Owner: Rend the Heavens URL:http://blog.allthenations.org Join Date: Sat, 01 Sep 2007 14:46:20 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: Musings from an Emergent Revivalist... who longs so see this generation turns their hearts towards Jesus. Site statistics:Click here
Debt Free Christmas 2007-11-10 08:44:00 Was browsing through blogs that I frequent... and found this article on ChristianPF.com listing 6 steps to a "debt free Christmas
". Check it out here.I started shopping early this year. So most of my shopping for Hannah and the kids is done. Oh yeah.
Super Saturday Spotlight #21 2007-11-10 08:12:00 Make Your Business Logo Bigger!Tired of a logo that's small and boring? Try the "Make My Logo Bigger Cream!" Click here to check it out...100th Birthday WishThis lady had a huge wish for her 100th birthday... to ride in the Goodyear Blimp! Click here to view the article.Social Networking to the Next LevelAnd finally, Web 2.0 has hit the apparel lines now. Grab this shirt and check off what social networks you're a part of so others can know! Click here to view it.Quote for Today's BLOG:"As the Father useth this expression I AM, so also doth Christ, for it signifieth continuous being, irrespective of all time." - John Chrysostom
Read more:Super
, Saturday
, Spotlight
Anyone else? 2007-11-09 20:25:00 Is anyone else tired of the self-absorption that is rampant among Christians today?Blog after blog... all they talk about is themselves and all they seem to care about is themselves... of course, it's their blog... so they can do with it as they please...Oh well. Even so come quickly LORD Jesus.
Read more:Anyone
It is here! 2007-11-09 16:00:00 Starbucks Christmas blend has arrived. Oh yeah.
The Fear of the LORD 2007-11-09 07:10:00 The Fear of God is something that I've been chewing on for quite some time... it's one of those things that I'm still not sure if I totally understand it.If you Google "fear of God" you get a bunch of different opinions on the subject. I, of course, have my own opinion.Some say that when the Scriptures tell us to fear the LORD that it literally means a terror type of fear. Then there are those that ascribe to the thought that the fear of the LORD basically means to be in complete awe of Him and who He is.This past Wednesday at Ground Level, I spoke on respect in 3 areas of our lives: God, others and parents. For the aspect of respecting God... I could have went several different directions... but I felt Holy Spirit wanted me to speak on the fear of the LORD... so I did.The definition I gave to my students for what the fear of the LORD is was: "Understand who He really is and honor Him in that position by loving Him with all we are and obeying Him."As I had mentioned earlier, this is
Great post on Excellence! 2007-11-08 16:42:00 Pastor Steven Furtick wrote a great entry on Excellence
and how God deserves it!Check it out here.
Read more:Great
Another Hot Button! 2007-11-08 12:13:00 Thought I'd bring to light some great discussion we're having on the post "The Mormon 'Way'".Click here to check it out and join in the talk!
Friday 2007-11-16 08:21:00 Going to be quite busy today... so not much blogage will happen.I'm putting the last few tweaks on my new layout for the site. I'm hoping to launch it on Monday (Nov 19th).Here's a thought for you:"A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd." - Unknown Read more:Friday
Worship Quotes 2007-11-15 08:09:00 Here are some quotes on worship that I recently put together for our worship team. Enjoy.Jack Hayford says"Worship changes the worshiper into the image of the One worshiped."C.S. Lewis says"It is in the process of being worshiped that God communicates His presence to men."Louie Giglio says"If someone has itty-bitty worship, then they have an itty-bitty view of God."Matt Redman says"When it comes to expressing our worship, what we do on the outside is a key reflection of what's taking place on the inside.""We must make sure that we do the same in our congregational worship?find ways of responding to God, which we've reserved for Him only."A.W. Tozer says"What the church needs today is a restoration of the vision of the Most High God.""True worship is to be so personally and hopelessly in love with God that the idea of a transfer of affection never even remotely exists.""True worship of God must be a constant and consistent attitude or state of mind within the believer.""God's highest Read more:Quotes
Thoughts on Worship, Pt 3 2007-11-14 06:04:00 Here's part 3 of some thoughts on worship. Part 1 can be found here, and part 2, here.3. Sunday morning worship: "The End?"What I don't understand sometimes is people's thoughts on Sunday morning worship times. Some think that if one misses that time of worship on Sunday, then they've missed eternity... then others could care less about those moments where we sing and play for Jesus.So which is right? There has to be a balance in there some where.Obviously, it is vital to our faith that we meet together for times of worship, prayer and instruction from the Word... but what gets me is how people get so up tight about the 1-3 hours on Sunday morning being the end-all for worship... And really, it's not.I think people think that way because their focus for their worship isn't truly Jesus... it's themselves... and what they might experience.I'm all for experience.I've been in worship services where God's presence came in so thick... it seemed as though I could slice it. But then
Thoughts on Worship, Pt 2 2007-11-13 05:31:00 Here's part 2 on some thoughts on worship. Part 1 can be found here.2. Worshiping with our hearts: the excuseAs I shared yesterday, I believe that there is only ONE way to worship... and that is with our hearts (basically... in spirit and in truth). A lot of times we put so much on the moments we worship in a service that we forget what it's really about... our hearts.HOWEVER... the "worship with our hearts" becomes a very easy excuse for those who do not necessarily enjoy/agree with the physical aspects of worship. I've heard it many times... "I'm not physical in worship at all... because I worship with my heart."Try telling your wife that. "I'm not going to be physical at all in my love for you... because I love you in my heart.'' HA!She'd laugh you out of the house.Why do we treat Jesus like that? Obviously, He desires our hearts... but how much more of our heart are we actually giving Him when we put all of ourselves into worship?For some people, simply raising their hands
Found a hero 2007-11-12 20:45:00 Back in June, I compiled a list of my heroes. Check it out here. I failed to add a man that I would consider another hero of mine... Hannah and I were just thinking about him tonight... we hadn't heard where he was at now... so I googled his name. "The" Google is wonderful. ;) (that's an inside joke...)Anyways, Frank Ralls is an awesome man. He's definitely on my list of heroes. He started me in worship leading and I'm so grateful for the short period of time he got to pour into my life.Thanks Frank!Oh yeah... you can check out some of his music here.
Comments 2007-11-12 08:06:00 Just found out the "add comment" feature on entries was not working. I was attempting to fight off spam the other day... and coded it wrong... thought I had fixed something.It's fixed now... however, don't know as much about the spammers.We'll see. Read more:Comments
Thoughts on Worship 2007-11-12 04:30:00 There's been a lot on my mind lately concerning worship.Before I say anything else, I want it to be understood that I love to worship. I'm a worship fanatic. I pretty much only listen to various types of worship... not because I think I have to limit myself to that type of music... that's just the only music I enjoy.So with that said... I wanted to share with you some thoughts on different "types" of worship.My worship experiences over the past 10+ years have been quite life-changing. I feel like my life is a salad bowl of worship genres and types. From traditional hymns, to "choruses", to prophetic worship, I've been a part of the gamut of worship... NOT TO SAY THAT I'VE ARRIVED, but I've seen and have been a part of quite a bit.And of course, there are a few things that just bug me about worship... more so, people and their view of worship.1. There is only one "right" way to worship...That's the attitude that a lot of people have... that their way IS THE WAY to worship.I do ag
Checkers 2007-11-11 11:45:00 We played checkers while we waited at Cracker Barrel.
What worship is and is not 2007-11-11 04:30:00 Here's a list I just shared with those a part of our worship
ministry...What worship IS NOT: - Simply a set of songs. - Just an opportunity to do ministry. - Just a jam session. - An outward performance. - Entertainment before the message. - Let's try to copy and sound just like the CD. - Just to prepare our hearts for the Word. - Something we just have to do because we have a church service.What worship IS: - An outflow of our personal, intimate relationship with Jesus. - A lifestyle. - All about Jesus. - An opportunity for us to lead others into the Presence of God. - An opportunity for us to lift up the Name of Jesus. - An opportunity for us to touch the heart of God.My philosophy of worship is that we should be presence driven not performance driven. Maybe I'll have to write on that soon...Quote for Today's BLOG:"Worship changes the worshiper into the image of the One worshiped." - Jack Hayford
Debt Free Christmas 2007-11-10 08:44:00 Was browsing through blogs that I frequent... and found this article on ChristianPF.com listing 6 steps to a "debt free Christmas
". Check it out here.I started shopping early this year. So most of my shopping for Hannah and the kids is done. Oh yeah.
A God in Our Image 2007-11-21 07:37:00 I've had a lot of thoughts rumbling through my head lately... and there's a lot to attribute to those rambling thoughts... Our society has created a God in our own image...Some of the contributing thoughts... The current changes in the Episcopal and Presbyterian churches (of the US) has really gotten me thinking... how can we get to the point where we're questioning the authority of the scriptures?Then there's someone who recently offered their opinion to me on the song "Famous One" and how they thought it was referring to famous in the aspect of celebrity. Have we treated God simply as a celebrity and not for Who He Is? One we chase after at times... then other times we completely forget Him?And then I read this paragraph in Mike Bickle's book "Passion for Jesus":"We have taken God for granted. We've allowed materialism, secularism, and the love of things to smother the flame of God in our souls. We've created God in our own image, an image that is erroneous and tragically inad Read more:Image
Guest Blogger: Jared White 2007-11-20 04:30:00 Worship: a theory of everythingThere's a scientific and philosophical concept called the "theory of everything" which is an attempt to explain at a fundamental level some overarching reason for why everything is the way it is. I've used the term for years in my personal life as an impetus to provide a narrative for why my life is the way it is. Any time I find things going on in my life that don't fit within a concise "theory of everything", I begin to question if I've lost sight of God's plan for my life or I've bit off more than I can chew.In talking about worship, it's easy to get lost in the details and lose sight of the big picture. All you need to do is get stuck in a contemporary vs. traditional music argument to realize we're just not getting it. We need a "theory of everything" to give grounding to the concept of worship because it's really much bigger than electric guitars or hymnbooks.A little background: I'm 24 years of age, and I started performing professionally Read more:Guest
, Blogger
, Jared
, White
, Guest Blogger
Launched 2007-11-19 19:04:00 The new layout for Rend the Heavens is up. There's still a lot of things I have in mind to tweak and add.If you find a bug, let me know asap.So what do you think of it? Read more:Launched
Wish List 2007-11-19 11:40:00 I'm sure I'll get labeled as greedy... or selfish... but oh well.I thought I'd put together a "wish list" for Christmas... at least so my wife will have some pointers... cause supposedly she "never knows what to get me."JesusBranded.comThey have some great items. Pretty much anything there, I like. There's a great sale rack as well...Buckle.comAnother favorite store of mine. I created a wishlist on the site. You can check it out here.Starbucks.comI know, I know... it's coffee. Some say it's good for you... others say it's bad. I think it's a lot better than a bunch of sodas a day! Just an FYI... Christmas Blend is my favorite... ever. Gift cards aren't a bad gift either... ;)Expensive gifts... but still hoping...Sky Diving! - SkydivePA.comI've wanted to go sky diving for quite some time... but either haven't had the money... or the opportunity. They have gift certificates! :D The AT&T TiltI've had my eye on this new phone for a little while now. Has a lot of great featu
Another Busy Sunday 2007-11-18 13:43:00 Another busy Sunday
going on...Great service this morning. Worship went pretty well. Main thing, Jesus' heart was touched. Pastor continued his messages on the gifts of Holy Spirit. Good stuff.There were a couple of testimonies that were given by our awesome students this morning... so the church can hear/see what's going on in our student ministry... here's a quote from one of them:"I'm falling in love. With God. I have been wanting this more than anything ever. My mind has tripped me up before and I was lacking intamicy with Him. But I'm getting more and more of Him everyday. On the retreat during the two big prayer times, mainly the first night, I encountered God like never before, not even on three missions trips. And I wasn't even expecting it. But He fed directly to my specific soul and told me exactly what I needed to hear. I understand more now when the Bible (I think?) says that He knows us better than we do. I've never been more touched before, never felt this feeling
Super Saturday Spotlight #22 2007-11-17 08:19:00 Here is the SuperSaturdaySpotlight
for this week...Keep Those Fingers ToastyJust in time for the cold. Want to keep your fingers nice and toasty while typing at the computer? Get this keyboard! It's a "finger warmer". Click here to check it out.Every Super Soaker... EVER!Check out this photo of a guy who owns every Super Soaker water gun ever made... click here to view it.Check the GreekHere's a great site for those that are interested in checking out the actual Greek words used in the New Testament. The site is called "The Greek Resurgence Project". Check it out here.Quote for Today's BLOG: "The greatest threat towards tomorrow's success is today's success." - Richard Crisco
Relating to Young People, pt 1 2007-11-27 07:37:00 We've gone through a great book recently with our staff from our student ministry. Unfortunately, it's not up on Amazon... it is however on the church's website. The book is simply called "Generation Church".I wanted to share some things from the book that can seem like common sense but really is truth in reference to student ministry. It's so easy in ministry to think you've got it all together and your way is THE WAY to do ministry... I'm going to take this week and roll out a few points from the book each day... adding my 2-cents to them... not that I've arrived... but I've seen a few examples in relation to each point.Relating to Young People1. Be yourself - genuine, sincere and non-religious. Young people want someone they can relate to as a real person, a normal but mature Christian.Fake people get on my nerves... and I know they get on student's nerves even more. This generation, even now more than ever, need real, genuine men and women to lead them. Phonies will have a
It's the Holiday Season... 2007-11-26 16:51:00 We've definitely dove head first in to the holiday season! Now before anyone fusses at me for using the word HOLIDAY... I'm using that word because I'm referring to the entire season... not just Christmas.Obviously, we just finished up Thanksgiving... Hannah's family was in town for the week. We had a good time visiting with them.We had told Isaiah, our son, that we would put up the Christmas tree as soon as it snowed... well, it just happened to snow here on Thanksgiving day... but we didn't want to mess with putting up the tree while Hannah's family was in... so we then said that since it had snowed we would put the tree up as soon as Grandpa, Grandma and Aunt Emmy had left.No sooner were they out the door today... and Isaiah was begging for the Christmas tree.So it's up.We're super-stoked about Christmas this year. Isaiah is 3 so the intensity of Christmas is already escalating. We've decided to go through an advent calendar to help Isaiah understand how long it's actually Read more:Holiday
, Season
A Common LIE 2007-11-25 17:05:00 I'm very, very frustrated right now. I really don't know how to adequately respond to what I'm about to write about. I feel like one little white blood cell in the midst of an infected body... not knowing if I'll really make a difference.I don't mean to "beat a dead horse", but I've got one that I must continue to destroy... Christians and Muslims DO NOT worship the same god.Some of you may or may not be aware that back in October, a letter was compiled with 138 signatures, including those of Muslim leaders from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Europe and the United States.The letter from the Muslim leaders starts off with:"Muslims and Christians together make up well over half of the world?s population. Without peace and justice between these two religious communities, there can be no meaningful peace in the world. The future of the world depends on peace between Muslims and Christians."The letter then continues with:"The basis for this peace and understanding already exists. It Read more:Common
Super Saturday Spotlight #23 2007-11-24 06:44:00 For today's SuperSaturday
, I thought I'd share 3 funny videos from YouTube. Enjoy!Huckabee/Chuck NorrisClick here to watch the Huckabee/Chuck Norris Video.Cell Phone "Head Booth"You have to watch the full video to get this one... Be patient!Click here to watch the Cell Phone "Head Booth" Video.Paper TurkeysClick here to view the Paper Turkeys Video.Quote for Today's BLOG:"If thou bear the cross cheerfully, it will bear thee." - Thomas A Kempis Read more:Spotlight
Our "Threat" to Catholicism 2007-11-23 18:25:00 Found this article on FOXnews.com. Very, very interesting. I had heard before (a "rumor") that the Catholic church had notice the growth of Pentecostalism... this just validates that story.Go Jesus!Cardinals Discuss Threat From Christian SectsThe Roman Catholic Church must figure out what it is doing wrong in the battle for souls since so many Catholics are leaving the Church to join Pentecostal and other evangelical movements, a top Vatican cardinal said Friday.Click here to view the rest of the article. Read more:Catholicism
Nuggets from 1st Peter 2007-11-23 07:41:00 Was reading through the book of 1st Peter
this morning and there were a few scriptures that really stood out to me. I thought I'd share those with you...1 Peter 1:2God the Father chose you long ago, and the Spirit has made you holy. As a result you have obeyed Jesus Christ and are cleansed by His blood.1 Peter 1:18-19And the ransom He paid was not mere gold or silver. He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.1 Peter 2:15It is God's will that your good lives should silence those who make foolish accusations against you.1 Peter 2:24He personally carried away our sins in His own body on the cross so we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. You have been healed by His wounds!1 Peter 4:1For if you are willing to suffer for Christ, you have decided to stop sinning.1 Peter 4:7The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers.I'm blown away by Jesus and His sacrifice. Every time I read 1 Peter
Recommend Site To A Friend
