RUSSJONES.US

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" 1 Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2 For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3 Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. 4 Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. " When people say that the Bible isn't relevant to todays culture I have to chuckle to myself and wonder what planet that they are on. Paul puts it so clearly in this passage, we should get it! #1 - He desperately wants to see the Israelites accept Jesus into their lives. We desperately want to see the people we know accept Jesus into their lives. #2 - He points out that they believe in God, but that their zeal isn't based on anything that is real. We know people who believe in God, they are "spiritual", but they don'

I just looked at my clock and discovered that it is 11:23 a.m. The last time I looked at it was at 8 a.m. AC guys have been here trying to fix our AC units. Phone calls have been streaming in. Life is happening at a fast pace. But what's new? You know what I didn't do this morning? My devotions. I was sitting here thinking, "Why does my day stink so bad?" That's when it hit me! Prayer and The Bible! So yes, sometimes even for those of us who have a set schedule - life happens! So what do you do? Adjust! It's quite for right now and I am going to take advantage of it. Salvage the rest of my day (and my attitude) and turn things around. There is no reason for me to waste the whole day - the rest of it belongs to Him!

Well if you don't know what the headlines for tonight's news is, it's - "Congress failed to pass bail out bill - what's next?" More importantly, what happened? The system worked, that's what happened. We are 5 weeks out from elections and the politicians are having to do something that no one wants to take responsibility for. If they go back to their constituency and tell them what they just did - they will probably get voted out of office. Why? Because this bill says what we all thought but the spin doctors have been telling us for years isn't true. Big business is more important than people. The average American voter isn't going to put up with it. Not for one minute. No, no one wants to see people suffer - but the way it works down here at ground level is simple, "Stupid is as stupid does." And somebody needs to fire stupid. When the American people start seeing the people who are responsible for this mess get fired, arres

What a great day we had today! The service was awesome and the luncheon afterwards was outstanding! Thanks to Tim and Laura, along with everyone else who made this day great. (Thanks to everyone who wished me a belated happy birthday.) I am looking forward to October. We are going to have a great month!

I haven't said much about our 20/20/20 small groups on my blog over the last few weeks. That I realize now was a major mistake on my part not to. Sorry about that. One of the basic rules of blogging is, "If you believe in it - blog it." and I do believe in the 20/20/20 concept of Bible Study. Just so that we are clear. 20/20/20 stands for: - 20 minutes reading the Bible. (Not out loud to each other - but each person reading their own Bible) - 20 minutes journaling. Each person writing down what they learned from the Bible. - 20 minutes sharing with others what you learned. That's it! - I know it sounds too simple doesn't it? No curriculum. No assigned reading. No safety net. Sounds exciting!! FAQ's - We will all be reading the same scripture - right? No, not necessarily. Some people respond well to a daily Bible reading program. If the group wants to do that, they can. I recommend that you use one if you're having trouble d

You are not going to believe this one. Click here!

I want to remind you that this Sunday is our Celebration Luncheon. Cuban sandwiches, chicken and rice. empanadas and much, much more! You don't want to miss this Sunday. Hey! Bring a friend, we would love to meet them and welcome them into this church family too!

Ever been part of a discussion or an argument that lost it's way? "What were we arguing about again?" The same is true with life. We forget what the point is! Why do we get up in the morning? Why do we go to work? Why do we have dinner with our friends? It's Jesus - that's why! He's the point. But most of us forget about Him during the day and week. Sunday tends to refocus our attention and maybe we are faithful to pray over our food. Everything we do can and will return to our original mandate. Jesus! How we work, why we love others, our hobbies and habits are all shaped by our relationship with Him. I was reading in Romans 9:19-21 how Paul deals with the problem that some had with God. "Well who does He think He is?" "He didn't ask my opinion about this!" Yes, I have heard people say this before and they we not joking! God answers you, God doesn't answer to you. His nature and character determine who He is every

I've had it. This blogger template has been a pain since the beginning. I am looking for a new template that isn't boring or difficult to operate. So if you have any suggestions - email me would you!

Got your game face on? Meeting life head on is a challenge for everyone of us. What is great about it is that we don't have do it alone. Jesus is right here with us - with His game face on! Meeting challenges and changes requires is an art more than anything else. Sure we have skills and education to help us. But understanding the finer points of living is something that we experience. The question is, what do we experience them with? Do we do so with hope and joy or regrets and despair? The Word of God, the Bible is about the art of living. We see how people acted and the results of their actions. But what was the difference between people who acted out of greed or pride and those who acted in faith and selflessness? So what can you do to meet life head on? #1 - Meet life with purpose. If you don't know what God wants you to do with your life, then you will spend most of your time reacting to what happens rather than being proactive and doing something with your l

This poor guy wished he'd never got out of bed that morning. Click here.

I went to college with this guy and I have to say - it's a classic story he can tell his grandkids. Click here.

We didn't see it coming did we? Proverbs 16:18 "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." Boy did the financial markets and banks fall! What happened? How did we get within days of a Great Depression? I think that Chuck Colsen put it best, " Free markets—capitalism itself—can thrive only when corporations and individuals exercise moral restraint. When those restraints fail, government regulation is sure to follow; which, in turn, makes free markets less efficient, and certainly less free. Moral restraint, you see, requires a set of morals—beliefs that some things are right, and some things wrong. To put it more simply, moral restraint requires a biblical worldview. President Bush has often said he gave up drinking when Christ came into his life. Well, Wall Street and the greedy mortgage brokers might invite Christ in to help them recover their own morality." Read the whole article here. When we think that we are indestructible, that

Sunday morning my daughter ran up to me and said. "Happy Birthday Daddy!" I smiled and was in shock! I had forgotten all about it. Thank you to everyone who sent your birthday wishes and showed your appreciation for the fact that I have made it to 45. WOW! I honestly thought Jesus would have come back by now. Is it true that 45 is the new 35?

We just got back from ACMC tonight! Wow, what a conference! It was great, Great speakers! Great workshops! We even had some great food! Most of all it was a great time for fellow Christians to come together and enjoy His presence in our lives! Looking forward to tomorrow - but we will be wearing jeans. We literally wore everything we had in the last few days! Boy was it hot up there during the day!

Hurricane Fatigue Voters Fatigue Economic Fatigue News Fatigue Gas Price Fatigue I have been observing peoples behaviors concerning different subjects that have been the highlight (or low point depending on their point of view) of their life. If you want to try this just ask someone the question, "So, what do you think about (insert subject here)?" Then listen! Watch their facial features. Look at their shoulders - do they perk up or slouch? What do their eyes tell you! Even if someone gets all fired up! Does it drain them? People get fatigued when they get pounded over and over by something that they think that they have no control over. So what do you do? Turn control over to someone who can do something about it. Sorry, none of the presidential candidates qualify to help here. The only one that can do anything about anything is Jesus. Don't stress over something that you have no control over. Yes, you can vote, you can run from a hurricane, you can conserve

Christian recording artist Ray Boltz comes out of the closet. - click here. Britian adopts Islamic Law - click here ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Inspires Women to Leave Churches - click here 98.7% of college students drank alcohol to celebrate their 21st birthday. Click here I do feel a little guilty writing this post. After all it isn't good news is it? But why do we pray? Because everything is coming up roses and we are skipping through gum drop meadows? No! Because we have needs! Because we pray for people who have needs too! People like British citizens who just saw their whole justice system trashed without anyone firing a shot! Women who struggle with the church and think that Wiccian religions are a viable option. 21 year old kids who think their right to passage is to drink. Or one man who thought his whole life was a sham turns to homosexuality for comfort. Just bow your head and pray.

What is Rom 8:38 -39? Your verse for the day. It reads, "38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." I got up this morning and this is what I was greeted with. - Wall Street Shaken by Lehman Failure and Merrill Sale - Tainted Chinese milk kills second child - Hurricane remnants blamed for 15 deaths in Midwest - Black Monday for Wall Street as 2 Big Firms Vanish, a Third Teeters - New phase of disaster hits Ike survivors - Engine failure cited in deadly Russian jet crash - Train collision probe to examine text messages CNN - Constantly Negative News. Well here is some good news for you today. There is nothing, life or death, angels or demons, hurricanes or floods, bank failures or Wall Street, train crashes or jet crashes that can separate you

Is it good when your so occupied doing what you love doing that you don't have time to blog? But hold it? I love to blog? Sorry that I haven't done anything that last few days. We have been going at 100 mphs and it doesn't look like it is going to slow down this week. Next week! Well I hope. So here is to blogging on the fly. Hey? Do I need a pilots license to do this?

There are a lot of things about today that I remember from 2001. A few of the things I remember saying was this. "Life as we know it has changed forever." I'm not saying I told you so and for most of us that statement wasn't a big reach - it's just that none of us knew how much or how far we would have to go. I also remember saying, "We don't understand why because we don't have the dark minds that could create such a nightmare." Now with time, we do understand. What we know shocks and appalls us. So what am I saying today 7 years later? 9/11/01 should have been a wake up call to us Christians. We are living in the last days as prophesied in the Bible. I believe that not only should we not forget this day, or the memory of those who died. I believe that greatest tribute we can offer is a message of hope found in Jesus. Politics, diplomacy and our armed forces will do what they should do. But the Church should also be found doing what

Go to www.realyouth.us and see some of tonights pics from Slopfest. We will get some video up soon too. Thanks to everyone who make it a great success!

OK, I would have never guess this one. Click here

Rom. 8: 35 asks the question, "Who can separate us from the love of God?" Then a list of everything natural and supernatural follows. While any Christian would probably say, Nothing ! Yet we feel something sometimes, don't we? The reality of our faith is a struggle for many. Yes, I believe but . . . It is in those times that we have to remind ourselves that there is more to life than what we can see, touch, ear or smell. That in the face of obvious defeat (from the worlds point of view) we are not defeated. Paul goes on to illustrate this in verse 36. The world will slaughter us and throw us aside without a second thought and think they have won. That seems like an awful thing to say but remember that during this time, Nero was feeding Christians to the lions at the coliseum for the entertaining pleasure of Rome. They thought they were winning, but nothing was farther from the truth. This world does not understand our faith nor the rules we live by. For us t

Paul now wants his reader to know why the preceding verses were important for them to consider. What does predestination and election have to do with suffering and everyday life? This is a question that many theologians miss when interpreting the Bible - relevancy. They want to argue the finer points of Calvinism vs. Arminianism. (Look it up if you don't know.) But how do you apply this Word of God to everyday life in a relevant way? Most people don't know how to do that. It is a shame too, because that is what the Word of God is for. For years I have taught Sunday School teachers and educators on how to teach and grow disciples through their ministry. I always ask one question or which I always get the wrong answer. The question is, "What is the purpose or reason for Sunday School (Christian Education)?" and the answer comes in different forms but always say the same thing. "To teach the Bible to our students." Good answer! Just the wrong one.

FYI - Josephine is trying to make a comeback

Thank You Randy Shurr

OK! The last few weeks have had their issues. Computer crashes, Tropical Storms and Hurricanes have taken their toll. You know this as well as I do. We are all creatures of habit. Even if it is a bad habit we don't like to have it interrupted. So now Ike is on it's way out of here, and Josephine is slowly dying out in the Atlantic somewhere. The storms forecast says that we might get a couple weeks reprieve and I hope to start blogging again. So here's to life's interruptions and hiccups. God is still in charge and that's the way it's going to stay.

We are officially in hurricane mode. What does that mean? Well a lot more than you probably think. This is where you should be putting the finishing touches on your hurricane plan. If you haven't, work faster! But don't relax because the forecast track is south of us. As a teenager I was a marksman with just about anything you could shoot. The difference between a bulls eye is only a fraction of an inch. A fraction of an inch, in hurricane standards, could bring Ike right in our front door. So what do you do? #1 - Remember that God is God. For all the preparation - He is the one who you have to trust. #2 - Think this through. What you need to do and how you need to do it. If you want to go away for a few days, that's fine! Believe me, no on ever saved their house by staying in it during a hurricane. #3 - Get important papers and numbers together now. After a hurricane your life is reduced down to those numbers. Without them your in trouble. #4 - For those of

24 - 25 "For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." Why do we need hope? Because we have a need. But hope here isn't something that we have to wonder whether or not it will happen. Hope is something real and tangiable for a person to have. God's promises give us hope. In Arabic the first part of this verse translates, "We are preserved by hope." Hope implies patience as does this passage of scripture. Well, what else are you going to do? God is our only hope and He's got the whole world in His hands. We might try to - Take short cuts. But this diminishes the experince that was to be gained and it's results are not apprecaited. We are probably doomed to do it again until we wait for what exactly what God wants to give us. - Quit. When we lose hope, we quit trying. When we shut down hope all we have to tur

There is a condition called hurricane fatigue which effects many of us during this time of the year. When you have so many storms around us and/or coming at us as serious threats your psyche may start to take some serious hits. Think of it like this. Stress on steroids. There is no good outcome from a hurricanes direct hit. Even a minimal hurricane can cause a lot of undo stress. But what do you do when your watching storms G, H, I and J - then the forecasters tell you that K and L are on their way? You burnout - that's what you do. It isn't that you don't care what happens, it just that you can't take the pain of information anymore. If you get into the cone of error one more time your probably going to put a scoop of ice cream on it. So how do you avoid hurricane fatigue? #1 - Have a plan and make sure it is a good one. #2 - Limit you input of information to 1 - 3 sources who are reasonably accurate. Forecasting weather is an art, not a science. #3 - Get h

Well as I said yesterday - this is a difficult passage to work with. It isn't that Paul is saying something we cannot understand, it's that he is saying something that we have to accept by faith. There is a conflict that is within everything. Some call it good vs. evil, bad vs. good, black hats vs. white hats, Luke Skywalker vs. Darth Vader (sorry about the last one.) To us Christians it is really so much more than that - and that's what Paul is bringing to light here. In verse 22 we are groaning. In verses 18 - 27 we actually find three things groaning and all for the same reason. Creation - Ourselves and the Holy Spirit. They are all groaning because of the same things. #1) Sin and its effects on our life and our world. When you watch CNN (as someone I heard recently call it Constantly Negative News) do you groan inside? Do you wonder if this world is ever going to get any better? For all the work people have done for centuries this is the best we could come u

We are going to be here a while. Admittedly, when I came across this passage a few years ago, it was the most difficult passage I had ever grasped. (Yes, I have read the book of Revelation.) But I'm not alone in this. Most theologians will tell you that what Paul is saying here is beyond what most of us can comprehend. This should come as no surprise, after all he wrote 2/3rd's of the New Testament. Most of the theology you practice comes from his writings - so yes, I believe Paul understood somethings we have yet to grasp. Verse 18 - This is fairly easy. After a hard week of work or after accomplishing a difficult project we feel that we have earned our paycheck or praise from our peers. No sin in that - you probably did earn it. But I have never heard anyone say that they have earned their way into heaven. For anything (Yes, I said ANYTHING!) you go through - you will not say when you get to heaven, "I deserve this." Why? When you get there, and you bett

Hurricane Gustav made landfall as a Cat 2 hurricane. For those of you who were with us yesterday we prayed and asked God to weakened the storm. That if it had to make landfall that it would move through quickly and significantly weaker than a Cat 4 or 5, which had been forecast at one point. We never take credit for what God does, but I am thanking Him for answering prayer. Now on to Hanna.