I’m a BOY, Dummy!

“Am I a BOY,” he asked. Let’s see…. I have razor stubble, I’m bald, and my name is Eddie! Sometimes I think this world has lost their mind and common sense.

Stupid Rubs Off

Pants Optional??

Did I really forget to put his pants on at the gym? What does it take for God to really impact your life?

I answer both of these questions in this short video message!

https://vimeo.com/116002475

<p><a href=”http://vimeo.com/116002475″>”Pants Optional” by Pastor Eddie Poole</a> from <a href=”http://vimeo.com/user11098818″>LifeChurch of Mt Juliet</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a&gt;.</p>

Books I Read in 2014

The last 4 or 5 years, I’ve set goals of reading 25-30 books each year.  This year I read 29 books.  This list includes books that I read in the traditional way, as well as those that I listened to audibly.  (www.Audible.com is awesome!)

The list is in the order that I read them.  My favorite from the 29 books were:  “12 Years a Slave”, “Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus,” “Jesus Is”, and “The Grave Robber.”  I’ve put a few notes below of what struck me about a few particular books.

2014 Books
1.  12 Years A Slave, Soloman Northup  This was a long book and I never lost interest.  It made me aware and “feel” what it was like to be free and captured into slavery.  This story was also turned into a movie.
2.   More Than A Carpenter, Josh McDowell  Great classic that I’ve read a few times.  If you want to know more about what stood out about Jesus, this is the book.  It’s also a great book to give to someone considering whether or not to follow Jesus.

3.  Bonhoeffer, Etic Metaxas
4.  Aha, Kyle Idleman
5.  Grace Based Parenting, Tim Kimmel
6.  Bait of Satan, John Bevere
7.  Seeking Allah. Finding Jesus, by Nabeel Qureshi:  Great account of a devout Muslim who was seeking to know Allah but found Jesus in the process.  The author offers powerful apologetics of why he came to faith in Christ and also the cost he paid for doing so.
8.  Be Real, Rick Bezet
9.  The Last Days of Jesus, Bill O’Reilly
10.  No More Dragons, Jim Begren
11.  Phariseetomy, Peter Haas
12.  LifeTime Guarantee, Bill Gillham
13.  All In, Mark Batterson
14.  Jesus Is, Judah Smith
15.  Recovering Redemption , Matt Chandler
16.  God Less America, Todd Starnes:  Our country is getting farther and farther away from the God of most of our founding fathers.  In many ways, we’re moving to a country that is hostile towards the God of the Bible.  Todd Starnes shares many examples in this book.
17.  The End of Reason, Ravi Zachariahs
18.  The God First Life, Stovall Weems:   Good book on getting back to the basics of growing in Christ.  Reminded me of LOTS that I already knew but needed to be reminded of.
19.  Knowing God Intimately, Joyce Meyer
20.  Killing Patton, Bill OReilly
21.  Heavenly Man, Brother Yun:  I read two books in a row about the underground church in China.  Believers in Christ in China have paid a HUGE price for their faith.  This is a great book about commitment, persecution, and perseverance.
22.  God’s Double Agent, Bob Fu:  The second book that I read about the underground church in China.
23.  The Measure Of Our Succes, Shawn Lovejoy
24.  Stolen, Kristen Rosenblast:  Story of the author’s entrapment in the sex trade and how God rescued her from that life. 
25.  Ordering Your Private World, Gordon McDonald
26.  Gifted Hands, Ben Carson:  Inspiring story of Ben Carson, the surgeon who became famous for separating siamese twins.  His life wasn’t the easiest but he excelled against the odds and it looks like he will also be a candidate for President in the next election.
27.  Learning From Giants, John Maxwell:  Not my favorite Maxwell book.
28.  The Grave Robber, Mark Batterson:   One of my favorite authors, Mark Batterson’s newest book is now one of my favorites.  He discusses how miracles aren’t just a thing of the past.  God still moves today in big and small miracles that point us to Christ.  Great read.
29.  Four Cups, Chris Hodges

Baby Light

“Gramps”

One of my favorite memories of my grandparents was when my grandfather and I played a trick on my grandmother.  This video tells that story!

Food God

If eating too much is ever an issue with you, check out this video:

Afraid

When God Removes His Mask

For centuries before he was born, mankind wondered what God looked like.  On this night, God took off His mask and showed us what He looked like in the form of the Christ child.

Jesus was in heaven.  He didn’t have to come from heaven to us but he loved us enough to do that.

If I were Jesus, I wouldn’t want to leave heaven.  I would be content there with angels singing and worshipping me.  Guess it’s a good thing I’m not Jesus.  (Sometimes I don’t want to be inconvenienced to help someone, until I think of how Jesus was inconvenienced for me.)

If I were God, I wouldn’t want to send my Son down here to earth to be treated the way that He was treated.  He left heaven and couldn’t even get a hotel room to be born into.  He had to come into this dark world in a BARN!

That’s not the way a King should be treated.  He left heaven and came to a dark world that didn’t appreciate His sacrifice at all.  He left heaven, knowing it would lead to the most horrible death ever…. crucifixion, but He came anyway.

What brought the baby from heaven?  He came because He loves you.

Why did God send his son?  I wouldn’t send any of my three sons to die for any of you.  (Though on some days I might be wiling to spare one for you to make a slave or something, depending upon what they’ve done that day- but that’s another blog post.)

The truth is, God sent His only Son to die a horrible death because He knew it was the only way to restore a relationship with you.  He loves you.

The baby Jesus is the perfect picture of what God looks like.  Giving to us EVERYTHING when it makes no sense.  Sparing His own Son for His enemies (us).

A few years ago I went to Mammoth Cave.  The guide led us into a HUGE room, told us to stand still, and he cut off the lights.  The place went so dark that I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face.  I’ve never seen it that dark before.  After a few minutes, he lit a match.  It seemed like it lit the whole place, it was so bright.  That one small match cut through the darkest dark imaginable.

Jesus came into a world as a baby.  The world was so dark, so separated from God by sin, that we had no hope.  Yet, the small flame in the form of the Christ Child gives us hope and life in a world that is hopelessly dark without the Light!

In John 8:12, Jesus said this:

“I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”

We crucified the Son, and we put the light in a tomb, but the light didn’t stay in the grave.

If it had, we wouldn’t be celebrating Christmas.

• Death couldn’t hold the light that came on Christmas.
• Satan couldn’t put out the light that came on Christmas.
• Demons thought they had put an end to the baby’s mission but they were wrong.
• The light had come into the world.

The baby Jesus, the light, came on Christmas and was born into a manger.  He grew up, showed us that He was the light by His love, was crucifed, and the grave couldn’t hold the light.

Jesus was the first Christmas gift and the best gift we could ever get.  God removed the mask of his nature, love, personality, and compassion when Light came into the darkness in the form of a baby.  Merry Christmas!  The LIGHT has come!

Everyone else is sharing their opinion on this, here’s mine…

I thought she pretty much nailed my thoughts too.

PrayEatCreate

This happened at a perfect time in my life. Because of an internal battle I was recently having with myself, I am now properly and confidently equipped to take my stance in this battle. For the past several days I’ve been asking myself this: “As a Christian, I know homosexuality is against my faith as are several other lifestyle choices. How do I show love to the people whose lifestyle I disagree with?”

I recently found my answer, which lies in this phrase: “Judge the sin, not the sinner. ”

I love Duck Dynasty. I love the Robertsons, I love the family values they encourage and I love the God that they glorify. It makes me so happy to see their television show booming and every time I see a product in a store that has been Robertson-styled (nail files, nail polish, bedroom slippers, throws, bedding, hair bows, sleepwear, games…

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