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Over-Complicating Simplicity

It seems to be a trend in today’s culture…

To over-complicate everything.

Some things aren’t supposed to be complicated…

Like: government policies, law, math, and insurance. :-)

I think we often over-complicate Christianity.

We focus on theological terms and denominational stances.
We focus on systems and programs.
We focus on things beyond our control.

While I never fault anyone for wanting to understand their faith,
I do wonder if sometimes, our tendency to analyze prohibits our ability to trust.

Jesus is about relationship.
It really is that simple.

His love for you.
His love for me.
Our love for Him.
His free gift of grace.
Our willingness to live in that grace.

That’s really about it…

Your opinion: Do we often over-complicate it?

14
Jun 2010
POSTED BY Jonathan Pearson
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Blog, Featured

DISCUSSION 12 Comments
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We Can’t Do That

One of the things I find difficult…

One of the things that seems to be difficult for others…

Admitting when we’re wrong.

It’s not the cool thing to do.

We all make mistakes.
I’m pretty sure we all realize that we do make mistakes.
But,
It’s hard to admit when we do.

It’s hard for us to tell someone else we were wrong.
It’s hard to admit that our once perfect opinion has been proved false.
It’s hard to tell our spouse that the thing we were sure of was nothing but part of our imagination.

The bad part about it…

When we fail to admit that we’re wrong,
We fail to correct our mistakes.

So instead of making a false assumption or making a mistake, admitting it, and moving on,
We often continue to make the mistake over and over again.

We live in denial of our imperfections.

We have to change this.

For our relationships.
For our growth.
For our spiritual health.

Don’t be afraid to have an opinion.
Don’t be afraid to act in boldness.

But,

Don’t be afraid to admit when you’re wrong.

After all, admittance is the first step to recovery.

09
Jun 2010
POSTED BY Jonathan Pearson
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Blog, Featured, Leadership, Life

DISCUSSION 10 Comments
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God Can’t Do That

We’ve all been told to not try to be someone we’re not.
As I read these verses, I can’t help but be thankful that God doesn’t try to be someone He’s not….

The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful – for he cannot deny himself. (2 Timothy 2:11-13)

These are some of the coolest verses in all of scripture.

Here is my redneck, country-fied, southern translation of this…

If we die with him, we’ll live with him. If we deny him, he’s gonna deny us. If we aren’t faithful, he’ll still be faithful. Hey, he don’t know any other way. He always has been.

God is so good, the only thing He doesn’t have the ability to do is be bad.
God is in control, but can’t resist loving you.
God is King, but can’t give Himself permission to give up on you.
God created you, but can’t develop a hatred for you.

So yeah, there are some things God just can’t do…

08
Jun 2010
POSTED BY Jonathan Pearson
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Blog, Devotional Thought, Encouragement, Featured

DISCUSSION 6 Comments
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The Sun Never Burns Out

A commonly heard scripture that God shed new “light” on lately in me…

Matthew 5:14-16 You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

There are 2 kinds of light…
1. Is the genuine.
2. Is articficial.

The sun is a genuine light.
No matter what, the sun is shining.
Regardless of the clouds.
Regardless of the time of day.
The sun is always shining.

A lamp isn’t a genuine light.
It can be turned off.
The bulb can burn out.
The power can go off and cause the lamp to lose it’s power source.

We are called to be the sun.
No matter what the occasion, we are called to shine our light to the world.

Regardless of the clouds that come our way.
Regardless of the time of day.

We are called to take our light wherever we go.
To church.
To work.
To activities.
To the community we live in.
To our home.

The people with the genuine light may be affected by the clouds, but they won’t be extinguished.
The people with the genuine light will never burn out.
The people with the genuine light will be used to grow others and light a darkened world.
The people with the genuine light will inherent eternal life.

Is your light genuine?

02
Jun 2010
POSTED BY Jonathan Pearson
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Blog, Devotional Thought, Featured

DISCUSSION 13 Comments
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You May Be A Tweet-addict If….


And now, 10 signs you may be addicted to Twitter…

1. You’ve begun to refer to your personal friends as @ ________________
As in, “Hey, @JonathanPearson, whatcha doing?”

2. You can remember your friends’ Twitter username, but genuinely have trouble remembering their actual name.

3. You often add #justsayin to your personal conversations.
As in, “That shirt you have on doesn’t match those shorts, #justsayin.”

4. You actually find self worth in the number of Twitter followers you have.
Your mood actually changes when you notice you’ve lost followers.

5. You take a second to check your Twitter stream when you go to the bathroom during the night.

6. You have more than 6 Twitter apps on your phone.

7. Your spouse is beginning to wonder if it’s actually possible for you to cheat on them with Twitter.

8. You tweet more Bible verses than you actually read.

9. You know more about what your Twitter followers do than what your children do.

10. You occasionally remember the days before Twitter and refer to them as “the dark years.”

Anything you’d add to the list?
Do you show any of these signs?

01
Jun 2010
POSTED BY Jonathan Pearson
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Blog, Featured, Tech/Social Media

DISCUSSION 18 Comments
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