online devotional tool – examen.me

i used a new online tool today for my daily devotional time, and i couldn’t be more excited. i’ve actually been waiting for something like this for a few years and was excited when a friend shared it with me last week. it’s called EXAMEN.me. 

this is a simple-to-use web site that fosters your personal interaction with God. the site guides you to “examine” your life as you meditate on scripture, pray, and journal your reflections. you can choose from several different options, including a Gospel, NT, OT, or Psalm devotional. I have yet to tinker with the prayer or journal options, but look forward to experimenting with them this week.

you should take it for a test drive. would love to know what you think.

saturday ramblings

Here’s some stuff on my brain:

• My 14 year old got braces last week. Don’t tell her I said this, but i think they make her look cuter than she already is. She wants them out. now.
• Last night’s Rock Camp concert was the culmination of an amazing week. About 400 people or so attended the show which allowed the students to display their hard work. To hear and see the talents of the kids was such a great experience. See you next year no doubt.
• My kids made me so proud at the concert. Caitlin loves the mic and the spotlight. Parker is so laid back, he should be a bass player instead of a guitar player. They did great.  
• I get the opportunity to speak at church tomorrow. I’m not really nervous, but I am not feeling very well – allergies I think. Pray for me if you think about it.
• My topic for tomorrow is divorce. Did you know God has been divorced? see Jeremiah 3:8 
• I changed office locations yesterday. Looking forward to seeing if my new paperless office idea works. I have no desk, no filing cabinets, and no books. Just a couch, 2 chairs, and a coffee table. Oh, and a lamp.
• We leave for vacation on Monday. We are headed for sunny Scottsdale, AZ just outside Phoenix. Or, as one friend described it - the surface of the sun. It’s gonna be hot, but that’s what pools are for right?

one prayer series

We’re getting a head start this weekend in what will be an interesting experiement of believers all over the world uniting around a single vision during the One Prayer series.

More interesting to me than the dynamic speaker line up: Mac Richard, Ed Young, Craig Groeschel, et al., is the opportunity to see what can happen when over 1000 churches  join forces and resources to impact the world. The primary focus will be helping to launch 500 new churches in the Sudan, Cambodia, India, and China.

Who doesn’t want to be a part of that?

does it show?

This morning at breakfast (Chick-fil-a), Parker and I were reading from Exodus when I was reminded of a great story from the life of Moses.  After spending 40 days and nights with God rewriting the new covenant on Mount Sinai, something was different about Moses appearance.  The scripture says-

29 When Moses came down Mount Sinai carrying the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, he wasn’t aware that his face had become radiant because he had spoken to the Lord.  30 So when Aaron and the people of Israel saw the radiance of Moses’ face, they were afraid to come near him. (Exodus 34 – NLT)

This verse made me wonder if other people can tell whether or not I’ve been spending time with God? Can they see it on my face? Can they tell by the way I treat others? By the way I speak to those around me – my wife, kids, co-workers, the guy working the counter at Chick-fil-a?  Is there a visible and physical difference reflected in my life directly related to the amount of time I’ve spent in prayer, Bible study and other spiritual disciplines?

I also love that the scripture says that Moses didn’t notice the change that took place. Could it be possible that spending time with God is not for our own personal benefit but for others?