so the body becomes dehydrated). Fainting can also be triggered by other causes of dehydration, as well as hunger or exhaustion. Sometimes just standing for a very long time or getting up too quickly after sitting or lying down can lead someone to faint.
- Emotional stress. Emotions like fright, pain, anxiety, or shock can affect the body's nervous system, causing blood pressure to drop. This is the reason why people faint when something frightens or horrifies them, like the sight of blood.
- Hyperventilation. A person who is hyperventilating is taking fast breaths, which causes carbon dioxide (CO2) to decrease in the blood. This can make a person faint. People who are extremely stressed out, in shock, or have certain anxiety disorders may faint as a result of hyperventilation.
- Low blood sugar. The brain depends on a constant supply of sugar from the blood to work properly and keep a person awake. People who are taking insulin shots or other medications for diabetes can develop low blood sugar and pass out if they take too much medicine or don't eat enough. Sometimes people without diabetes who are starving themselves (as with crash dieting) can drop their blood sugar low enough to faint.
- Eating disorders. People with anorexia or bulimia may faint for a number of reasons, including dehydration, low blood sugar, and changes in blood pressure or circulation caused by starvation, vomiting, or overexercising.
photo courtesy images.google.com & story kidshealth.org/teen, 11/13/07
Do You Ever Feel Like Fainting?
Check out a Psalm about passing out!
Psalm 84:1-2
My Soul Longs for the Courts of the Lord
To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.
84:1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord of hosts!
2 My soul longs, yes, faints
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
to the living God. (ESV)
What does today’s God's Story scripture teach us about being in the presence of God?
Talk about being blown away, overwhelmed, going bonkers (insert your own words here), the psalmist is experiencing all of this and probably more!
When you read the context, you get the sense that the writer (inspired by God’s Holy Spirit) can’t wait to get away from the rat (or camel) race to meet God inside His Holy
The words “heart and flesh” are another way to describe one’s whole being. This psalmist was focused on “the greatest commandment”. He loved God with all of his heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37-38). Overcome with desire to be in God’s presence brought him his greatest joy. He felt like fainting just to think about it!
There's lots of reasons why people faint. Did you notice that God's presence was not listed in the article on teen health?
Maybe we should feel like fainting when we realize….that the God of the universe is always present and will someday crown us with the victory that comes with knowing Christ as Savior!
How can we connect today’s God’s Story scripture to our story?
- Remember that you don’t have you go somewhere (like His holy temple of history or a church building today) to meet God. His presence through the power of His Holy Spirit dwells in you, if you are a genuine Christ follower. You don’t have to go in a “dwelling place” of the LORD. Set aside time every day from the business of life to realize that you are in God’s presence. Read, study, pray, meditate on His Truth. Let the joy of being in His presence overwhelm you. (Actual fainting isn’t necessary to prove God’s love for you or that He is present with you. You can take Him at His Word!)
- But! Remember that it is essential for you to be involved in a local church that believes the entire Bible is true and that Jesus Christ is the only way to Heaven. You will find authentic joy (which is different from emotional happiness) in the teaching of Scripture, praying with others, worshipping together, and building relationships in the family of God.
- Pray right now ....Loving Heavenly Father, thank you that through Jesus forgiving me and coming into my life, you are present with me all the time. I confess the many times that I forget or ignore your presence. I want your Spirit to overwhelm me with the fact that You, the God of the Universe, are dwelling in my life. I praise you that some day Jesus will bring me home to live with you forever. I can’t even imagine that moment when you will place Christ’s crown of victory on my head and…
How can you connect today's story and your story and God’s story scripture to others?
- The most important thing is for each of us to abide in Christ daily. This is another way to say that we are living in and applying the presence of Christ in us. Then the connecting of the 3 Stories will be natural, because Jesus will be leading the way.
- Use the health article about fainting as a conversation starter with someone who is currently in your storysphere. Ask him or her if they have ever fainted? Have they ever been so caught up in “the moment’ that they felt like fainting? Have they ever been overwhelmed with thoughts about God? Be ready to share some of your story.
13 Nov, 2007
Teen Wins Fight for Antiabortion Club at School
For Stephanie Hoffmeier, it came down to believing in a power higher than a school system.
With prayer, persistence and a lawsuit against the Stafford County schools, the 16-year-old recently succeeded in starting what might be the region's only antiabortion club in a public high school. The Pro-Life Club, which attracted about 20 people to its first gathering, also promotes teen sexual abstinence as well as opposing abortion. Hoffmeier said her legal fight was a matter of equity.
"We just wanted the same rights as other clubs," Hoffmeier said in an interview last week at her Fredericksburg home. "It's not a radical thing to expect equal treatment."
Asked why she started the club, Hoffmeier said: "I feel God has put it on my heart for a pretty long time."
School administrators initially turned down Hoffmeier's request to start the club at Colonial Forge High School on the grounds that it was not tied to the school curriculum. She filed suit in federal court contending that her proposal could not be denied when other clubs are allowed to form on campus. The suit put a spotlight on an often-misunderstood legal arena involving religion in public schools. Even some advocates of strict separation of church and state say religious speech by students at public school is protected under the Constitution and federal law.
School officials, conceding they were wrong, officially recognized the club Oct. 24, and Hoffmeier dropped the suit.
photo & story courtesy msnbc.msn.com, 11/6/07
Taking A Stand!
2 Chronicles 28:3 (NLT)
3 He offered sacrifices in the valley of Ben-Hinnom, even sacrificing his own sons in the fire. In this way, he followed the detestable practices of the pagan nations the Lord had driven from the land ahead of the Israelites.
How does today's God's Story scripture connect to today's abortion issue?
Tyndale's LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE notes explain:
28:3 Imagine the monstrous evil of a religion that offers young children as sacrifices. God allowed the nation of Judah to be conquered in response to Ahaz's evil practices. Even today the practice hasn't abated. The sacrifice of children to the harsh gods of convenience, economy, and whim continues in sterile medical facilities in numbers that would astound the wicked Ahaz. If we are to allow children to come to Christ (Matthew 19:14), we must first allow them to come into the world.
The story of King Ahaz killing innocent children is sobering. But it pales in comparison to the stories of the millions of innocent preborn babies who have been aborted in our world today. Sadly, many people who claim to be "Christians" have bought into the lie that abortion is just a political issue and not a moral and spiritual issue.
God's Word is very clear on the fact that a society faces consequences when it kills innocent children.
16-year-old Stephanie Hoffmeier is doing something that fewer and fewer followers of Christ are doing - she is taking a stand!
God will use her courage in the lives of yet to be born children.
How can we connect today's God's Story scripture to our lives?
- Thank God for the gift of life! Pray that His Truth that every life is sacred and has eternal value will be recognized by our culture. Pray against abortion in our culture. Ask God to show you how to make a difference in a way that would honor Jesus.
- Commit yourself to praying for the unborn in our culture at least once a week.
- Read the whole story of King Ahaz in 2 Kings 16 and 2 Chronicles 28.
How can you connect today's story, God's Story scripture and your story to others?
- Use today's story about Stephanie starting up the antiabortion club to talk to a friend about the value of every life. Ask your friend what they think? Be careful to not get "political" or "preachy", but simply share today's scripture and ask your friend what he or she thinks about it? It may give you the opportunity to talk more about your story and the way God sees you and your friend.
- Look for ways to volunteer at a pro-life ministry. Choose one that shows love, grace and forgiveness. Those who are struggling with a decision about abortion need the love of Jesus, not condemnation from angry people who call themselves Christians.
- Write a letter to your leaders in government, encouraging them to protect the lives of the unborn. Make sure you write with the love and grace of Christ.
9 Nov, 2007
Pig sitter charged; portly pet on diet
WINONA, Minn. -- A pet pig whose weight tripled while it was in the care of a sitter has been placed on a diet - and an animal cruelty charge has been filed against the caretaker.
The 5-year-old animal, Alaina Templeton, part potbellied pig, has lost 10 percent of her 150 pounds and is recovering well from surgery to remove a collar that had become embedded in her overly fat neck, owner Michelle Schmitz said.
Alaina made headlines last week after Schmitz complained that the pet sitter had allowed Alaina to go from her normal 50 pounds to 150 pounds in just nine months. Schmitz had left Alaina with the sitter, a co-worker, while she was on medical leave to recover from ankle surgery.
Alaina apparently had been foraging for cat food and chicken feed outdoors at the co-worker's farm.
Schmitz said now that her pet is back home, the excess pounds will "melt off" with a healthy diet and exercise. She said she and Alaina's veterinarian consider 50 pounds a more suitable weight for the mixed-breed pig.
A misdemeanor charge of animal cruelty has been filed against Mary Beesecker, 52, of Houston, Minn., Winona County Sheriff David Brand said.
"I want her to be held responsible for what she did and what she didn't do," Schmitz said.
photo & story courtesy seattlepi.nwsource.com, 11/7/07
You hurt my hog and me too!
1 Corinthians 6:1-8 (NLT)
Lawsuits Against Believers
1 When one of you has a dispute with another believer, how dare you file a lawsuit and ask a secular court to decide the matter instead of taking it to other believers! 2 Don’t you realize that someday we believers will judge the world? And since you are going to judge the world, can’t you decide even these little things among yourselves? 3 Don’t you realize that we will judge angels? So you should surely be able to resolve ordinary disputes in this life. 4 If you have legal disputes about such matters, why go to outside judges who are not respected by the church? 5 I am saying this to shame you. Isn’t there anyone in all the church who is wise enough to decide these issues? 6 But instead, one believer sues another—right in front of unbelievers!
7 Even to have such lawsuits with one another is a defeat for you. Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourselves be cheated? 8 Instead, you yourselves are the ones who do wrong and cheat even your fellow believers.
What does today's God's Story scripture teach us about disagreements among followers of Christ?
Obviously, we should not go "hog wild" and sue each other!
Tyndale's LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE notes explain it this way:
6:6-8 Why did Paul say that Christians should not take their disagreements to unbelievers in secular courts? (1) If the judge and jury are not Christians, they are not likely to be sensitive to Christian values. (2) The basis for going to court is often revenge; this should never be a Christian's motive. (3) Lawsuits harm the cause of Christ and make the church look bad, causing unbelievers to focus on its problems rather than on its purpose.
If we, as followers of Jesus, take our differences public, we do damage to the cause of Christ.
Even if you and I are not going to sue someone, are we playing the "victim" game over situations in life that really aren't a big deal? We need to think about the impact this has on those who are not yet followers of Jesus.
I don't know what the pet pig owner in today's story believes about Jesus, but to file charges against someone for letting her pig get fat? Come on! That's what pigs do! Sorry, but I think it's nothing but swine silliness.
We may find this story of "pig abuse" amusing. The world around us may find it amusing when we (believers) make our disagreements public. But it's not funny to God.
How can we connect today's God's Story scripture to our lives?
- Ask Christ to give us an attitude of a servant who loves and forgives others even when they act unjustly toward us.
- For the next few weeks, whenever you eat any kind of pork products, let Jesus remind you how important it is to not play the "blame game" with others.
How can we connect today's story and God's Story scripture and our story to others?
- Encourage other followers of Jesus to apply Paul's teaching to not make their disagreements public by sharing with them what you learned in today's DAILYBIDE.
- Use today's story about the "pig abuse" charges as a conversation starter with someone in your storysphere who needs Jesus. Ask your friends to describe how they see the "blame game" and "I'm a victim" mentality played out in our culture. Look for the opportunity to share your story by talking about your desire to not act like a "victim". Look for the opportunity to share more of God's Story by talking about how Jesus was unjustly accused but was willing to give his life on the cross for each of us who really are guilty.
8 Nov, 2007
Death by drink didn't shock cops
Amanda Jax's death from drinking too much during her 21st-birthday celebration may have shocked her family and friends, but Mankato police say they're not surprised that such a thing would happen.
"Binge drinking ... has been a problem for some time," Matt Westermayer, deputy director of public safety for Mankato, said two days after Jax died in a Mankato apartment.
Westermayer added that trying to turn the tide on alcohol abuse "has been pushed off on law enforcement." He sees it more as a problem for all segments of society to confront.
The final hours of Jax's life are being pieced together as police try to learn more about the death of the woman whom police believe drank herself to death the night of her 21st birthday, the first day she could drink legally.
After receiving a 911 call, officers and firefighters found Jax, of Mayer, Minn., dead on a bed in an apartment near Minnesota State University, Mankato.
Police said it "appears that alcohol played a significant role in the death of Ms. Jax" after she "became quite intoxicated."
Jax was in town to celebrate turning 21. She was a pre-nursing student at the university between 2005 and this summer and had been accepted into the nursing program next spring, a university spokesman said.
Emotional tributes, photographs and fond recollections mounted by the dozens on a Facebook Web page created in her memory.
"It was just last Sunday before her b-day that we got into deep conversations about our hopes and dreams and aspirations," one friend wrote. "She talked about her plans for the future, how excited she was that she just got accepted to nursing school, and the family she wanted to start to make right after graduating."
photo & story courtesy startribune.com, 11/1/07
The party's over
Another student makes the deadly choice.
Proverbs 23:29-35 (NLT)
29 Who has anguish? Who has sorrow?
Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining?
Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 It is the one who spends long hours in the taverns,
trying out new drinks.
31 Don’t gaze at the wine, seeing how red it is,
how it sparkles in the cup, how smoothly it goes down.
32 For in the end it bites like a poisonous snake;
it stings like a viper.
33 You will see hallucinations,
and you will say crazy things.
34 You will stagger like a sailor tossed at sea,
clinging to a swaying mast.
35 And you will say, “They hit me, but I didn’t feel it.
I didn’t even know it when they beat me up.
When will I wake up
so I can look for another drink?”
What is Solomon’s Godly wisdom on the use of alcohol in today's God's Story scripture?
It’s pretty clear isn’t it? (Well at least more clear than the head or eyes of the person that Solomon is describing!)
The bottom line is that with the use of alcohol comes risk and consequences. In fact, today’s passage lists seven consequences of drinking. Can you name three or four without going back and looking?
Alcohol may provide some taste and comfort for awhile…but then what? Anyone who tries to find relief from whatever is wrong with life may find out that there’s now more wrong with life.
In the words of Paul in Ephesians 5:18, “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you.”
When will we learn that life is more than a party?
How can we connect today’s God’s Story scripture to our lives?
- Decide to listen to God’s Word rather than the media. Movies, TV, music and ads all promote drinking as the way to experience fun, excitement, better romance, more sex, more friends, and “hot” or “cool” nights, depending on your mood. God wants you to experience His ultimate adventure for you, which comes through the control of the Holy Spirit in you. (This is another way to remember what it means to abide in Christ!)
- If you’ve been struggling with drinking, talk to your youth leader or pastor. If you don’t have one, ask someone who loves Jesus to help you find help.
- Whenever you see a commercial or ad for drinking, pray for the courage to say no to alcohol abuse and pray for the courage to help someone who is struggling.
- Pray right now. If you have been able to say no to the drinking scene, thank God for His strength. If you’ve been struggling with drinking, ask God for the strength and the courage to talk to someone to help you and hold you accountable.
How can we connect today’s story and God’s Story scripture and our story to others?
- Pray for God's comfort for the friends and family of Amanda Jax.
- Remember that if we’re going to be messengers of God’s Story and connect Jesus to (their story), we must live out the message of Jesus because He has changed our lives.
- Make a list of friends and family who are messing with alcohol or are messed up already. Every day, pray for them to be able to say no and to get help and/or be held accountable. Maybe you’re the one to help and hold them accountable?
- Use this DAILYBIDE as a source for study in your youth group or small group. Some interesting questions to discuss would be: Why do you think most teenagers drink? Do you see much difference between the habits of followers of Jesus and those who are not when it comes to drinking? Why or why not? How can we be more like Jesus in facing this challenge?
7 Nov, 2007
Hot Dog-Eating Champ Takes Burger-Eating Championship
Joey "Jaws" Chestnut accepts the winner's belt after Krystal Square Off IV World Hamburger Eating Championship.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — A competitive eater who has already triumphed at a famous hot dog eating contest swallowed 103 small hamburgers in 8 minutes to take home $10,000.
Joey Chestnut, 23, of San Jose, Calif., surpassed the previous record of 97 Krystal burgers — 2 1/2 inches square — held by Japan's Takeru Kobayashi, set at last year's Krystal Square Off.
"We never thought we'd see someone anywhere near, let alone past, the century mark when we started the Krystal Square Off in 2004," said Brad Wahl, vice president of marketing for The Krystal Co.
Chestnut beat 12 other contestants. Kobayashi, who won all previous Krystal Hamburger Eating Championships, didn't compete this year because of lingering jaw pain from having a wisdom tooth extracted in June.
photo & story courtesy foxnews.com, 10/28/07
Biblical ban on burgers?
Proverbs 23:19-21 (NLT)
19 My child, listen and be wise:
Keep your heart on the right course.
20 Do not carouse with drunkards
or feast with gluttons,
21 for they are on their way to poverty...
What do you think today's God's Story scripture is teaching us?
That burgers are bad for believers? (Yeah, if you eat 103 small burgers!) No, I think if Jesus were walking planet Earth today, He would love to come to your place for some burgers and onions on the grill!
Actually, I think there are several truths for us to think about:
God has a path that He wants His children (Christ's followers) to stay on.
Overeating is a problem, just like drinking too much.
Getting drunk and being a glutton are signs of a lack of discipline, which lead to poverty, which is more than just a lack of resources - it's being bankrupt of the peace that comes with being on the right course with God.
- Be honest with yourself and God (even though He already knows your real story) about anything in your life that shows a lack of discipline. It might be food, drinking, or____________?
- Be careful about judging others. Teenagers and alcohol is a serious problem, but let's remember that way too often, food is the "fix" or "party" for many of us who follow Jesus.
- In your journal, write down anything that is getting you off of God's path. Let Him help you make needed changes.
- Whenever you eat a burger (or several), let it remind you of the truths in today's scripture.
Talk to God right now... Thank Him for the right course He has for you... for His Spirit to give you the discipline you need to stay on it... confess any struggle you are having with food or alcohol... ask Jesus to build intimacy into your life so that you will be satisfied in Him and Him alone.
- Invite them over to your place and grill lots of burgers! Seriously, always look for the opportunity to deepen your relationships. Jesus often hung out with people and got to know them while they ate together.
- Use the hot dog and now burger eating champion's story as a conversation starter with your friends. Ask them what they like to fill up on or what makes them sick when they do? Then, do a gentle nudge with their thinking and ask them what fills their heart or soul? This may be an opportunity for your to share part of your story. You can talk about how you have discovered that only Jesus can really satisfy your soul.
2 Nov, 2007
Matt Herges lives the ultimate hope!
Matt Herges, relief pitcher for the Colorado Rockies, was in the World Series! Though the Rockies were swept by Boston, Herges helped the Rockies get to the world championship. In the final NLCS game against the Diamond Backs, Herges retired the six Arizona batters he faced. This is an amazing feat given how he started the season.
Herges, a 10 year veteran of the major league, began the year on the Triple-A Colorado Springs minor league ball team. He had struggled last season with the Florida Marlins and found himself without any offers for a job in the big-league last winter. He couldn't even get a minor-league offer with a spring-training invite. It was through a friendship with an assistant general manager on the Rockies that he came to Colorado.
Many ballplayers would have retired from the game rather than face this kind of demotion, but his faith in Christ saw him through.
It's a faith that began through Youth for Christ. As a boy, Matt had watched the impact that the Campus Life program of East Central Illinois YFC had had on his older brothers, especially after the Campus Life trips they took, and he decided he wanted that for himself. It was the spring of his sophomore year in high school that he had the opportunity to go to Florida on a Campus Life trip. There, a man named Byron Emmert spoke in a way that made sense to him and he felt God's tugging. He surrendered his life to Christ that trip and he's been walking with Him ever since.
This last July, the Rockies recalled Herges up from the minors, a good move on the Rockies part as he has become a valuable member of the bullpen. His efforts helped the Colorado Rockies win the wild card seat in the National League playoffs and make it to the World Series!
It doesn't matter who you cheered for or if you follow baseball. Matt's story is another example of God's Spirit connecting God's Story to someone who was lost spiritually and now their story is connecting to the stories of many others.
photo & story courtesy yfci.net, 10/15/07
What's Your Story?
1 Peter 3:14-16 (NLT)
14 But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. 15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. 16 But do this in a gentle and respectful way.
What does today's God's Story scripture teach us about being ready to tell our story?
Peter, who had a personality that was loud and probably obnoxious at times, is not saying that we should use this style to communicate the loving truth of God's Story to others.
Peter is challenging us to live out the hope we have in Christ all the time. When others see us with hope, especially in tough times, they are going to wonder and sometimes ask about our story.
Why keep our hope in Christ to ourselves? While faith in Christ is a personal relationship, it is not to be kept as a personal matter.
We must tell our story and God's Story gently and respectfully out of a motive of love for others. Our job is not to judge others, but to abide in Jesus so that His love in us causes people to look for the answer of Hope we have in Christ.
Matt Herges is living out the hope that is in Christ alone. His story has and will connect the stories of others to God's Story.
Are we doing the same?
How can we connect today's God's Story scripture to our lives?
- First of all, remember that God will use your story! Today's story about Matt Herges is a lot of fun and very fulfilling for me (Byron) because Matt received Christ as his Savior at an event where I spoke. (I just found this out a couple of years ago.) You don't have to speak in front of a large group of students and you may never know how God's Story, in you, connects with another person. But this is the exciting part - it's God's work and plan - not ours - we just have the privilege of being story tellers of God's amazing love story!
- Memorize today's scripture as a reminder of the privilege and responsibility we have as Christ's followers to tell our story.
- Pray every day for Jesus to show you and empower you with His love to be ready to give the answer for His hope within you.
- Make a written list in your journal of specific examples of how Christ gives you daily hope for living. This will help you be ready when others ask why?
How can we connect today's story and God's Story scripture and our story to others?
- Pray for Jesus to show you at least once a week the opportunity to have a conversation with someone about the hope you have found through Christ.
- Make it a weekly goal to ask someone in your storysphere (a friend or family member who needs Jesus) a question about the challenges they face in life. It might be tough times, a decision, a specific need, a problem in a relationship, a ___________. Listen to them and Jesus for the opportunity to talk about the ultimate hope found only in Christ.
- Pray for Matt Herges as he continues to live out God's Story in a culture that loves to know more about pro athletes.
1 Nov, 2007
Battle over ownership of amputated leg left in barbecue
MIAMI (AFP) - Two US men are locked in a war of words over custody of an amputated leg, which one of them says he lost in a plane crash and another insists he owns since it was inside a barbecue he bought at an auction.
John Wood says he had left the limb inside the barbecue smoker at a storage facility, because he wanted to be buried with it. But the storage business auctioned off the barbecue and other items after Wood fell behind with payments.
Wood is now up in arms over the leg the buyer of the barbecue wants to keep.
Shannon Whisnant, who was at first shocked by what he found inside the smoker, now believes it could bring him fame and fortune.
For now, he has put up a sign on the smoker charging adults three dollars and children one dollar for a peek inside, even though the leg is no longer inside but at a funeral home.
He believes a lot more money could be made by going on television shows.
Wood lost the leg in a 2004 plane crash that killed his father. He kept the limb in a freezer, then dried it out in his front yard, and eventually stored it away.
Whisnant said that when he found the leg he thought "it might have been part of a missing person or some one's ex-wife" and called police, which gave the limb to a funeral home.
photo courtesy ap & story news.yahoo.com, 10/4/07
Burnt offering anyone?
Exodus 29:16-18 (NLT)
16 Then slaughter the ram, and splatter its blood against all sides of the altar. 17 Cut the ram into pieces, and wash off the internal organs and the legs. Set them alongside the head and the other pieces of the body, 18 then burn the entire animal on the altar. This is a burnt offering to the Lord; it is a pleasing aroma, a special gift presented to the Lord.
What does today's God's Story scripture teach us about our sacrificial worship to God?
Tyndale's LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE notes explain:
29:10-41 Why were there such detailed rituals in connection with these sacrifices? Partly it was for quality control. A centralized, standardized from of worship prevented problems of belief which could arise from individuals creating their own worship. Also, it differentiated the Hebrews from the pagan Canaanites they would meet in the Promised Land...it showed Israel that God was serious about His relationship with them.
It may be my weird way of thinking, but when I saw today's story about the leg in the barbecue, (and the guys arguing over who owns the "burnt offering"), I immediately thought of Old Testament sacrifices!
In pre-Jesus days, God's people were instructed in how to offer a sacrifice of worship to God. Christ's death is God's sacrifice on our behalf. Aren't you glad that faith and forgiveness is no longer complicated?
What's sad is that many people who claim to be Christians today, argue over the right or best way to worship God.
All God is looking for is....us....every part...not just a leg or an arm now and then...but you and me being willing to lay down our lives in sacrifice for Christ and His Kingdom.
That's genuine worship and it smells so sweet to God.
How can we connect today's God's Story scripture to our lives?
- Be honest...what part of your life are you holding back from it being a sacrifice of worship to God?
- Spend several minutes right now in worship. Go to God in confession...praise...thankfulness...commitment...requests...
- Whenever you're at a barbecue (check for legs - sorry), let Jesus remind you that He wants all of you as a sacrifice.
How can we connect today's story and God's Story scripture and our story to others?
- Use today's DAILYBIDE as a study/discussion topic for your small group or youth group.
- Use today's story (about the leg in the barbecue argument) as a conversation with friends and family who need Jesus. Tell them the story (after you're done grilling) and ask if they ever heard of Old Testament burnt offerings for worship of God? Have fun with this...ask what they think God might want from people who want to worship Him? Listen, and share what you learned today.
