Like most bloggers, I keep track of the hits that come in to the site. I use Sitemeter, which I like a lot. I like to see where people are coming to my blog from in the webiverse, and sitemeter has a great referral page.
If I am active in a particular week, I usually see between 30-50 unique hits, which, while always a nice surprise, is by no means a huge feat. I am humbled that anyone would be interest enough to read this blog, which is mostly a few comments on what someone else is talking about, if that, and/or fewer and fewer family updates.
So I was surprised when my sitemeter showed that this week I had 90 unique visitors to this blog.
I don't think it's the first time I've gotten that high, but the last time it was because I got a random link on an MSNBC blog (Clicked) because I posted a random you tube video. I think I got over 100 visits that time...
But anyway, I wanted to know where these hits came from. Here is the breakdown:
17 were "unknown." Which means they likely came from feed readers.
(Bloglines, google reader, etc)
48 (!) were for this post on a sermon I wrote on Proverbs 31. This is the page that consistently gets the most hits each week. Some weeks it is the only page that gets any hits. If you do a google search on "proverbs 31 sermon" that page is ranked like #3 or something. Pretty cool.
A little less inspiring, 13 of the 90 were for this post. Which is the post that gets the second most hits of all pages on this blog. It is the series of humorous promotional commercials that SNY released last year to promote the network. (Which I have re-embedded, since people looking for them were not getting to see them!)
The remaining 12 hits were from other friends blogs and from facebook, where I recently piggybacked this blog.
I have been encouraged to find that, since I posted it, so many people have seen the ending of the sermon on Proverbs 31. My encouragement is (knowing my own heart) probably at least a bit self-serving, but it's not often as a pastor that you say something potentially original about a text. I say 'potentially' because I haven't read or heard every sermon ever given on that text, nor every commentary, but as far as I know, that is an original approach to that text. And after 2000 years of preaching and commentary, things like that just don't happen very often. So I am thankful to God for the thought, and more thankful that others are seeing it and perhaps even using it in their own sermons on the text.
But those are the most popular pages so far. Strange and Cool.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
O the Guilt!
Kevin DeYoung has a great post for Christians who feel guilty a lot.
Guilt has it's place in the lives of Christians, mostly because we SIN, but as DeYoung says, "I don’t believe God redeemed us through the blood of his Son that we might feel like constant failures."
He gives 4 reasons why we DO feel that way, and some consequences...
Highly recommended read for the guilty and the ignorant alike.
Guilt has it's place in the lives of Christians, mostly because we SIN, but as DeYoung says, "I don’t believe God redeemed us through the blood of his Son that we might feel like constant failures."
He gives 4 reasons why we DO feel that way, and some consequences...
Highly recommended read for the guilty and the ignorant alike.
Saturday, May 08, 2010
A Contemporvant Service
This from JTs blog at the gospel coalition:
"Sunday's Coming" Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.
There are so many obvious pokes at real people in this video that make it even funnier than it is intended to be (I think). I hope they have a sense of humor.
Beyond that however, it's kind of sad that this phenomenon is so prevalent and so popular that it can satire itself in the same way that this movie genre does and arguably do a better job...
I've never been in that church. But I know me, and I ought not ever be in that church.
But I'll post some of their you tube videos. ;-)
"Sunday's Coming" Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.
There are so many obvious pokes at real people in this video that make it even funnier than it is intended to be (I think). I hope they have a sense of humor.
Beyond that however, it's kind of sad that this phenomenon is so prevalent and so popular that it can satire itself in the same way that this movie genre does and arguably do a better job...
I've never been in that church. But I know me, and I ought not ever be in that church.
But I'll post some of their you tube videos. ;-)
Thursday, May 06, 2010
Make War (2 Cor. 10:3)
It's a little on the harder side of rap for my usual tastes, but I think that's appropriate for the subject matter... and I love the Piper quote...
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
Devotions Aren't Magic
This is a great post from the Desiring God Blog - It doesn't need my commentary.
Devotions Aren't Magic
(Author: Jon Bloom)
We know that—for the most part. But still, we can be tempted to think that if we just figure out the secret formula—the right mixture of Bible meditation and prayer—we will experience euphoric moments of rapturous communion with the Lord. And if that doesn't happen, our formula must be wrong.
The danger of this misconception is that it can produce chronic disappointment and discouragement. Cynicism sets in and we give up because devotions don't seem to work for us.
The longing for intimate communion with God is God-given. He will satisfy it fully some day. And the Spirit gives us occasional tastes. But God has other purposes for us in our daily Bible meditation and prayer. Here are a few:
Soul Exercise (1 Corinthians 9:24, Romans 15:4): We exercise our bodies to increase strength, endurance, promote general health, and keep unnecessary weight off. Devotions are like exercise for our souls. They force our attention off of self-indulgent distractions and pursuits and on to God's purposes and promises. If we neglect this exercise we will go to pot.
Soul Shaping (Romans 12:2): The body will generally take the shape of how we exercise it. Running shapes one way, weight training shapes another way. The same is true for the soul. It will conform to how we exercise (or don't exercise) it.
Bible Copiousness (Psalm 119:11, Psalm 119:97, Proverbs 23:12): A thorough, repeated, soaking in the Bible over the course of years increases our body of biblical knowledge, providing fuel for the fire of worship and increasing our ability to draw from all parts of the Bible in applying God's wisdom to life.
Fight Training (Ephesians 6:10-17): Marines undergo rigorous training in order to so ingrain their weapons knowledge that when suddenly faced with the chaos of combat they instinctively know what to do. Similarly, devotions make us more skilled warriors.
Delight Cultivation (Psalm 37:3-4, James 4:8, Psalm 130:5): When a couple falls in love there are hormonal fireworks. But in marriage they must cultivate delight in one another. It is the consistent, persistent, faithful, intentional, affectionate pursuit of one another during better and worse, richer and poorer, sickness and healthy times that cultivates a capacity for delight in each other far deeper and richer than the fireworks phase. Similarly, devotions are one of the ways we cultivate delight in God. Many days it may seem mundane. But we will be surprised at the cumulative power they have to deepen our love for and awareness of Him.
Devotions Aren't Magic
(Author: Jon Bloom)
We know that—for the most part. But still, we can be tempted to think that if we just figure out the secret formula—the right mixture of Bible meditation and prayer—we will experience euphoric moments of rapturous communion with the Lord. And if that doesn't happen, our formula must be wrong.
The danger of this misconception is that it can produce chronic disappointment and discouragement. Cynicism sets in and we give up because devotions don't seem to work for us.
The longing for intimate communion with God is God-given. He will satisfy it fully some day. And the Spirit gives us occasional tastes. But God has other purposes for us in our daily Bible meditation and prayer. Here are a few:
Soul Exercise (1 Corinthians 9:24, Romans 15:4): We exercise our bodies to increase strength, endurance, promote general health, and keep unnecessary weight off. Devotions are like exercise for our souls. They force our attention off of self-indulgent distractions and pursuits and on to God's purposes and promises. If we neglect this exercise we will go to pot.
Soul Shaping (Romans 12:2): The body will generally take the shape of how we exercise it. Running shapes one way, weight training shapes another way. The same is true for the soul. It will conform to how we exercise (or don't exercise) it.
Bible Copiousness (Psalm 119:11, Psalm 119:97, Proverbs 23:12): A thorough, repeated, soaking in the Bible over the course of years increases our body of biblical knowledge, providing fuel for the fire of worship and increasing our ability to draw from all parts of the Bible in applying God's wisdom to life.
Fight Training (Ephesians 6:10-17): Marines undergo rigorous training in order to so ingrain their weapons knowledge that when suddenly faced with the chaos of combat they instinctively know what to do. Similarly, devotions make us more skilled warriors.
Delight Cultivation (Psalm 37:3-4, James 4:8, Psalm 130:5): When a couple falls in love there are hormonal fireworks. But in marriage they must cultivate delight in one another. It is the consistent, persistent, faithful, intentional, affectionate pursuit of one another during better and worse, richer and poorer, sickness and healthy times that cultivates a capacity for delight in each other far deeper and richer than the fireworks phase. Similarly, devotions are one of the ways we cultivate delight in God. Many days it may seem mundane. But we will be surprised at the cumulative power they have to deepen our love for and awareness of Him.
Friday, April 30, 2010
More Francis Chan for your Disillusionment
Watch with care...
That sinking feeling.. that - right there... that feeling you have?
That's called conviction.
Drink Deep.
That sinking feeling.. that - right there... that feeling you have?
That's called conviction.
Drink Deep.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
What are you wrapped around?
This has been making the rounds and I found it challenging and refreshing.
I think our whole American Christian culture is tightly wrapped around the beam, and it's gonna take some serious prying to get us unlatched - myself included. But let's get started...
I think our whole American Christian culture is tightly wrapped around the beam, and it's gonna take some serious prying to get us unlatched - myself included. But let's get started...
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
A Great Heart
Can't get enough Spurgeon...
“A man who is to do much with men must love them and feel at home with them. An individual who has no geniality about him had better be an undertaker and bury the dead, for he will never succeed in influencing the living. . . . A man must have a great heart, if he would have a great congregation. His heart should be as capacious as those noble harbors along our coast, which contain sea-room for a fleet. When a man has a large, loving heart, men go to him as ships to a haven and feel at peace when they have anchored under the lee of his friendship. Such a man is hearty in private as well as in public; his blood is not cold and fishy but he is warm as your own fireside. No pride and selfishness chill you when you approach him; he has his doors all open to receive you, and you are home with him at once. Such men I would persuade you to be, every one of you.”
C. H. Spurgeon, Lectures to my Students (Grand Rapids, 1970), page 169.
HT: Ray Ortlund
“A man who is to do much with men must love them and feel at home with them. An individual who has no geniality about him had better be an undertaker and bury the dead, for he will never succeed in influencing the living. . . . A man must have a great heart, if he would have a great congregation. His heart should be as capacious as those noble harbors along our coast, which contain sea-room for a fleet. When a man has a large, loving heart, men go to him as ships to a haven and feel at peace when they have anchored under the lee of his friendship. Such a man is hearty in private as well as in public; his blood is not cold and fishy but he is warm as your own fireside. No pride and selfishness chill you when you approach him; he has his doors all open to receive you, and you are home with him at once. Such men I would persuade you to be, every one of you.”
C. H. Spurgeon, Lectures to my Students (Grand Rapids, 1970), page 169.
HT: Ray Ortlund
Thursday, April 01, 2010
Sunday's Coming!
Not as good as the last one, but powerful because it's true.
And tomorrow's FRIDAY! .... But Sunday's Comin...
And tomorrow's FRIDAY! .... But Sunday's Comin...
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Quiet Fanatics
Not sure where Ray Ortlund Jr. finds these guys in order to quote them, but this one smacked me in the face today...
Lord, please make me what you need me to be for your kingdom.
“It is a growing conviction of mine that no parish can fulfill its true function unless there is at the very center of its leadership life a small community of quietly fanatic, changed and truly converted Christians. The trouble with most parishes is that nobody, including the pastor, is really greatly changed. . . .
We do not want ordinary men. Ordinary men cannot win the brutally pagan life of a city like New York for Christ. We want quiet fanatics.”
John Heuss, Our Christian Vocation (Greenwish, 1955), pages 15-16.
Lord, please make me what you need me to be for your kingdom.
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Great sermon... Paul Washer
I've heard of Paul Washer, but this is the first of his sermons that I have listened to from beginning to end. It's fantastic. The title of the you-tube clip is what made me listen, because looking at Paul Washer does not make me think about rap music. :-)
But I love reformed rap, and it is becoming more and more lovely to me, and Mr. Washer gives good warnings to these guys at this conference, but what he does later in the sermon shutting down carnal Christianity and after that with 1 John is worth the hour.
Dig in and be challenged and be fed.
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