Tenth Dot Ministries » faith

Jeremiah, 24 of 66

Joe — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 07:00:16 +0000

Jeremiah, 24 of 66

One of my Bible profs in college used to call Jeremiah the “wailing prophet”. He spoke early and often and he message was never good. In fact, quite frankly, Jeremiah’s whole life didn’t seem to go well. Every time he spoke people got mad at him, every time he pronounced judgment on Israel, the people scorned him and wished him dead. He actually got thrown in a pit in the stocks and people came by and through rotten food at him. All because Jeremiah conveyed the message of God to a stiff-necked and perverse people.

Put up or shut up!

Joe — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 06:59:13 +0000

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does — James 1:22-25

Can I summarize this passage for you? “Put up, or shut up!”

Built up by Service

Joe — Thu, 20 May 2010 07:00:43 +0000

In I Peter 4:7-11 we come across another one of those ‘since/then’ statements. One of the bible writers tells us that ‘since’ one thing is true, ‘then’ we are to act a certain way. In 1 Peter four, Peter reminds us that “the end is near” and he follows this with several key commands. One of them is the command to keep using our gifts to serve others:

The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Built up in Prayer

Joe — Tue, 18 May 2010 07:00:53 +0000

Every once in a while it seems like God makes the Christian life pretty simple. I’m not making matters easy, believe me, just sometimes it’s simple: Simple and easy ARE NOT the same thing.

Overcoming Adversity

Joe — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 07:00:26 +0000

For today’s Tenth Dot, would you take out a piece of paper and use it to answer questions after each page? Take some time to really think through your answers and answer the question(s) on one page before moving to the next. Don’t worry, there’s just a few pages but your answers will help you make real application to your life. Pull out that paper, or journal, or word processing document and then get started!

Risk-less Faith

Joe — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 07:00:55 +0000

Many of us talk about “walking by faith” but I’m afraid few of us ever actually live by the faith we profess. After fourteen years of pastoral ministry I’ve come to see that many Christians define faith as a step we take with minimal risks…faith has become riskless.

Yes, God gave us minds and He expects us to use our brains to make thoughtful decisions. But in our Western culture that’s become an excuse for not stepping out until all reasonable risk has been eliminated. Once we’re sure things are relatively safe, we’re all-too-happy to step out “in faith” and see what God has in store. Our faith is small and I think we see that in the fact that the results are in proportion to the trust.

Courageous evangelism

Joe — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 07:00:00 +0000

Have you ever been pushed to the limit with your faith? I don’t necessarily mean your faith in God, I mean just your faith in anyone/thing at any time? Have you been pushed to place where you really had to check yourself and see what you believed or more importantly, how hard you believed?

Going…

Joe — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 07:00:33 +0000

Acts seven is a powerful chapter on what it really means to stand up for God — even to the point of death! Stephen was the first to "stand and deliver" the powerful message of the Gospel to a totally hostile crowd making sure all the glory went to God. This bold presentation of God’s truth led to Stephen’s death and the first martyr of the early church.

Progress — part 10 of 28 (The Joseph Mindset 3/7)

Joe — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 05:01:21 +0000

PROGRESS: Living for today, planning for tomorrow

Day 10 of 28 (start at day 1 by clicking HERE)

The Joseph Mindset: Day 3

What you need to know about the past is that no matter what has happened, it has all worked together to bring you to this very moment. And this is the moment you can choose to make everything new. Right now. ~Author Unknown

Progress — part 9 of 28 (The Joseph Mindset, 2/7)

Joe — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 05:01:00 +0000

PROGRESS: Living for today, planning for tomorrow

Day 9 of 28 (start at day 1 by clicking HERE)

The Joseph Mindset: Day 2

The past is our definition. We may strive, with good reason, to escape it, or to escape what is bad in it, but we will escape it only by adding something better to it. ~Wendell Berry