0-16, at least we are tied for the worst team ever, but which one is the absolute worst

Over the weekend something not so amazing happened. The Cleveland Browns lost their 16^th straight game tying them with the Detroit Lions as the worst record in NFL history (For a 16 game season). While I feel bad for the Browns and their fan base. I rejoice for the fact we are no longer the only 0-16 team.

Just like we like to do as humans, we start to compare. Which team would win between the 2008 Lions and the 2017 Browns? This peaked my interest as I read articles about the teams. Who had the better people at each position? This was discussed in great detail over a couple of articles. After spending about 20 minutes of my life deeply entrenched in this debate, I came to my conclusion. We will never know and this was a waste of 20 minutes of my life.

I sat back in awe. I just wasted 20 minutes of my life on a fake debate. How much better could I have spent my time? Not exactly what I thought I would do with my time, studying about a fake game that could never take place. I turned off my phone and moved on. We tend to waste some of our lives on pointless chatter.

This happens in the church. Paul address this talk when sharing with Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:3-4, “As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work – which is by faith.”

False teachers can overtake the church and Paul wanted Timothy to stay there to stop this from happening. False teachings can ruin the church. On top of this, people devoted themselves to myths and endless genealogies. The results of this didn’t have any ability to accomplish what God intended us to accomplish. I thought the words controversial speculations was powerful. The Greek meaning of these words means without limits and idle dispute. Idle dispute can destroy churches and pointless chatter can stop all movements in God’s work and/or our lives.

Idle disputes and pointless chatter can still impact the church today. Just this week someone told me a story about a church (We will call this person Sam). Sam said they were sitting in a dentist chair getting their teeth cleaned. The person cleaning their teeth talked about how they knew some of the same people as Sam. Sam asked how they knew them and the person said church. Then this person told Sam but they didn’t see much of these people because their church had a big split over worship. For the next 40 minutes Sam (getting his teeth cleaned with no place to go) endured this person’s story about how there was this worship minister that was loved by the congregation and he was replaced by some young kid who wore flip flops on stage. The person went on to tell how this split the church and couldn’t believe the church leadership would do this. Sam mind you has attended church but never more then that. Did this person telling Sam about a church split accomplish God’s work? Did Sam learn more about the love of Jesus through this story of a church split?

We need to limit controversial speculations in our lives. Something’s in our lives are within our control, some are not. We as Christians need to focus on God’s work. We need to share love and hope with a sincere faith. We need to limit pointless chatter like the 20 minutes focusing on a game that won’t ever happen and focus on more important things. What do you need to focus more on and what pointless chatter do you need to turn away from?

Have a great day.

The Bible is full of mistakes

The Bible is wrong.

One area that I struggled in faith was the area of the Bible.
·         It’s been translated to many times
·         It contradicts itself
·         They pick and choose what they wanted to keep in

Any excuse you can think of, I probably said against the Bible.

It was tough for me to be convinced that it was true and right.

Even after I had faith, I still struggled to answer questions about the Bible contradicting itself.

I have a better idea now.

If you have questions about the Bible, message me.

Why I am going into this subject is a little section of scripture in John 7:53-8:11.

At the beginning of this section of scripture it says this…

“The earliest manuscripts and many other ancient witnesses do not have John 7:53-8:11.”

“Why is it in the Bible” is a common question.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary said this about the scripture…

“Almost all textual scholars agree that these verses were not part of the original manuscript of the Gospel of John. The NIV states in brackets that “The earliest and most reliable manuscripts do not have John 7:53-8:11.” The style and vocabulary of this passage differ from the rest of the Gospel, and the passage interrupts the sequence from 7:52-8:12. It is probably a part of true oral tradition which was added to later Greek manuscripts by copyists.”

So what it in in there?

Some scholars still claim this word is true, but would rather put this warning on it.

Better safe than sorry.

If you have any questions on the Bible, I will answer them and try to point you in the right direction.

The Bible is true, I believe in the word, and that it can change lives for the better when put in a practice.

Have a great day.