Change - resources of change

I am not quite sure how to begin this post, except to say that I wanted to begin recommending some books that I have found to be quite useful in my own life. And since I am working on compiling some posts on the topic of change, I thought now would be a good time to recommend some books on that same topic.

I have also become a believer in saturating your mind with the right stuff. We waste so much of our time with television and movies, that we don't have time to fill it up with good practical teaching on the Word of God. I think that we should treasure the "pastors" of our day, even if they aren't at our church.

So, here is my first recommendation:

Godliness Through Discipline
by Jay E. Adams


Summary: With only 25 pages, this is a very short book. It is easy to read, but it is packed with some very practical and useful information. Here is the opening paragraph of the book, that will give you an idea of its purpose:

Do you remember the last time that you left a church service all fired up to change? You were determined to be different. "This time," you said, "I mean it; I am going to become the person that God wants me to be!" By Tuesday the fire had burned out. The last time that you read a booklet like this you may have decided: "From now on..." but here you are today, pretty much the same as always. You mean well, but nothing significant seems to happen; you have been trying, but not really making it. There has been some change, some growth, some blessing, but not the kind that you so earnestly would like to see.

The author then goes on to teach Biblical change, by breaking down several key passages on that subject. In this booklet he discusses how to change, and the Biblical perspective of things like habit. (which turns out to be a wonderful gift, if understood.)

My Thoughts: I absolutely loved this booklet.

I once used this as a teaching guide in a Bible class that I taught. I ended up spending over a month just going through these few pages. It seemed that the students that I was teaching at the time, already knew areas of their life that needed to change, but were having difficulty bringing that change into their day-to-day life. It is so short, sweet and to the point, that it could be used in many different circles.

If you are interested in change, this is an excellent book to start off with.

Christian LIving in the Home - Book Review

Christian Living in the Home
by Jay E. Adams


I finally finished the book, Christian Living in the Home, by Jay E. Adams. So here is my review...

Summary: This book covers a full scope of topics relating to the Christian Home. Some of the topics covered are the Christ-centered home, hope, leadership, marriage, parenting, divorce, problem solving, etc.

Here is a quote from the book that I think summarizes its purpose:

"A truly Christian home is a place where sinners live; but it is also a place where the members of that home admit the fact and understand the problem, know what to do about it, and as a result, grow by grace."

1) Christians admit their sins.
2) Christians know what to do about their sins.
3) Christians progress out of their sins.
----True Christians are set apart by these three things. And it is these three things that should set apart the Truly Christian home.

My Thoughts: I would say that this book is a must read. There are some very foundational teachings included in this book. Any new Christian could pick it up and find great hope and encouragement from it. In fact, one of the very first chapters in the book is entitled, There is Hope.

I really enjoyed the first few chapters of this book. They were vey encouraging and easy to read. The second half of the book tended to slow its pace somewhat. But I think that I was mostly affected by prior teaching. In my first track of Biblical Counseling training, many of these same topics were covered.

If you are a Christian, and you live in a home, this book will be a useful tool to living in that home.

skinned

Still, I know that God lives
the One who gives me back my life
and eventually he'll take his stand on earth.
And I'll see him--
--even though I get skinned alive!
see God myself, with my very own eyes.
Oh, how I long for that day!

Job 19:25-27

Mazaltov!

In a Jewish Wedding Ceremony, right after the KETUBAH (or the signing of the marriage contract), there is the reading of the seven blessings.

Here are those seven blessings that I would like to pronounce at this time.


1. Baruch Ata HaShem Elokainu Melech HaOlam, SheHakol Barah Lichvodo
You are blessed, Lord our G-d, the sovereign of the world, who created everything for his glory.

2. Baruch Ata HaShem Elokainu Melech HaOlam, Yotzer Ha'Adam
You are blessed, Lord our G-d, the sovereign of the world, the creator of man.

3. Baruch Ata HaShem Elokainu Melech HaOlam, Asher Yatzar Et Ha'Adam Betzalmo, b'Tzelem Dmut Tavnito, VeHitkon Lo Mimenu Binyan Adei Ad. Baruch Ata HaShem Yotzer Ha'Adam
You are blessed, Lord our G-d, the sovereign of the world, who created man in His image, in the pattern of His own likeness, and provided for the perpetuation of his kind. You are blessed, Lord, the creator of man.

4. Sos Tasis VeTagel HaAkarah, BeKibbutz Bane'ha Letocha BeSimchaa. Baruch Ata HaShem, Mesame'ach Tzion BeVaneha
Let the barren city be jubilantly happy and joyful at her joyous reunion with her children. You are blessed, Lord, who makes Zion rejoice with her children.

5. Sameach TeSamach Re'im Ahuvim, KeSamechacha Yetzircha BeGan Eden MiKedem. Baruch Ata HaShem, MeSame'ach Chatan VeKalah
Let the loving couple be very happy, just as You made Your creation happy in the garden of Eden, so long ago. You are blessed, Lord, who makes the bridegroom and the bride happy.

6. Baruch Ata HaShem Elokainu Melech HaOlam, Asher Barah Sasson VeSimcha, Chatan VeKalah, Gila Rina, Ditza VeChedva, Ahava VeAchava, VeShalom VeRe'ut. MeHera HaShem Elokeinu Yishama BeArei Yehudah U'Vchutzot Yerushalayim, Kol Sasson V'eKol Simcha, Kol Chatan V'eKol Kalah, Kol Mitzhalot Chatanim MeChupatam, U'Nearim Mimishte Neginatam. Baruch Ata HaShem MeSame'ach Chatan Im Hakalah.
You are blessed, Lord our G-d, the sovereign of the world, who created joy and celebration, bridegroom and bride, rejoicing, jubilation, pleasure and delight, love and brotherhood, peace and friendship. May there soon be heard, Lord our G-d, in the cities of Judea and in the streets of Jerusalem, the sound of joy and the sound of celebration, the voice of a bridegroom and the voice of a bride, the happy shouting of bridegrooms from their weddings and of young men from their feasts of song. You are blessed, Lord, who makes the bridegroom and the bride rejoice together.

7. Baruch Ata HaShem Elokainu Melech HaOlam, Boreh Pri HaGafen.
You are blessed, Lord our G-d, the sovereign of the world, creator of the fruit of the vine.

food makes me happy

"My name is Matt Harmless, and I am an emotional eater."

*no response*

Then I smile to myself because I know where the rest of my support group is. They are out in the hall stealing the coffee and doughnuts from the other support groups table.

At least they are happy.

Alright, I am just kidding. I don't actually go to an emotional eater support group. (I don't know if that would work anyway. What would you do to celebrate graduating from the class?) But even though I don't actually get together with other emotional eaters, I have to admit that this is exactly what I am.

It is embarrassing to admit, but food just makes me happy.

My wife was the first one to notice it. Of course I argued with her about it for awhile, but then I started to notice the trend myself.

Hard day at work -- Want Food.
Argument with wife -- Want Food.
Kids acting bad -- Want Food.
Car breaks down -- Want Food.
Nothing happens at all -- Want Food.

And it works too! Anything from frozen pizza to a fancy dinner at Carabba's. It all makes me feel a little bit happier.

The problem comes when we go to our favorite Mexican restaurant and I fill up on the chips (which are making me happy, just thinking about them), and the food comes out and I successfully scarf that entire meal. If you don't know this already, Mexican food expands in the stomach.

The saddest part is that I do the same thing everytime.



What is your favorite "make you happy" kind of food?

maybe today

I remember a hymn from my childhood that went something like this:

"Maybe today,
My Lord will come for me.
Maybe today,
My savior I shall see."

I don't remember the rest, of that hymn. But when I see things like this in the Israeli News, then I start to think, "Maybe today..."

The Sanhedrin meets for the first time in 1,600 years.

The newly re-formed Sanhedrin discusses the rebuilding of the Temple.

You know, we talk about this stuff all of the time. We mention how we are in the last of the last days. But when you find something like this, it really snaps you back to reality.

And reality is what I am talking about. The end times are going to happen. In fact, there is more of an assurance that the end times are going to happen than there is an assurance that you are going to make it home tonight after work. In Matthew 24:40, Jesus says, "Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left."

That day could be today.

Two teachers were teaching their classes, one was taken, the other was left.
Two students were sitting in their desks, one was taken, the other was left.
Two doctors were performing operations, one was taken, the other was left.
Two mothers were preparing supper, one was taken, the other was left.
Two ...
Two ...
Two ...

... one was taken, the other was left. [Which one will you be?]




I discovered this information through In that number, who wrote this post. There are several more links that have been compiled there, that are worth checking out.

Ben Harmless?

Alright! Whoever said that 6th graders need to start learning how to use computers is crazy. Do we really want to give them all that knowledge? Will they use their computer powers for good... or for evil?!?

I just found the website of one of my 6th graders, and this is the picture that I found...


Actually, I have come to enjoy my new genetic enhancements... (Thanks alot Jared!)