How easy it can be to forget about Christ. Oh, we may deny that we do so, but do our actions show the painful truth? Sometimes we neglect the one who died for us, who is calling out to us for fellowship, because we are following after lesser things. May the voice of Jesus in this song penetrate our hearts today.
--Kutless - Run
None of us knows what tomorrow will bring, but as Christians we need to remember that God isn't finished with us yet. In fact, even if we were to die tonight we would still have an eternity left with Him. What are His plans for us? Only He knows for sure. Our job is to trust His heart and know that He will walk with us in all our tomorrows as surely as He is with us today.
--Brandon Heath - Wait and See
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Photo credit: Boy_WonderMost moms and dads want what is best for their children; this is a trait which is hardwired into parents. And as Christians, we also recognize that God's desires for our children are even higher and purer than our own, because His plans for their lives are perfectly suited for them. Today's video reflects this dual love and vision for a child's future quite poignantly.
--Mark Harris - Find Your Wings
We often get discouraged by the simple drudgery of living day after day in an imperfect world. It is easy to lose sight, at times, of the bright tomorrow that we as Christians have in store for us through the precious gift of Christ. May this video encourage you today to remember your future.
--FFH - One of These Days
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Periodically, I will include a book review like the one below as an extra post to this devotional blog. I hope you enjoy it.
To call Eli Gold’s From Peanuts to the Pressbox the best memoir I have ever read would be a lie, but it is not the worst book that I have read in this genre either. In reality, this autobiography, written with Gold’s frequent collaborator M. B. Roberts, is rather entertaining with its plethora of amusing anecdotes and momentary glimpses of the various luminaries of the sports universe. What is tiring, though, is the lackadaisical structure of the narrative, an error that tends to make the book easy to put down.
Gold’s honesty about his ambitions and transparency about his pratfalls from the past are part of what endears the book to the reader. He comes across as flawed but likeable, a normal guy doing what he loves without any sugarcoating. Gold leaves us with the impression that he is approachable, funny, and the kind of man you would have over to the house to watch the game and swap stories with.
The celebrities he peppers the memoir with are also human, caught in candid portrayals that either reinforce or forever alter any former impressions of them. Sportscaster Howard Cosell comes across as arrogant and talented as others have portrayed him. However, former quarterback Kenny “The Snake” Stabler is shown to have a quick, biting wit in addition to his more publicly known ability of being a phenomenal color commentator.
Truly, there are some wonderful gems to be found throughout Gold’s tale. The haphazard way the story is told, though, can be very distracting. Yes, there is a fine, linear thread that connects the first chapter to the last, but the journey is also so pot-holed with incidents from various stages of his career that the reader is jolted around at times like a passenger in a roadster’s rumble seat.
From Peanuts to the Pressbox has plenty of merit, but it reminds me of going over to listen to old war stories at your grandfather’s house. There are some interesting anecdotes, but the way the tales are woven together make it hard to take in one sitting.
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Why are we here? What is our purpose? Where can we turn for answers to all of the questions we have in this life? There is only one good starting point: the Bible. And the person that is central to that book is the subject of this video.
--Fee - All Because of Jesus
No matter how many times we let Him down, fail to measure up, and fall into the same old patterns of sinful behavior He has rescued us from again and again, He still loves us. Can you imagine anything more glorious and unfathomable?
--David Crowder Band - How He Loves
Here's another older yet still inspiring video that is perfect for the new year. Is 2010 going to be just another year of the same old patterns for us, or are we instead going to embark on a great adventure of faith as we follow closer to Christ? The choice is ours.
--Steven Curtis Chapman - The Great Adventure
This is an oldie but a goodie. The challenge in it is as valid today as it was back in Christ's time. Do we, as believers, live out our faith in a way that we go unnoticed by the world around us or do we live it out loud, so to speak, so that others may see the truth?
--Steven Curtis Chapman - Live Out Loud
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