May 1: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me.” 1 Samuel 25:32. DOES God prevail upon His people and forbid them from acting unwisely? We need not look any further than this passage to get the answer. There is at least one good reason why God prevailed upon David and restrained him from killing Nabal. Though, on the run for his life and put to much hardship because of Saul, David had a strong sense of right and wrong. How do we know that? His decision that he will not lay his…

The headlines in the last couple of days are about economic gloom abating and business confidence rising. Don't be fooled. The disease is much more fundamental.Professor Simon Johnson of MIT (who used to be the IMF's Chief Economist in 2007 adn 2008) has published an article that does not so much echo my position as it puts the position much more thoroughly and elegantly. The piece, entitled "The Quiet Coup" is at http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200905/imf-adviceI occasionally follow Professor Johnson's blog but I am not a subsciber to The Atlantic: many thanks, therefore, to my friend Friedrich Christian Haas for drawing my attention…

According to well-placed sources, the next 48 hours will be critical in the spread of this particular 'Flu, and we should know within the next 2-3 weeks whether we have succeeded in averting a full-blown medical crisis related to it. Perhaps it will be as late as October before a vaccine is available against the virus. Meanwhile, as a general precaution against ALL viruses, please turn to my Medical Blog at http://guptaramedical.blogspot.com and take the traditional Indian recipe against all 'flu type infections indicated there.From a financial or business perspective, an interesting question is: what will be the economic impact…

The following is a post by Dr. John Kimball, Director of Church Redevelopment of the CCCC. At Seven Mile Road, we are working to move prayer from the periphery to a central place in our community. Dr. Kimball’s article is a timely reminder of what we’re getting at and why.“I don’t understand. We’ve done everything you’ve told us to do…” This godly man was frustrated and tired. He had such hopes for his congregation. And yet, the issues they had been facing for many years just wouldn’t seem to cease. The truth is, they had not done everything I instructed…

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High        will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. [a] 2 I will say [b] of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress,        my God, in whom I trust." 3 Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare        and from the deadly pestilence. 4 He will cover you with his feathers,        and under his wings you will find refuge;        his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. 5 You will not fear the terror of night,        nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the…

A new Pew Research Center poll reveals something that’s not new at all: married people are happier than singles.In the most recent poll, 43 percent of people who are married reported being happy, compared with just 24 percent of singles. Even in spite of the beating marriage has taken in recent years, this number is as true now as it was a generation ago. The results were exactly the same for women as for men.The Pew happiness study didn’t confine it’s focus only to marriage. Here are some other interesting findings:Money may not buy happiness but it does reflect it.…

1. time doesn't heal that which isn't affected by time.2. no one's an enemy.3. i don't wish to rehash the recent events of my life or discuss any current leanings or feelings with anyone (so don't take it personally) but that includes you (so take it personally).4. i'm not angry, just hurt.5. i still love.6. thank you all for your advice. i've learned plenty a hard lesson. if you feel like you need to furthur voice your opinion, i'll listen. don't ask for more.7. bottom line: i don't want to talk about it. Benita Joy

The clock keeps tickin as Bilson enjoys life in the single lane. He is on a one way street! A straight and narrow path! Where is his destination? The kingdom! You know? The one that cannot be shaken? The one that is not of this world! And on his journey he meets all sorts of folks. Some put a smile on his face while others can irritate him and still there are those who make him laugh and others who make him cry... Than their are those whom he doesn't know how to react to. But today Mr. Bilson will…

Sabrina (1995) is the story of Sabrina Fairchild, the daughter of the Larrabee family chauffeur.The Larrabees are wealthy and own a family business. While she was growing up, Sabrina Fairchild (played by Julia Ormond) spends more time perched in a tree, not just watching the Larrabee family but dreaming of David Larrabee falling in love with her (the crush).For most of her life Sabrina was invisible behind the branches and spending her life lost in her fantasy. For the Larrabees (most importantly for David), Sabrina is just a daughter of the chauffeur.As she is heart broken when her dream shatters…

Right now, in this infant phase, we have two faces to our Sunday Gatherings. Three times a month, we’ll gather informally for prayer, study, conversation, and community. Then once a month, we have a corporate worship service or “preview service” with preaching, singing, communion - the whole bit. For our next three preview services, we’ll be preaching through three truths that are central to Seven Mile Road. More details coming, but tentatively, here’s how that will roll out:MAY 3 :: JESUS & HIS GOSPELEphesians 2:1-10JUNE 14 :: JESUS & HIS COMMUNITYEphesians 2:11-21JULY 19 :: JESUS & HIS MISSIONEphesians 3:1-137 Mile…

I haven’t written a reflective post in a long while… here are some of my thoughts on the season of life I’m currently in, and what I’m about to transition into.To live out the call of Christ on the earth. To let nothing else matter, and allow no thing to come between that. To have Jesus be everything, my reality. To devote my life completely to his call and purpose for my life. To live out Jesus in relation to the world. To bear the redemptive, jubiliary perspective of Jesus. To live as a Christ-follower in the world and bear…

Heard of this? Kids who use Facebook have lower GPA than those who do not. A new study by a doctoral candidate has now confirmed what parents always was suspicious about. Too much time spend on computers on social networking apps are taking precious time that should be spend on studying. See the report in TIME.Critics say you don’t need a doctoral dessertation is show what is obvious. Others say study does not suggest that Facebook directly causes lower grades, but there is a relationship between the two. “Networking may not be need now,” parents say, “they need to focus…

In Uncategorized on April 17, 2009 at 2:00 pm Really jacked about a gathering we are having tonight. See, one of our commitments at Seven Mile Road is to keep it simple. Center on Jesus and His Gospel, give our best effort at gathered, Biblical Trinitarian worship, make disciples through our soulcare communities, and pretty much let people live life missionally from there. This means no covered dish dinners, rummage sales, velcro-Sumo-wrestler youth group events, group visits to see Fireproof (nothing against the movie’s basic permise, love anything that shouts a high view of marriage in this jacked culture), or…

In Uncategorized on April 17, 2009 at 2:07 pm The A29 network has a sick networking site where lead planters from across the country/planet can dialog with each other as they take their local hills for Jesus. I recently posted this confession/joy on the prayer requests thread and wanted to post it here as well. Guys, a confession… I have definitely been recently doubting that God can, and intends to, redeem many in my just-north-of-Boston culture. The huge majority of our growth/fruit in recent months has been folks who were predisposed to finding a church and pressing into the Gospel…

Psalm 34 1 [a] I will extol the LORD at all times;        his praise will always be on my lips. 2 My soul will boast in the LORD;        let the afflicted hear and rejoice.  3 Glorify the LORD with me;        let us exalt his name together.  4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me;        he delivered me from all my fears.  5 Those who look to him are radiant;        their faces are never covered with shame.  6 This poor man called, and the LORD heard him;        he saved him out of all his troubles.…

Who doesn’t agree that one of the greatest problems we are facing today in interpersonal relationships is unhealthy communication? Who doesn’t confront difficulties in family, in workplace and in neighborhood because of lack of good communication? Who isn't aware of the fact that conflicts in relationships are usually flared up due to ill-mannered communication? In spite of so much of advancement in technical communication isn't man still lacking the discernment to speak well? There are surplus books on communication in our day but nothing like the wisdom we find in that Old Book which is as old as sun and…

Discussion on Three Days Grace song "The Animal I Have Become"LyricsI can’t escape this hellSo many times i’ve triedBut i’m still caged insideSomebody get me through this nightmareI can’t control myselfSo what if you can see the dark inside of meNo one will ever change this animal I have becomeHelp me believe it’s not the real meSomebody help me tame this animalI can’t escape myselfSo many times i’ve liedBut there’s still rage insideSomebody get me through this nightmareI can’t control myselfSome what if you can see the dark inside of meNo one will ever change this animal I have becomeHelp…

There once was a girl who was born blind... .. She was very lonely... and was sad because she wasnt able to see.... No one payed any attention to her because she couldnt do things like everyone else... ofcourse this was because of her blindness... She continued her life lonely and depressed.....waiting for a day.. when someone would donate their eyes.....Her life was miserable.... until one day... a guy came into her life.... That guy accepted her even though she was blind... He made her feel important and happy... He showed her the world through his eyes.. they were falling…

Palm Sunday is an interesting time. We have the King of Kings, Jesus riding on a donkey and people crying out Hosanna! “They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,"Hosanna!""Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!""Blessed is the King of Israel!" John 12:13 They are ready to crown their new King for now... but that changes. On Good Friday the crowds to crown him are not around anymore. We have Jesus dragging out his cross and eventually he is nailed to it. An how does Jesus react? While Jesus was on the Cross,…

We’ve been on the ground in Philadelphia for almost eight months now. During these eight months, anytime I feel like we’re hitting a stride and I’m about to kick my feet up, God smacks me with something. Something in my heart is thrown into a small panic and I’m desperate again for Him to lead us cause otherwise this whole church planting thing is going to fall apart. So, the last week or so has been another one of these. We’re ending a study on the book of 1 Timothy. We’ve had a preview service. And now, I’m getting ready…