This IMB map gives a good overview of where the lost in the world are located.
Very Very High Quality Pictures
Have you ever wanted to take very very high quality digital pictures? Then you may find this interesting.
PAC-MAN is 25
Thought you all would be interested to know. When I was a kid, I played this game all the time. I even worked my way up to the two Atari symbol level once. Man, that was fast.
Read about half way down and you will find this link about a life-sized PAC-MAN game. Very interesting
Open Source Content Management System List
I thought I would help this guy out by linking to his site. If you ever need a Content Management System, he looks like he has a handle on several.
Open Source Content Management System List
[Update 2007-03-16 07:26:37] When I was migrating this post over, I realized I had totally forgotten about blogging about it. I then went and decided on phpNuke without consulting this list. I then decided to ditch phpNuke in favor of Joomla …again without consulting the list. I'll post a review of each in the future.
James River Park
Cyndi and I went for a drive this afternoon and came across the James River Park in Richmond. It looks like a nice place to go hang out, swim, have a cookout, etc…. Possibly some good opportunities there to go witness.
Today’s Prayer List
I'm learning more and more about things the International Mission Board does. For example, you can go here and get sent an e-mail every week day detailing out prayer requests. Below is an example of what you'll get:
WORLD LEADERS Please pray today for President Askar Akayev of Kyrgyzstan (central Asia, west of China).
COSTA RICA Pray for the missionaries serving in Costa Rica. Last month there were attacks on several missionaries–spiritual and physical. Several of these missionaries are students studying Spanish in Costa Rica before moving to their field of service. Pray for their protection from the enemy as they move about the country. Pray for devotion and renewal in their walk with our Father. http://www.macregion.org/
GUADALAJARA, MEXICO Team Guadalajara writes: "Thank you for your prayers for an area known as Santa Fe. The first phase in this planned community has 10,000 houses, and there is no evangelical church in the area. We have encountered few Christians, and each one has explained that they drive more than an hour to attend church. Pray for outreach activities on June 18-24. The gospel will be communicated through drama, games and a crucifixion scene where 'Jesus' (an actor) will explain his future plans after the cross. Pray that a church will be birthed in Santa Fe. Intercede for F as he leads this work." http://www.macregion.org/
MUSLIMS OF THE BALKANS Please pray for two students coming to spend their summer among the Muslims of the Balkans. They will be distributing the Word in an urban area, as well as encouraging and discipling national believers.
UNENGAGED PEOPLES OF SOUTH ASIA There are almost 4 million Kachhi Hindus living in India. They speak the Sindhi language as well as several other major languages. The Bible, the JESUS film, Christian radio broadcasts and other Christian materials are available in their language. However, there are only about 200 known Kachhi Christians. Pray that the Lord's message will spread rapidly among them and be honored wherever it goes. Pray that these few Christians will be bold in their proclamation of the faith. Pray that they will be delivered from evil and perverse men who would seek to destroy them. http://www.neglectedfields.net/
SOUTH ASIA UNBOUND The young man had been acting strangely. He tried repeatedly to run away, with the people of his village grabbing him and holding him until his brother arrived to take him home. One day he broke away and ran and ran. The villagers tried to follow him to bring him back, but he never stopped running. Days passed. The believers from the village began praying constantly for him. Finally, someone saw the run-away collapse under a tree. The believers gathered around him, but when they touched his body, it was already turning cold. They carried him home and continued to pray over him. They did not want to call a doctor, only pray. Finally, the young man regained consciousness and shared this testimony: "While I was running, it seemed to me that two girls were carrying me along and we were following a big, strong man wearing black. He ran, and we ran behind him. Then there was a man in white near us, carrying a rope. He struck the three others and they fel l to one side. I myself also fell, but to the other side. I was now unconscious under the tree. Then the man in white stood next to me and offered me the rope he was carrying. He told me to grab hold of it and stand up. At that time, I realized this man in white was Jesus Christ, and he is truly the one to believe in. At this point, I regained consciousness." He accepted Christ as his Savior, and he now joins the believers in rejoicing and telling the Good News to others who are bound in the dark kingdom of Satan. Praise God for the persistence in prayer of the believers. Praise Him for answering, for revealing Himself, and saving this young man. http://www.go2southasia.org/
MUSLIMS: PRAYING BEYOND THE WALL For the past two months, you have been praying for three Muslim people groups that have no known Christian work among them. These are the Moghal (in Jammu and Kashmir in India), the Mawalud (in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, India) and the Qazi (in Bihar, Gujurat, Rajasthan and West Bengal, India). This month plead for God's mercy upon these peoples, and intercede for the governments (all kings and authorities) of the states in which they reside, according to Paul's instructions in 1 Timothy 2:1-4. http://btw.imb.org/
Bethany Place Baptist Church
Cyndi and I went to visit Bethany Place Baptist Church today. Interestingly enough, we met two people who are also new to Richmond. It was good to get to talk to some fellow nebies and see what they think about the place. They moved here from Idaho.
The people at the church were friendly, but neither Cyndi or I felt drawn there. it was a bit smaller than Highland, but it appeared to be trying to be big churchy, if that makes any sense. Like Highland, they don't have Wednesday night services–they have various classes going on. I never thought about it before but that makes it hard to show up and visit in the middle of something. They didn't have an evening service since today was Father's Day.
Lay down our life or die?
Today's My Utmost for His Highest had an interesting take on this topic. One I never thought of before.
Jesus does not ask me to die for Him, but to lay down my life for Him. Peter said – "I will lay down my life for Thy sake" and he meant it; his sense of the heroic was magnificent. It would be a bad thing to be incapable of making such a declaration as Peter made; the sense of our duty is only realized by our sense of the heroic. Has the Lord ever asked you – "Wilt thou lay down thy life for My sake?" It is far easier to die than to lay down the life day in and day out with the sense of the high calling. We are not made for brilliant moments, but we have to walk in the light of them in ordinary ways. There was only one brilliant moment in the life of Jesus, and that was on the Mount of Transfiguration; then He emptied Himself the second time of His glory, and came down into the demon-possessed valley. For thirty-three years Jesus laid out His life to do the will of His Father, and, John says, "we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." It is contrary to human nature to do it.
If I am a friend of Jesus, I have deliberately and carefully to lay down my life for Him. It is difficult, and thank God it is difficult. Salvation is easy because it cost God so much, but the manifestation of it in my life is difficult. God saves a man and endues him with the Holy Spirit, and then says in effect – "Now work it out, be loyal to Me, whilst the nature of things round about you would make you disloyal." "I have called you friends." Stand loyal to your Friend, and remember that His honour is at stake in your bodily life.
The text was from John 15:13,15.
Are we called to die for the cause of Christ? Certanly if the situation demads it. But, isn't it harder to lay down my life every day at His feet and live for Him instead of myself??
Today’s Proverb
Well, I have decided one thing I'm going to do…. There are 31 Chapters in Proverbs. That means I can read one chapter per day. Every day, I am going to begin reading the chapter for that day. Here is today's:
Proverbs 14
1Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
2He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.
3In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
4Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.
5A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.
6A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth.
7Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.
8The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit.
9Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour.
10The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy.
11The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish.
12There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
13Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.
14The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.
15The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going.
16A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.
17He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.
18The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19The evil bow before the good; and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends.
21He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.
22Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good.
23In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.
24The crown of the wise is their riches: but the foolishness of fools is folly.
25A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.
26In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.
27The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.
28In the multitude of people is the king's honour: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.
29He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.
30A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.
31He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.
32The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.
33Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known.
34Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.
35The king's favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.
Unveiling Islam
With my new interest in the Mid-East, I decided I should learn some more about Islam. While the oil in my car was being changed today, I wandered over to a book-a-million store. Browsing the religion section, I found Unveiling Islam. Written by the Caner brothers (Ergun and Emir) who were converts to Christianity from Islam. You can see Emir's Biography here and Ergun's here.
Basically, the book boils down to this. If you want to witness to a Muslim, you need to know the following things:
1)what you believe — so you can defend it
2)What they believe — so you don't offend them by what you do (did you know that in addition to not eating pork, Muslims don't eat shellfish? Do you know why you should, essentially, not do anything with your left hand (eat, shake hands, etc…)
3)Know what has happened in history and where you stand (What do Muslims think of the crusades? Why?)
Those things are important so you can get an opportunity to witness to them. For an indepth review of the book, click here.