NowTHINK!AboutIt

4 Reasons Seeing Jesus Won’t Produce Faith

February 3, 2015 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

Would A Visible Jesus
Be Easier To Believe?

I know some of the places Jesus traveled and the roads He walked on but I’ve never walked those roads with Him.

I know He traveled by foot and the roads were dusty, but I’ve never observed Him washing the feet of others.

I know Jesus ate fish, honeycomb, figs, olives, bread and lamb, among other things, but I’ve never shared a meal with Him. I’ve never observed Him while He ate.

I know what Jesus taught and what He said in prayer but I’ve never heard the sound of His voice.

I know He had face to face conversations with individuals but I’ve never had the benefit of reading the approval, the concern or the frustration in His eyes.

I have no visuals of Jesus. I don’t know the shape of His beard or the length of His hair. I can only guess at how tall He was or how much He might have weighed.

I’m guessing He wasn’t overweight but I have no visual to prove that.

A limited number have claimed to have seen and conversed with Jesus on earth following His ascension. Some claim His healing powers are just as active today as they ever were.

I know it may seem negative to say it but I’m skeptical about those claims. Before you criticize me too sharply I would qualify my skepticism by saying I’m not cynical.

I have no doubt that Jesus could do all the things I’ve mentioned – walk with us, talk with us, eat with us – and I don’t blame people for wanting that to happen.

I just can’t figure out why He would do these things so sparingly now, when He was so generous with His presence or powers in the first century.

I also think His physical appearance may not be as much of a boon for Gospel as many think.

People often exclaim:

It would be easier to believe if Jesus would just show Himself to us! If He walked with us and talked with us, belief would be automatic! How could we deny Him in the face of His physical presence?

But there are several reasons I’m skeptical about that too. [Read more…] about 4 Reasons Seeing Jesus Won’t Produce Faith

Review: Concord French Fry Cutter

January 30, 2015 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

Evenly Cut Fries
Cook Evenly

This product has gotten some poor reviews on Amazon but our Concord French Fry Potato Cutter has worked very well for us.

No broken blades or bent frames and we’ve used it weekly – more than once a week – for over a year.

The only drawback is my wife struggles to use it – you have to push down hard to cut through a whole potato – but I got the knack right away so it became my job.

Occasionally I’ve cut a larger potato in half lengthwise to make it more manageable but that is to be expected. Potatoes can be very large.

We’ve had loads of great fries, all cooked healthily in our Philips Air Fryer.

I give it a 9 out of 10 only because my wife can’t use it easily. Know this though. The Amazon price is very good. We bought ours overseas and paid almost twice as much.

Review: Philips HD9220/26 Air Fryer

January 29, 2015 by EnnisP 1 Comment

Air Frying Is In
Pan Frying Is Out

The Philips Air Fryer does exactly what it says. No more, no less.

It won’t cook a meal large enough to feed ten. In fact, four is a stretch, but it is great for cooking a batch of pork chops or chicken pieces or – my favorite – french fries large enough to feed 4 or 5.

We bought our fryer on special for under $150 for Mother’s Day (2013) and have used it weekly – conservatively speaking – ever since. It still works like a charm. We’ve never been disappointed.

Does it cook french fries 100% evenly? No, particularly since we cram the cooker basket full, but the fries get more than sufficiently golden and crispy to satisfy the need for visual appeal and texture.

Does it cook entirely oil-free? No, but most of the olive oil I drizzle on our fries, which is very little, goes into the drip pan. And olive oil is a healthy choice!

I give the fryer 10 stars out of 10.

Review: Krups GVX212 Coffee Grinder

January 28, 2015 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

A Coffee Drinker’s
Best Friend

I’ve tried several different grinders in my search for a great brew but none have been as reliable as my KRUPS GVX212 Coffee Grinder.

My Krups is over two years old and I grind enough coffee each day for at least 12 cappucchinos. It’s still going strong.

It comes with two settings: one for quantity (2 to 12 cups) and one for coarseness of the grind. The hopper holds enough beans to last us about a day and a half.

I’ve enjoyed mine so much I recently bought one for my son’s family but I had ulterior motives. It was as much for me as them. His cheap multipurpose grinders made our visits a constant irritation.

He now loves his Krups and wonders why he didn’t upgrade sooner. Even His friends enjoy it.

Would I recommend it. Absolutely! I give it 6 out of a possible 5 stars!!

For several years the price has remained under $60.

8 Basic Truths About Church

January 25, 2015 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

Jesus Made The Church Simple
Humans Complicated It

When a person first becomes a Christian they simultaneously develop an interest in church. Not traditional church. Not denominational structures or buildings but gathering.

With a new heart comes a strong sense of belonging and Christians naturally gravitate to church, wandering blindly into different settings not really knowing what to expect.

New believers aren’t looking for the historical church or traditional church or formal or modern or liberal or conservative church. Mega or mini isn’t the issue. It’s church. It’s a place to gather. They go, and often find themselves fitting in somewhere.

The churches to which they attach can be quite different but there are basic qualities that should be evident wherever they land. This post lists several.

The following ideas are taken from Matthew 18:15-25 which you can read here. [Read more…] about 8 Basic Truths About Church