Change of Plans (Superheroes)

I decided not to continue the Superhero blogs. I know I didn't get far, but the more I thought about it...that is COMPLETELY cheesy.

So, change of of plans.

For those thousands of you that check the iRescue blogspot daily in hopes that I posted the next Superhero blog, here is a completely condensed version of my top five Superheroes of the Bible:

5. Samson (A.K.A. Superman) - Yeah, I know Superman is suppose to be the biggest, baddest (er, goodest) superhero ever...but I still think he is pretty lame. And although Samson is cool, everyone expects him so I didn't move him up the rankings. But, he did kill a lion with his bare hands and 1,000 men with the jawbone of an ass. Oh, and he has his very own kryptonite - women were his weakness. Check it out at Judges 14-16.

4. Moses (A.K.A. Captain Planet) - Earth! Fire! Water! Wind! Heart! Moses used all of these when leading his people out of captivity. It all started with the plagues - blood, frogs, lice, flies, livestock disease, boils, violent hail and fire, locusts, darkness, and death. Later, water split and water came out of rocks to nourish thousands of people. Check it out at Exodus 7.

3. David (A.K.A. Batman) - David didn't really have any supernatural abilities just like Batman. However, he was very resourceful! He used his abilities and weapons to take out lions bears and even giants! Then, he lurked in the shadows while escaping his enemies. Check it out at 1 Samuel 17 and 24.

2. Elijah (A.K.A. The Flash) - You might have not heard of this guy and that is just too bad. Elijah’s incredible God-given speed allowed him to outrun a chariot over a distance of about 13 miles. Of course he did possess a few powers that the Flash lacks, such as the time when he called down fire to consume 51 men who came to capture him. Unfortunately (for them), they sent another 50 after that to try again and they were cooked as well. Check it out at 1 Kings 18:44-46.

1. Josheb-basshebeth, Eleazar and Shammah (A.K.A. The Fantastic Four) - I know, three guys, but you can leave out the Invisible Woman (for a couple of reasons)...King David had a baller group of warriors but he had three that led the pack. Josheb, the captain of the three, used his spear to kill 800 men at one time. Eleazar found himself facing the Philistine army alone, but he fought them until he was exhausted and when the rest of his army came to help him, they found Eleazar had already slain them all. Shammah stood his ground against an army when his own fled. Check it out at 2 Samuel 23.

Superheroes (Part 1)

There is absolutely nothing better than a muscle-clad man or woman fighting crime WHILE looking good in tights. And to top it all off, most of these heroes have some kind of power that we, mere humans, don't have.

Movies, television shows, songs, and comic books all portray them. But only a few of us are lucky enough to say we know the real superheroes (see World Superhero Registry...or don't, it all depends on if you want to be embarrassed or not).

Believe it or not, the Bible records some very interesting people that did some pretty incredible things. Some would say that they did super things. Some would say that they were their hero. We can just settle and say they were both super and heroes...superheroes.

Over the next couple of days I will share with you my Top 5 Biblical figures with "superpowers" of their own. Stay tuned.

Affirmation File

I am really just an amateur when it comes to being a youth pastor and even fairly fresh when it comes to being in the work environment at all. But I have been here long enough, and can see enough into the future, to understand how difficult it can sometimes be. No matter what field of expertise you find yourself in, there will always be those seasons in which you are down and out. Sometimes you may even want to give up and just quit all together. Those times are when this concept will come into play with the greatest results.

The idea is to begin an affirmation file. You can call it something else so it doesn't sound so plain and rigid, but the concept should remain the same.

When you receive a thank you note, encouragement letter, or any kind of recognition for a job well done, save it. It is as simple as that. It's tempting to sometimes toss these notes or let it gather with the rest of the clutter, but don't let this happen! Instead, immortalize them by saving them in a file folder or a box.

Next year when you are struggling, or you feel like you can't produce the quality you once did, or no one seems to appreciate your hard work, you might be able to pull out a note or two to read. After two or three years the folder may begin to bulge, and after 10 years you'll need a crane to move it.

This might sound conceited or self-centered right now. But I promise you that when you get to the low points in life it is often difficult to remember the high points. This file should help you shed some much needed tears and put a smile back on your face. Try it.