1. Gives you a teaser- Article interviews gives exciting appetizers to readers to the interviewee. Where his next book, project or website, interview article will make you crave for more.
2. Gives you behind the scene view- If you like those behind-the-scene videos on how blockbuster movies are made, interview articles can also do that. How a specific interviewee says for example he is an author of a book. How he writes, the style or methods he apply, how important things came to be, who are the people working behind it etc., will captivate people to read or listen to interviews.
3. Issues are answered- important issues are directly asked and answered. Interview articles are follow-ups and supplements for the interviewee’s previous statements.
4. Sometimes it’s more personal- Article interviews get you in-depth to the person life and how it affects his stand or conviction.
5. Very engaging- a no hold barred, one on one conversation interview is something to see. It will glue you to read it to the end.

Anything to add? Please post your comments

1. Add more time to edit- As if you have a deadline to catch or your readers are dying to read your post. Stop and give yourself plenty of time.
2. Check the grammar- Bring some light of clarity and sweep errors to your article. Spell check every word and read the structure of the sentences. Have someone check it out for you.
3. Don’t forget the add-ons. Pictures, links, tags and social media buttons should be present in your article. Have you included it on your post?
4. Let it ‘simmer’. Do you need it to simmer? I mean hold its posting for a while. Think about your article in terms of its theme or content. Will you hold it’s posting for awhile to be posted on a specific season or occasion? Do you need to post it to a specific time that you think many will see it?
5. Answer the question: Is it God glorifying? This is the million dollar question for every Christian blogger. Does it promote Christ, presents the gospel and edify fellow believers? Think about it.

Anything to make life easier for our fellow bloggers? Your comments are welcome.

Delighting Grace:  How did you get started in Our Daily Bread? Did you apply or what?

Dave Branon: I started working for Our Daily Bread as an assistant editor for the publication. I had been teaching high school English and coaching basketball, but when the opportunity to become a part of RBC Ministries opened up, I felt that God was calling me to leave one profession I loved (working with kids) and move to another (writing and editing Christian literature). Once I started here, I was given some writing assignments with other RBC publications, and I guess I did okay with those articles. Eventually, I was asked to write articles for ODB and the editors have stuck with me. I’ve been writing for Our Daily Bread since 1988. Almost 1,000 articles!

Delighting Grace: Wow incredible 1,000 articles! Our Daily Bread is the most famous and longest running devotional in the world. Can you tell us the process or steps in making or writing it before it can go to the readers.

Dave Branon: Each month, the writers are asked to submit a number of articles to the editor, Anne Cetas. These articles are collected by the ODB staff, copied, and distributed to our evaluation committee. This committee reads each article ahead of time and then meets together to discuss each one in detail. We look at the illustration to see if it is a good one; we examine the Bible reading and the teaching to make sure they go together. We think about the ending and whether it works. Occasionally, we send an article back to the writer to do additional work. Sometimes, we have to say that the article simply won’t work.
All articles that make it through the committee are then edited for length, clarity, grammar, punctuation, biblical accuracy, and a bunch of other things. The articles then have to go to translators, who turn them into the other languages we produce. The entire process takes a year from beginning to end.

Delighting Grace: Do ODB staff have a devotion time in the office? How do you do devotion with the staff?

Dave Branon: RBC Ministries has many departments. The ODB staff is part of the publishing team. We meet each Monday morning for devotions. We take turns sharing whatever the Lord lays on our heart.  The entire RBC staff meets together each Wednesday for chapel. And, of course, we all have our churches we attend for additional time in learning and worshiping and service.

Delighting Grace: In your opinion, why is Our Daily Bread became well loved by millions?

Dave Branon: I think the fact that the ODB staff is very careful to present articles that are solidly based on God’s Word is the key. Also, we stay away from side issues that divide believers needlessly. The essence of what we want to say is based on the gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear teachings of Scripture. Also, having an illustration/story based devotional is a high-interest element that keeps people coming back for more, I think. It’s a great combination of human interest and biblical teaching. 

Delighting Grace: How can readers make most of their devotional time using Our Daily Bread?

Dave Branon: Make sure you read the Scripture. If you read that and absorb the teaching of Scripture, then anything we say is just a little bonus. Focus on the Word. And then see if that last paragraph can be applied in your life. We try to give you an action point or a way to focus on God at the end. That’s your homework for the day.

Delighting Grace: Personally, how did Our Daily Bread influence you as a Christian?

Dave Branon: ODB was a part of our dinner devotions every day as I was growing up. My dad read it to us after each meal. Also, we listened to the Radio Bible Class on the radio each Sunday. So the concepts and teachings of RBC were part of my formative years as a youngster.

Delighting Grace: How about you, how do you do your devotional time?

Dave Branon: It’s a mixture of things for me. One advantage I have is that I spend eight hours every day immersed in spiritual teaching with my writing and editing. Also, I try to read the Bible through each year (often, I don’t make it through, but that’s okay). And, I teach a Sunday school class at my church, which keeps me in the word for hours a week. Worship and devotion are a part of all of life for the Christian.

Delighting Grace: Please invite our readers to check ODB out and other stuff RBC can offer to us?

Dave Branon: If you go to our website, you will find that RBC has so much more to offer than  ODB. Feel free to use our other tools. I spend most of my time working for Discovery House Publishers—and I even have a book available from DHP. It’s called Beyond the Valley. It’s just one of hundreds of things you can get from our ministry to help you grow. 

Delighting Grace: Thank you Dave for giving us your time for this interview. Also I would like to acknowledge DHP Publicist Katy R. Pent for making this interview possible. God bless you Katy and Dave and more power!

“The ultimate aim of marriage is to reflect God’s image; to reflect the glory of his grace and Being. This means that marriage can never an end in itself. It exists for a greater purpose than its own fulfillment.

When two people are joined in the Lord., something of the glory of God should be seen. The Father’s love for his Son; the Son’s love for his Father; the Spirit’s love for both—these should be at least sensed and tasted in a Christian marriage. If there is grace in it, then there will be a touch of glory in it too. God demonstrated his glory clearly in the sacrifice of his Son. So a marriage demonstrates the glory of God when at its heart there is a spirit of self-sacrificing love.” (Discovering God’s Will by Sinclair B. Ferguson, pp.100, The Banner of Trust)

There are many reasons why girls do these things to boys. I’m not in the position to speak for the opposite sex but I think (and I could be wrong here) sometimes they do it because, for one they are really going crazy for this guy or their age (getting old). However, those behaviors should not justify what they are experiencing. Both girls and boys are in the same boat. If it’s hard for them to wait for someone then it’s hard for our part to look for someone. To tell you honestly, it’s more difficult to find a partner for life being a follower of Christ than those who are unbelievers. But no matter how difficult it is, it’s the right and godly thing to do.

Now before I end this article let us consider the following advices I have for both girls and boys. I’m not authoritative on these things (for one I had major flaws on these) but please find this as an advice from an older brother.

For our sisters in Christ with these tendencies let me give you four things to consider:

1. It turns us off. Really it’s a minus for you! Boys are the ones who should pursue you (and I think that is biblical).
2. It teaches us to be passive. Girl wants to be on top. Girls doing boys should be doing. Giving gifts. Doing for favors. We guys tend to get passive as we see girls doing stuff for us. Now we find it nice but sometimes if it goes out of hand, trying to impress us you’ll end up a slave.
3. It opens us to abuse you. This is the extend of teaching us to be passive. By now we know that you can do this or that for us and we know that you like us.
4. It feeds our ego. A girl doing things for the sake that they like us feeds our old nature (the macho image).

Now guys I won’t let you off the hook. Consider the following as you deal with girls who are head over heels for you:

1. Go straight to the point. Tell her the truth. It may be painful but at least it will save both of you more heartache. That’s the most manly thing to do.
2. Keep distance. If she still insists, then better stay away from her. If both of you are in the same ministry, don’t come or leave church together.
3. Treat her as a sister in Christ. Remember she is also a sinner brought by the blood of Christ like you, not a piece of meat. So treat her like what Christ does for His redeemed ones.
4. Introduce her to your other Christian friends. Not that you’re helping her to find Mr. Right but for her to know other fellow believers and widen her circle of friends.
5. Pray for her. Tell her you’ll be praying for her for the right person God will give to her.

Again, whether you’re a boy or a girl keep yourself blameless before man and God. Learn to walk the talk. In the end, treating each other in a manner God calls us to matters most eternally.

(image copyright by Cedric)

John 17:9-10 KJV “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me; for they are thine: and all things that are mine are thine, and thine are mine: and I am glorified in them.”

It’s been said that when we pray we are talking to God. We should consider that a joy and honor for a believer to talk to his Creator. What’s more blessed is when God prays for His redeemed ones. That’s what Jesus has done in our passage. Considering that He will die the next day and He should pray for Himself but that’s not the case. He prayed for His disciples. He prayed for us. He continues to intercede for us in heaven. What an honor that is.

As we check our text we shall see that prayer is a holy covering for us to protect us from the wiles of the devil and this wicked world. Jesus is so concern to us that He prayed for us. Looking at John 17: 9-10, we see that this kind of prayer offers levels. Levels that we should know and acknowledge. Levels that brings us deeper in every steps to know how God protects us and love us:

1.)    Privilege- “I pray for them” (v. 9), Jesus praying for his followers. People prays for you well being, that’s a privilege. But how much more if you’re God is praying for you. Take that as a privilege. Many unbelievers who are “religious” pray to God. They are fervent in their petitions (although God doesn’t hear them.) Our privilege is that knowing Christ is interceding for us let us grab that privilege to be more effective Christian in whatever field or ministry we are called to.

2.)    Exclusive- Still in verse 9 we read “I pray not for the world”. This is the second level of this prayer. Here Jesus zeros in on who is He praying for protection. He will not pray for the world because His prayer is specifically for the saved. There is separation. There is a wedge. So the question is why is Jesus not praying for the world? Here are the reason:

1. They hated God (John 17: 14)
2. We are the ones to do God’s will (John 17:18) and they are not. They will not do it because they are in rebellion with God.

If you’re given a VIP ticket to a concert or basketball game, you won’t sit at the farthest seat of the venue. You will sit on the VIP box. You are exclusively watching the event closer that anyone else. That’s why Christ prayer is exclusive. We are closer to Christ than the world.

3.)     Intimate- this is the last and deepest level of the prayer of Christ for the believer. Read verse 9-10 “but for those whom thou hast given me; for they are thine: and all things that are mine are thine, and thine are mine”. Couples, you won’t dare to share your husband or wife to anyone. And I mean not to anyone. Because your relationship with your husband or wife is intimate. There is an agreement in marriage between both of you and as witness by the public in that you will pursue that life together, that is intimate. As the Bible states you’re one. For now on that you have is now own and shared by both of you.

How much more is this prayer of Christ showing us love and protection? There is a mutual exchange between God the Father and God the Son. His elect is what the Father gave to Jesus and Jesus acknowledge it because they are His. What a prayer that is! Many of us keep saying Christianity is not religion, it’s a relationship. And as we have seen here is proof. An intimate prayer for the believer.

Now that we know the levels of such precious prayer for us believers what then shall we consider. What then happens for knowing such truth? Let’s look at two of them:

1. Jesus is glorified. “and I am glorified in them” verse 10. Praying such petition is glorifying Christ. It’s exalts him. The privilege, exclusiveness and intimacy of the prayer that protects and loves us glorify Jesus. So we are walking in holy ground in this. We should no live and die for that prayer that glorify our Lord and Savior.
2. Exceeding Joy. “that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves” verse 13. Jesus holy covering of prayer brings joy to Him. Protecting and loving us through prayer brings joy to Christ and in that joy we might savor it also as our own very own joy. It is a blessing to have Christ praying for us!

1. One of our new member Sister Estelayn Cayetano followed Christ in baptism last January 29, 2012. Ptr Ceasar
   Hernandez baptized her at our mother church Good Shepherd Baptist Church Batangas City. Please continue to pray for her as grows in Christ and be used in for God’s glory.
2. We had our monthly meeting last February 3, 2012. We check how we are handling the programs and activities of our church. It’s a blessing to know that we are making progress. Please continue to intercede for us that our church will be strong and go further for the gospel.
3. Our Young People and Young Stewards attended Love Sunday of Good Shepherd Baptist Church. The topic is love and courtship. The guest speaker is my friend Ptr. JR de Guzman. The message was very encouraging and our YP&YS were truly blessed. We also invited Ptr. De Guzman and his Young People to our Love Sunday coming this February 19. Please pray for us for this God glorifying program for our YP&YS.
4. We are pushing sports and the gospel every Saturday morning as our pastor lead our basketball fellowship. As of now we have shared the gospel and some hoops to 11 people at a public covered court. We are now in the process to have a game match between our men and police officers where our pastor conduct Bible Study.
5. This coming week we will start building a children’s department section at our church. Also our bulletin board will have a makeover to serve our Young People and Young Stewards.

In behalf of our pastor, Joberth Hernandez, I would like to thank everyone who has been praying and supporting us through the year. God bless you more!

By the way, what are your favorite biography books of heroes of the faith? Please post it in the comments.

Conference Notes Collection from Tim Schraeder – from the recent Elephant Room 2 to Catalyst, Willcreek Global Leadership Summit, Echo etc. compiled in a PDF e-book so you’ll never miss out the action of these conferences.

A Heavenly Home by Zac Poonen- a collection of sermons preached at his 4 sons wedding. Great messages for starting a family

LampLighter Magazine Jan/Feb 2012 issue

Visual Theology: Attributes of God (info graphics) by Tim Challies

Better Never to Have Been Born by Steve Lawson sermon transcript

Quote of the Week

 “There is no greater privilege open to man than knowing God and this is what held out to us through faith.”—Sinclair Ferguson

More quotes over my Tumblr blog

From the Blog Archive:

Follow the Way of the Master: Delighting Grace Interviews Mark Dennis Aglosolos of Living Waters Asia

Video of the Week

“How to Build Values into Our Kids throughout the Day” by Jonathan Mckee

1. Write it-if you check the section of this blog titled “The Bad News” you get an idea on how you will write it on your own blog.
2. Post a Video- Check YouTube for evangelistic videos for you to post on your blog. Choose short ones and has a clear presentation of the gospel. check this example: Which Way to Heaven? by John MacArthur
3. Embed a Digital Tract or Booklet- it will be nice to have it on the blog were your readers can digitally turn pages like reading an actual booklet. Chick tracts have digital tracts you can easily post on your blog.
4. Place a link- it is the easiest thing you can do. Post a link to a website that has a gospel message on it.
5. Post Photos- post pictures that illustrate the gospel. It could be a series of pictures that will represent important points of the gospel message. It could be pictures of the following: man, God, sin, Jesus, cross, hell, heaven etc. with verses.

Anything you can add to the list? Please post in on the comments.