What if Mary Had Had a Smartphone?

The message remains the same, only the technology has changed.

If the video doesn't display, click here to see the video: https://www.youthworker.com/mini-movies/62945/messages-by-a-manger


Have a very Merry Christmas and don't forget the reason for the season.

Run well, y'all,
Bob Allen
Greenville, SC

The video in the this blog post is from Videos for Youth, available for $19.99-$22.99. Posted in the blog post using the embed codes from Videos for Youth.

It's Not All the Same

While I've never tried to hide my most deeply held convictions on this blog, neither have I tried to regularly use it as a forum for discussing those beliefs. But, I read a blog post by Dr. Al Mohler, President of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, that touched those convictions in a positive way and felt the need to post about it.

Up front, let me acknowledge that there are all kinds of examples of individuals, groups, and movements that claim to represent biblical Christianity that are an embarrassment to the name of Jesus because of what they propound. There are many, even within the group with which I'm intimately identified, who hold biblical beliefs but who express those in ways that are unChristlike. I am also sure that there have been times -- probably more than I care to acknowledge -- when I have fallen into one or the other of those camps. None of that is a surprise to me because there is no perfect person, not even the most saintly of Christians. While I would plead with people to judge Christianity based on Jesus alone, it is natural that Christianity is judged by the words, actions, and attitudes of (less-than-perfect) professed followers of Jesus.

One of the most foundational tenets of Christianity is Jesus' claim to exclusivity found in John 14:6 -- Jesus said, I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. In many ways, that single statement -- two short sentences -- sums up the entire message of the Bible. It is the motivator behind the desire of Christians to share the good news (gospel) of Jesus with their friends and neighbors and people around the world. We hold that statement as immutable, absolute truth. Or do we?

In his blog today, Dr. Mohler says that maybe there are many who are changing. The fact that many people are changing and perhaps moving away from that doesn't change the truthfulness of that foundational belief. Absolute truth is not dependent on the whims of a majority vote -- it just is, even if no one accepts it as truth.

Here's what Dr. Mohler had to say: Are We a Nation of Hindus?

Shared via AddThis

Run (and live) well, y'all,
Bob
(1 Corinthians 9:24-27)

Ryan Hall's Passion for Running and for Jesus

Interesting video of Ryan Hall. Ryan believes that his ability to run is from God. Therefore, running his best is Ryan's gift back to God.



Run well, y'all,
Bob

And God Sighed

My predecessor in my current job spoke in chapel this morning on Mark 7:31-36 -- one instance when Jesus healed someone. I want to credit Larry with the thoughts that follow. While not his exact words, what he said this morning stimulated my thinking on this.

As Jesus went about his day-to-day activities, he traveled through the region of the Decapolis where some people brought a deaf and mute man to him for healing. What Larry said this morning focused my attention on verse 34 where it says that Jesus ...looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh...." The word, sigh, in Greek (stenazo sten-ad'-zo) means to sigh, murmur, pray inaudibly:-- with grief, groan. Larry's interpretation was that Jesus knew that it was not God's perfect will that this man be unable to communicate clearly.

The things that are going on in Kenya and many other parts of the world are not in God's perfect will. That's not what he wants for His creation. It happens because of the rotten choices that people make. I wonder ... God is sighing over the situation in Kenya. There are a huge number of people, believers and non-believers, who are sighing over that situation. Jesus didn't just sigh over the plight of the man, he took action. Many believers are taking action. I can't just sigh over the situation in Kenya (or Zimbabwe or Dafur or wherever) either. I wonder what action I should take?

Run well, y'all,

Bob