Matthew Rawlings Matthew Rawlings

MISC.

First of all, the UK-OSU game was epic and, thankfully, the Lord’s team won! 

Here is my two-cents on what is worth your time and attention on the interweb:

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Matthew Rawlings Matthew Rawlings

The Gospel According to Genesis–The Offering of Isaac

The rider in the video is a guy named Danny MacAskill.  He has mad skills and travels around the world taping himself doing stunts.

The video is awesome yet if you think about it, Danny MacAskill is stupid!  Who risks their life for a free Youtube video that people will post nasty comments under?  It doesn’t make sense

Of course, sometimes God doesn’t make sense either.

Look at Genesis 22:1-19,

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Matthew Rawlings Matthew Rawlings

Weekend Book Review–The Next Story by Tim Challies

Jesus suffered at the hands of the religious leaders and Romans for hours.  Why?

I don’t think Christ’s alienation from the Father and Spirit and death on the cross had to last a certain amount of time.  Why so long?

I remember asking myself that question when I first read the Bible from cover-to-cover in 1997.  It wasn’t until years later after reading the Gospel accounts several times that it hit me–It took that long to save the thief on the cross next to him and the Roman solider who declared him to be the son of God.  Jesus suffered for hours to save one man (who began the day mocking him) and hours later to save another who assisted in his crucifixion.  Such an ordeal doesn’t just take love (although it certainly takes a lot of it) and it doesn’t just take bravery (although it takes a lot of that too), it takes discipline and focus.  Love and courage without discipline and focus is often ineffective if not foolish.

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Matthew Rawlings Matthew Rawlings

Piercing Portsmouth’s Darkness

Last night, A&Es Intervention focused on my hometown of Portsmouth.  It was jarring.  Especially for those who remember what the town once was. 

In the early and mid-1970s, the small city boasted near full-employment for its nearly 40,000 residents who lived and played on the banks of the Ohio River.  The heaving smoke stacks and busy sidewalks outside of locally owned businesses were signs of the healthy tax base that paid for good schools and the low crime rate that led few to lock their doors at night. 

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