NextGenKent

In my devotional this week I was confronted with some thoughts I believe had their basis in unfounded truths. So I did some digging into what the Bible has to say (as well as a devotional guide I am reading). Some initial thoughts: 1. The Sun stays the same ... yet changes. How much can an object change yet still be referred to as unchanging? Time a factor. Scientists believe our sun could burn out in 5.5 billion years. So it is not in a big hurry. Shoo! Relatively speaking, the sun will be constant in my lifetime. 2. The Garden of Eden is said to have been perfect, yet it needed tending. To what extent does perfection not reach and still hold its meaning? Can things be perfect yet incomplete? Can the qualities of perfection still need to be maintained and be perfect? Can a garden not be perfect without the addition of a caretaker? Could the continual maintenance by God's first created human of a garden created to be incomplete add up to perfection? Perfection was not i...

I was once going through the book of Romans with a group of junior high boys (a task worth at least one extra jewel in anyone's heavenly crown) and learning alongside them about what faith is. As you probably know, the word "faith" in the NT can mean faith, belief, and trust, depending on the context. Paul tells us why he is not ashamed of the gospel, "for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes "--that is, has faith. " Faith comes by hearing the Word on Jesus Christ" and leads to calling on the Lord--how can they call on him if they have not first believed, and how can they believe if they have not first heard . Faith undoubtedly leads to salvation in Jesus. But what of faith after salvation ? Does faith continue to work in the same way? Or is there a growing aspect for someone in his or her faith? Or does faith stay the same, but one's capacity to hold it and wield it become greater? Wow, so much like spinning a wheel t...

Most of us believe critically thinking about things is good. Most of the people I hang with know they don't just do what they feel like doing. Education and learning happen by levels and degrees--first grade, then second, Algebra I, then II, etc. Your thinking skills can graduate to a more critical thinking level as you add different knowledge bases to it--an understanding of Science can add to your ability in being an Accountant or Pastor. A video entitled " Ed Schultz Yells at guest Ryan Anderson, then cuts his mic " made me think of the following comparison when it comes to how some people think. Let me use gears as a metaphor for thinking. Getting our gears turning is like using the energy necessary for thinking. Some people think egg beaters and others like watches. Both ways of thinking are viable forms for accomplishing what they were created for. Keeping time is much more of an intricate process than beating eggs. An egg beater has two gears inte...

Exodus 2  Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman. 2 The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months. 3 When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank. 4 And his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him. 5 Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her young women walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant woman, and she took it. 6 When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby was crying. She took pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” 7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women ...

THE GLORY SHINE –or- SON-TANNED ON the 10 th of September, we remember Moses’ descent from Mt. Sinai.  What once came with glory, a glory that was displayed on Moses’ face--a radiance that disabled people from looking Moses in the eye--not only came to an end but was drained of its glory because something better was to come along: the permanent ministry of the Holy Spirit in working righteousness. Let’s not forget why Moses’ face shone = because he had spoken to the LORD. The people could not look intently into Moses’ face so he put a veil over his face so people would not be afraid to come near him; but when he spoke with God he would take the veil away. In  Exodus 34:28-35, we read that Moses wasn't even aware that his face had become "radiant" ["horned" = to push with horns, so there was a radiant quality that pushed]. And so it is with us. We can hope in this "pushy glory" because it is eternal yet present with us—we are experiencing som...

“Growth For The New Year” Matthew 12.33  Are you bearing fruit? 33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 36 I tell you,  on the day of judgment  people will give account for every careless word they speak , 37 for by your words you will be justified , and by your words you will be condemned .” I n a word, what is one thing you do to make something work better? One of my first jobs was roguing where you take a sharp tool with you as walk through a cornfield and cut out weeds or corn that has grown up 'rogue' and bunched together. Early in my college year...

15 Invaluable Laws of Growth I am committed to life-long learning and I hope you are too. Learning and growth does not end when you receive your university degree or obtain a particular position. Learning is crucial and critical to realize our leadership potential. You need to be intentionally engaged to grow in your leadership through continued learning.   Potential is a powerful word; it looks forward with optimism and is filled with hope. Potential has its promises and hints at greatness. To reach your potential you must grow. This book seeks to help you along that path--the pathway towards understanding how personal growth works and towards helping you become a more effective individual, parent, leader, and child of God! Which of these 'Laws that Govern Your Growth' fit you right now? Growth Doesn’t Just Happen You Must Know Yourself To Grow Yourself You Must See Value In Yourself To Add Value To Yourself Learning To Pause Allows Growth To Catch Up With You...