Good Friday

…He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

– 1 Peter 2:24

He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed.

– Isaiah 53:3-5

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Coffee Break – 04.10.2017

Your Monday Dose Of Inspiration

On this day in history: In 1790, the U.S. patent system was established when U.S. President George Washington signed the Patent Act of 1790 into law. In 1825, the first hotel opened in Hawaii. In 1849, Walter Hunt patented the safety pin. He sold the rights for $100. And in 1970, Paul McCartney announced the breakup of the Beatles.

Coffee Break

Pour Over Coffee Tutorial – The pourover is my preferred method of making coffee. I use a Chemex and a Hario V60 primarily, and I love the wide range of possibilities they can bring to my coffee cup. Here’s a simple tutorial on how to use a pourover effectively.

The Optimal U.S. National Parks Centennial Road Trip – I love the National Parks system. There are several parks that are on my bucket list to visit. And although it would be not very practical for me to make this trip all at once, it would be very awesome. Also, check out this interactive site with several of these parks featured.

The US-Canada Border Slash – Did you know that there is a 20 foot wide slash through the landscape that delineates this border? I didn’t. This is very interesting.

The Hidden War Over Grocery Store Shelf Space – While this may seem trivial and laughable, it’s a very real phenomenon. And the best spaces get the most dollars. It’s a very intriguing video.

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Memorize Scripture: 1 Peter 3:13-14

Hiding God’s Word In Our Hearts

As 1 Peter 3 continues, Peter gives some encouragement to those who suffer for doing what is right. You can see this for yourself in 1 Peter 3:13-14.

1 Peter 3:13-14

This idea of suffering for doing right is a common theme throughout this letter. Peter will revisit the idea of staying strong in the face of suffering again in chapter 4, verses 12-19. His encouragement to his readers is to be prepared, and to be strong.

He begins with a rhetorical question: Who is going to harm you for doing what is good? The answer, of course, is no one. That seems to be at odds with what he is writing about though, and at odds with what his readers are experiencing. And later, he will state that suffering for doing good is nothing strange or unexpected (4:12 and 5:9).

So what does he mean by this statement? I think he is referring back to his use of Psalm 34, which he just quoted in the previous paragraph. In Psalm 34, we see that God is in control, and is aware of everything that happens to his people. He rewards the righteous, and ultimately, will allow no harm to come to them. This statement here is the conclusion of Peter’s use and exhortation of Psalm 34. It parallels Paul’s thoughts in Romans 8, where he states that nothing can separate us from the love of God, or, as Peter refers to it, our inheritance.

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The Alternative To Worry Is Trust

Learning How To Avoid Fear And Trust God

Psalm 37 is one of what many call the “Security Psalms,” which ranges from Psalm 32 to Psalm 37. Last week, I shared some thoughts on the phrase found in this psalm, “do not fret.” Now I want to look at the answer to that.

The Alternative To Worry Is Trust

Worry, or fretting, at the most basic level, is a feeling of insecurity. Many people believe that the opposite of worry is contentment, peace, or calmness. I don’t think any of those provide a complete picture of what replaces worry. God tells us not to worry, and he does say that we will receive peace and contentment as a result, but that’s not the basic root of the issue.

What we are called to instead of worry and fear… is trust.

Trust is the opposite of worry. Trust is what we are called to do. Peace and contentment will come as a result. But if we don’t have that trust, that faith, worry will continually overtake us.

Trusting God in the face of difficult circumstances can be very difficult at times. Fortunately, the same psalm that tells us not to worry also tells us how to trust. Psalm 37 gives us five different ways to build and strengthen our trust in the Lord.

I found this video to be extremely fascinating. The creativity and talent that goes into making a globe is extraordinary!

From the video description:

When Peter Bellerby couldn’t find the perfect handmade globe for his father’s 80th birthday, he took matters into his own hands. He spent the next few years learning and perfecting the lost art of globemaking, which turned out to be a difficult, detailed process. Today, he runs Bellerby & Co Globemakers out of a small London studio with a team of 15 skilled craftsmen who create every masterpiece by hand.