Jeff Noble's Blog, page 54
October 18, 2014
October 17, 2014
October 10, 2014
The song I wrote
Most of you probably don’t realize that I wrote a hit song waaaay back in the day. It was called Tired and Hungry and was the result of forgetting my lunch sack one day during my junior year in high school.. Forgive me for how this song will be in your head for the rest of the day.
#TGIF
(Visited 11 times, 11 visits today)
October 7, 2014
Review: The Insanity of Obedience
I’m reading Nik Ripken’s The Insanity of Obedience, and I’ll be posting my thoughts here as an ongoing review and then tidy it up when I complete it (at least that’s the intention).
The book is a “bold challenge to global discipleship” and is a powerful admonishment to believers to evaluate their faithfulness in view of their willingness to experience persecution for Jesus’ name.
It asks some tough questions, not the least of which is does a lack of current persecution for following Jesus indicate a lack of true following Jesus? Also, “as followers of Jesus, will we allow ourselves to be seized by both the content and the context of the New Testament?”
October 7, 2014:
According to Paul Marshall of Freedom House, 80% of the world’s believers who are practicing their faith live in persecution. Before offering this shocking statistic, Marshall goes to great lengths to define what he means by “believers.” It turns out that he is talking about people who would not only use the word “Christian” to define themselves, but specifically about people who have a genuine relationship with Jesus. Marshall is talking about people.. for whom faith in Jesus is formative in life.
Ripken identifies through a long study process, in more than 70 countries, that “persecution increases as people respond to the activity of the God.” His research and interviews show (and it may seem obvious) that access to the gospel does not equate to persecution. Rather, it’s response to the gospel that invites it. Where there is great response to the gospel, there will be great persecution.
If our goal were to simply stop persecution, then followers of Jesus could accomplish that goal easily and quickly by refusing to share Jesus… [and so] the reduction (or elimination) of persecution is not our ultimate goal… We must see it the way that Jesus sees it… as an inevitable result of the obedience of His followers.
Here’s the provocative question: do we see little persecution of Christians in the Western Church because we personally share the story of Jesus so infrequently?
(Visited 8 times, 8 visits today)
September 30, 2014
10 Recommended Books (that you may not have heard of) #5
It has an intriguing title and premise. The Gifts of the Jews: How a Tribe of Desert Nomads Changed the Way Everyone Thinks and Feels leads you to believe that everything we appreciate about ethics, democracy and even medicine can be traced back to the beliefs and practices of one small people group in history.
It earns my #5 spot for recommended books that you may not have heard of. One of the delightful thing about this book is its readability. It’s not stale or stuffy academia. It’s warm, significant and storied. You’ll be surprised at how fast you digest it. It’ll also make you want to check out some Cahill’s other works.
One caveat with Cahill’s work: He does not have a “high” view of scripture. So take his handling of the how the Old Testament “evolved” with a grain of salt. He writes not as a theologian but as an historian.
The Gifts of the Jews reveals the critical change that made western civilization possible. Within the matrix of ancient religions and philosophies, life was seen as part of an endless cycle of birth and death; time was like a wheel, spinning ceaselessly. Yet somehow, the ancient Jews began to see time differently. For them, time had a beginning and an end; it was a narrative, whose triumphant conclusion would come in the future. From this insight came a new conception of men and women as individuals with unique destinies–a conception that would inform the Declaration of Independence–and our hopeful belief in progress and the sense that tomorrow can be better than today. As Thomas Cahill narrates this momentous shift, he also explains the real significance of such Biblical figures as Abraham and Sarah, Moses and the Pharaoh, Joshua, Isaiah, and Jeremiah. (Source)
On a side note:
I’m feeling the pressure now about these recommendations, because the other day, Carolyn asked me what my #1 recommendation was going to be. I looked at her quizzically. “Well, it’s not really #1. I didn’t start out listing these books in any order.”
“What!? Are you kidding? Everyone is thinking that these books are in ascending order of importance,” she responded disdainfully.
I hadn’t felt pressure writing this series until that moment. So, I’m going to work to try to identify the next four books carefully. I can’t guarantee that they’ll be the best four books you’ve never heard of, but I will say that if you don’t read them, you’ll be missing out on real literary feasts.
Also in 10 Books You’ve Never Heard Of
Want to add some books to your reading list that you may not hear about elsewhere? Jeff offers you 10 great books you need to read that you probably haven't heard of.
10 Recommended Books (that you may not have heard of) #10
10 Recommended books (that you haven’t heard of) #9
10 Recommended books (that you haven’t heard of) #8
10 Recommended books (that you haven’t heard of) #7
10 Recommended books (that you haven’t heard of) #6
10 Recommended Books (that you may not have heard of) #5
(Visited 2 times, 2 visits today)
September 27, 2014
‘Nuff Said: Improving Your “Do,” Things to pray for your kids, 20 things you shouldn’t do if you’re over 20, 30 things you may already be doing that impress others, when a cult repents, too much phone? and Star Trek
As always, “Nuff said” posts are a conglomeration of things I’ve collected from the inter webs, usually via Pocket. I’ve been using nuff said in my writings since I wrote a humor column for the OBU Signal while in college. It’s a nod to Stan Lee in Marvel Comics, who used the phrase in many Spidey issues.
Improving Your “Do”
Bradley Wright points to a famous social experiment in the 1990s by sociologist Peter Gollwitzer who wanted to find out when someone’s intentions to do something actually resulted in them doing it. Randy Travis had already observed that “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.” Your case may not be that drastic, but you may have neglected to do something that you intended to do, and it’s a result of “implementation intentions,” according to Gollwitzer.
What he discovered is that if you nail down when you intend to do something, you’re much more likely to do it.
For example, my intention is that “I will write this blog post.” My corresponding implementation intentions are “I will write this blog post about 12:30, when the Hokie game kicks off, and only after I finish my sermon review for the morning.
Wright points out that many Christians struggle with obedience issues and wonders whether it might be the result of poor implementation intentions:
Sometimes I wonder if we Christians are unsure of detailed planning because it feels unspiritual. For example, James 4:13 warns against being sure about what will happen in the future, for we don’t “even know what will happen tomorrow.” For many Christians, a key feature of the faith is following God’s direction and doing his will. “Not my will but yours,” or some variation of it, has got to be in the top 10 of prayers uttered by Christians.
What does it mean, then, to follow God’s leading and still also make detailed, effective plans for the future?
7 Things to Pray for Your Children
Jon Bloom over at the Desiring God blog offers some great ways to pray for your kids, but he also points out that what we pray for needs to be informed by what God wants for our kids:
“…prayers are not magic spells. It’s not a matter of just saying the right things and our children will be blessed with success… We must not too quickly assess God’s purposes because they can be opposite of our perceptions. God measures success differently than we do, which is why he often answers our prayers in ways we don’t expect. So pray for your children.”
Here’s a nice printable version of the seven things to pray.
20 things people over 20 should stop doing
Jarrid Wilson offers a list that is humorous at times but mostly just sad. If you’re over 20, and you’re doing these things, do the human race a favor and stop. Here’s a few that caught my eye:
Using the term “YOLO.”
Only going to church to find a relationship.
Thinking minimum wage is worse than no job at all.
Getting in arguments over social media.
Dating with no vision.
What caught your eye, or what would you add to the list?
A similar article was Things That 20 Year-Olds Don’t Get that I wrote about here (back when I was using the phrase “a la carte” for my conglomeration posts).
30 Simple Things You Can Do that Will Impress Everyone Around You
Lifehack.org has some of the best, most helpful and even fascinating articles. Kathyrn Mott collects a rather long list (30) of things that you can do to impress folks, and it doesn’t take much effort.
Here’s a few that I completely agree with (and try to do intentionally):
Say, “Please,” and, “Thank you,” often
Don’t be constantly using your phone (see below)
Listen to others
Keep a clean car
Know what’s going on in the world
What are simple things that others do that impress you? I’d add to the above list:
Spelling things correctly
Transparency in relationships, even when tough or awkward
Knowing how to laugh and doing it often
Personal growth after hardship or trial
Putting Milk Duds in popcorn and being willing to share
When a Cult Repents
I agree with Wade Burleson in his post about “much of what passes as orthodox Christianity in evangelical circles is as cultic in behavior as unorthodox, Trinitarian-denying cults.” The story of the inner transformation of a former cult, The Worldwide Church of God, to doctrinally sound movement is worth being aware of. Never write anyone off…
Over the past twenty years, leaders in the WCG have renounced the beliefs of their founder Herbert Ted Armstrong, adopted a Trinitarian view of God, emphasized the grace of God in delivering sinners (instead of obedience to God’s law), and changed their name to Grace Communion International.
7 Signs You’re Looking at Your Phone Too Much
From Relevant Magazine article
You know the feeling. That uncomfortable realization that one or more of the friends in your social circle are on the phone too much. You don’t know what to say. Then your own usage begins to change – for the better – when you resolve to NOT be like your friend.
I’d encourage you to read, evaluate and share this article for a sober assessment of whether your phone is a relational hindrance in your life. You may not realize it, but your reputation and character are taking a huge hit every time you take out your phone. Call it social erosion. People are frustrated with you.
You may be high tech, but you’re truly out of touch. As Barney Fife urges, “Nip it in the bud.”
21 Star Trek Memes That Will Make You Shatner Yourself
And this was shared on my Facebook wall this week. I also saw this article: 25 Facts Even Trekkies Probably Didn’t Know About Star Trek. The first one? Captain Kirk never said, “Beam me up, Scotty.” Mind blown.
(Visited 9 times, 11 visits today)
September 23, 2014
A living masterpiece
One of our church members (thanks, Sarah!) forwarded me this video and said it reminded her of the message I preached Sunday. We’re currently going through a series called r12 (Romans 12) by Chip Ingram of Living on the Edge ministries. From our sermons to our small groups to our daily reading, we are immersed in this one chapter of the Bible, asking ourselves, what would it look like if a group of Christians earnestly began living like Romans 12 Christians?
The message this past Sunday was about “Selfless Self Love,” and if you’ve struggled with who you really are, I’d encourage you to listen to it.
Here’s the video that really ties in well with the message:
(Visited 6 times, 6 visits today)
September 20, 2014
10 Recommended books (that you haven’t heard of) #6
The sixth book in the list of books that you’ve never heard of but need to read is by another old dead guy. It’s Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs. Because it was written in the 1600s, you’ll struggle with its tempo and style. I actually reviewed it on the blog back in 2010:
Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment is a ponderous read. I’ll admit that at the beginning. It’s not full of witty anecdotes or alliteration. It’s depth, however, has made me compare other current Christian books I’m reading to wearing floaties in the baby pool…
In a Mini-Cooper society as ours, his book reveals that we also have mini-souls. We are so easily discouraged. We have become content with being discontent. He offers chapter by chapter, practical and spiritual advice for pursuing and seizing a distinctly Christian contentment.
He urges all of us to get out of the shallow end and go deep into contentment with Christ. It requires a ruthless self-examination of all that we are currently seeking contentment in. He then urges us to press higher (and deeper) by seeking our heart’s contentment in only those things designed to truly satisfy our hearts.
If contentment is something that eludes you, or if you fear that yours is a shallow, uninformed kindergarten contentment, I’d urge you to pick up a spade and dig in the Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment.
If you’re ready to press deeper in your relationship with God and discover what it means to choose genuine soul rest, this is the book for you.
Also in 10 Books You’ve Never Heard Of
Want to add some books to your reading list that you may not hear about elsewhere? Jeff offers you 10 great books you need to read that you probably haven't heard of.
10 Recommended Books (that you may not have heard of) #10
10 Recommended books (that you haven’t heard of) #9
10 Recommended books (that you haven’t heard of) #8
10 Recommended books (that you haven’t heard of) #7
10 Recommended books (that you haven’t heard of) #6
(Visited 13 times, 1 visits today)
