The Friday Five is back after a long holiday break! Here is a collection if interesting and possibly useful articles from around the inter-webs.
Why Most People Miss Out On Being Led By the Spirit – Ben Sternke – Here is a helpful look at some obstacles to avoid as you try to follow the direction of God’s Spirit. “God gives his people both a promise … and a command …. Both are needed for the people to be successful in their task. … Our lack of progress in faith typically comes from a failure to embrace both of these realities, focusing instead on one to the exclusion of the other. When we hear the promise but don’t take action, we live in fear, and the promise remains unfulfilled. When we take action but aren’t really listening for the promise, we live in our flesh, aimlessly kicking in all directions at once and never really bearing fruit.”
Not Having Enough Isn’t An Excuse To Not Tithe – Jesse Carey – It is interesting to look at our finances from a global perspective. This article also links to some useful resources. “If you have access to clean water, never fear going hungry and have a place to live, on global terms, you’re actually doing really well. And if you have a Netflix account and a smartphone, you are one of the more privileged people on the planet. In fact, not only do one in 10 people currently survive on less than $1 a day but, if you make more than $32,400 a year, then you are in the top 1 percent of earners currently alive.”
Digital Technology Is Killing Our Minds – David Murray – Modern technology is changing fast, and it is changing us. Technology is changing the way we think, hurting our concentration and imagination.
Creative Ways to Hear God – Cath Livesy – Are you listening for what God is saying? “Every Christian can learn to know and listen to God’s voice; the promise of Jesus is for all of us. But to grow in our ability to hear God requires active engagement and intentional pursuit. In a world full of competing voices and a myriad of distractions we have to take the time to create the space and to learn the disciplines that will help us tune in.”
Do You Want the Friends You Need? – Greg Morse – This article makes an interesting case. What if the friendships we resist are just the ones we need the most? “If you do not have these friends (for they can be rare these days), pray for them. And invite brothers and sisters in your life to be more earnest with you. Begin by being more earnest with them. Often, it takes one person to go deeper for others to follow. True friends, as with true joy, are never less than serious about things worth being serious about. Although they are not always the friends we want, they are always the friends we need.”
