Single Focus

Baby Got Book

2008-10-26T19:08:00.000-04:00

-Amber-

More Funnies...

2008-10-25T00:25:00.001-04:00

-Kyle-

wow

2008-10-17T14:18:00.001-04:00

-Kyle-

Lord You're So Good To Me

2008-10-02T15:14:00.003-04:00

Last night at my home group we sang a very familiar Sovereign Grace Song, “You’re So Good to Me” As with everything else this week, this song came at the PERFECT timing (you can read more about that on my blog), in particular the chorus. Last night, through this song, I was so ministered to that I took some time this morning and broke down the different lines of the chorus and applied some Scripture verses to them. I do this with a lot of songs because it helps me apply the glorious gospel truths that are proclaimed through so many worship songs. As I sing about God and all that He has accomplished for me, may I remember that I am no longer bound to sin, but AM NOW ALLIVE IN CHRIST!!!

For You have crowned my days
I need to remember that every day I go through the Lord is at hand, He is my Shepherd and I have NOTHING to worry about!

James 1:12- “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trail, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”

Revelation 2:10- “Do not fear what you are about to suffer….Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

With overwhelming grace
Day to day when I sin and fail to recognize God’s hand upon my life His grace is there to forgive me for my failures. His mercies are new and His love NEVER fails.

2 Corinthians 12:9- “My grace is sufficient for you. For my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Ephesians 1:6-7- “To the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.”

Ephesians 2:4-5- “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ- by grace you have been saved.”

Titus 2:11-12- “For the grace of God has appeased, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.”

Lord You’re so good to me
Though going through difficult times right now, I can still say that God has been so GOOD to me. My family is extremely BLESSED and His grace continues to pour out on us.

Romans 8:28- “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Though troubles fall like rain
Though day to day I face difficult circumstances, I need to trust God! I need to rely on His goodness and strength to get me through my days.

1 Peter 1:6- “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials

James 1:2- “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

This precious truth remains
The precious truth remains that Christ has redeemed me from His wrath! Day to day when I fail to recognize His goodness, He still remains faithful to me. Christ sent His Son to pay for my sins and has already ordained ALL of my days. What refreshment this brings to my soul and oh the JOY it brings!

John 3:16- “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Psalm 25:10- “All the paths of the Lord are steadfast, love, and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.”

Lamentations 3:22-23- “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

Lord You’re so good to me
Yes you’re so good to me!

-Candace

Creepiest Thing I Have Ever Seen...

2008-10-01T12:23:00.000-04:00

-Kyle-

Don't Waste Your Sports

2008-09-20T01:52:00.003-04:00

What will keep us from turning sports... into something ugly rather than beautiful?

I was sent this link from my home group leader a few weeks ago, in which it immediately caught my attention because sports are an interest of mine, and have been a big part of my life growing up. I typed out my notes below but you can listen to C.J. Mahaney give the sermon at this link:

Don't Waste Your Sports sermon by C.J. Mahaney

We must not allow our participation in sports or the viewing of sports to become idolatry, to become a false and functional God, to become a substitute for God, to become something we love in place of God, worship in place of God, and serve in place of God. Sports, is a gift from God, but when you add the human heart to the game itself, its all to easy for the gift to become an idol.

Principal 1

Participation in sports must be informed by the knowledge of God. We have a tendency, when considering the topic of glorifying God in sports, to proceed immediately to practical application and to prematurely consider specific ways we are called to glorify God in sports. But any practical consideration must first proceed from a theologically informed understanding of the character of God as revealed in Scripture and the person and work of Christ. We must begin our consideration of this topic, as well as of every topic, with God. Until we behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ we cannot accurately or authentically glorify God (2 Corinthians 4:6). Before we play sports for the glory of God we must behold the glory of God.

Principal 2

Participation in sports must be done as worship to God. Before we step onto the field or court, the Christian must realize this isn't just simply or solely a field or court but, a context for worship. Scripture is clear in that we are to worship and glorify God in all in life, which obviously includes sports. This perspective transforms the playing field into a context to worship and to glorify God, not impress others or draw attention to myself. This perspective transforms the game into an opportunity to honor God, express ones love for God, reflect the character of God, and to bring glory to God.

Practice 1

We glorify God in sports, by giving thanks to God for sports. If we fail to give thanks to God, we do not glorify God, and instead we cultivate a God ignoring, man centered, idolatress heart and attitude.

Practice 2

We glorify God in sports, by displaying Godly character in sports. We glorify God when we play sports, with humility. The humble athlete is modest when he wins and gracious in defeat.

- Nick
My Blog

Worst Poem Ever...

2008-09-19T09:25:00.000-04:00

Down, straight down to the dark murky depths

To avoid the eye that never sleeps

I sit and wait, watch and listen

Hoping, wishing 'please don't find me'

Stupid, dumb, obtuse, thick-witted

Didn't you read the second line?

-Kyle

Haiti

2008-09-15T23:18:00.000-04:00

-Kyle-

The Ladder: Part IV

2008-09-15T09:15:00.000-04:00

This ladder was like no other.

Its facade extended upwards, eventually fading from sight. All the others had a top. An end. you climbed up only to fall short and crawl back down... down.

But not this one.

Anticipation and excitement welled up within him as he realized what this ladder brought with it. Access.

It was the ladder to heaven.

Laughing and weeping uncontrollably, he placed his foot upon the first rung and began to ascend...

(Genesis 28:12, John 1: 43-51)
These verses gave me the idea for this story. I absolutely love it how the New Testament fulfills the Old!

-Kyle-

Where Is Your Boast?

2008-09-13T23:06:00.000-04:00

Jeremiah 9:23-24-“Thus says the Lord: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I DELIGHT, declares the Lord.’”

Recently I was reading the passage of scripture above and was convicted. There have been many occasions in my life that I haven’t boasted in the Lord with all my might, especially when talking to others. I loved Him very much so but, there have been times I let my circumstances rule more than the Lord in my life. How kind of Him to show me this! I should be so excited to tell others about what the Lord has accomplished for me, not what I have accomplished. The passage says that I am to boast in the Lord! I need to realize that more than anyone else in the world, He “understands and knows ME”, that “the Lord is a God who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the ALL the earth.” You know what else? It says that “He delights in doing this!” As John Piper says, “our call in life is to glorify God by enjoying Him FOREVER.” How foolish of me not to do this at ALL times! Christ sent His son to die for me so that I can enjoy this everlasting freedom in Him!

Jeremiah 10:6, 10-"There is NONE like You, O Lord; You are GREAT, and Your name is GREAT in might. But the Lord is the TRUE God; He is the living God and the EVERLASTING King."

There is nothing in this world that I should be boasting in besides our glorious and mighty Father who is in Heaven. The One who sent His son to die showing us His never ending steadfast love. Oh what hope this brings!

The words from the hymn below, “How Deep the Father’s Love” help to remind me of what it is that I should be boasting in:

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

Here are some questions that I needed to ask myself…maybe they apply to your life as well:

1. Is there a thing or situation in my life that I’m more focused on than glorifying God?

2. If someone were to look into my life right now would they see a person that boasts in the ways of the Lord? Or someone that boasts in the ways of the world?

3. If the answers to questions one and two where yes, than what am I going to do to change this?

-Candace

The Ladder: Part III

2008-09-13T00:08:00.001-04:00

He was close enough to touch it now.

Reaching out, he allowed his hand to lightly brush its frame.

Sturdy.

Suppressing small waves of anticipation, this time he placed his hand on a rung and let it remain there a moment. The singing earlier had not been his imagination... he could hear it clearly now.

Could this be it? Had he finally found it? Or, more accurately, had it found him?

He felt a small smile creep onto his lips as he placed both hands on the ladder and peered upward. His breath caught in his throat as his eyes adjusted to the dim light and took in what he saw...

-Kyle-

The Ladder: Part II

2008-09-12T10:36:00.000-04:00

He stopped.

His own breathing echoed in his ears along with the memories of his past... He had spent much of his life looking for this ladder and now to find it in such an unremarkable place it seemed, well... dissapointing.

But they had told him him "come and see", and he had followed. After all, he had not waited this long to turn back now.

Once agian he began to carefully pick his way through the room drawing closer and closer to the ladder... Was that singing he heard?...

-Kyle-

The Ladder: Part I

2008-09-11T14:11:00.000-04:00

"Thats it?" he thought.

The dim light in the room coupled with the dusty haze made actually seeing the ladder quite difficult. Even breathing gave one a smothering sensation.

They had told him it was unimpressive but he had not anticipated this... Surely, something representing such greatness would be accompanied by a little grandeur should it not?

"What good can come of this?" he whispered to himself as he slowly moved deeper into the room, brushing away the dust and cobwebs all around him...

-Kyle-

Dear Mr. Obama

2008-09-11T10:54:00.000-04:00

My mom sent this to me in an e-mail. Check it out:

-Kyle-

ahem...

2008-09-06T00:13:00.000-04:00

"Zeal for truth must be balanced by love for people. Truth without love has no decency; it's just brutality. On the other hand, love without truth has no character; it's just hypocrisy."

- John MacArthur -

God is really using this statement to open my eyes to new areas of sin in my life... thought I would share

-Kyle-

Don't Waste Your Humor

2008-08-13T19:40:00.000-04:00

Last night I listened to one of C.J. Mahaney’s messages titled, “Don’t Waste Your Humor.” It benefited me greatly! You can listen to it Here.

The Main Passage of Scripture was, Proverbs 15:13-15:

“A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed. The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly. All the days of the afflicted are evil, but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast.”

Here are some notes I jotted down:

-The gift of laughter God has kindly given to us.
-When ones heart is cheerful, life becomes a feast. It is a continual celebration regardless of adverse circumstances.
-Laughter is a celebration of the goodness of God.
-If you look beneath the cheerful heart, you will find a discerning heart, a heart of humility.
-Humor protects our hearts from being weighed down with sorrow.

Point one-Humor generates joy:

Nehemiah 8:10-“Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

-Humor is a means of transferring joy from a sorrowful heart into a glad heart.

Point Two- Humor cultivates humility:

-Laughter is a divine gift to the person that is humble. It helps us realize that we are not the center of attention.
-How often do we laugh each day?
-When we don’t find humor in someone making fun of us, we have a high view of ourselves. Humor and humility are an invaluable help during those moments.
-God uses friends to reveal pride in our lives through humor.
-Humiliations hit with little warning! We need to prepare our hearts for those moments.

Point three- Humor serves others:

-Humor is not to impress others or exult ourselves.

Ephesians 4:29- Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

-The divine use of humor is to edify others. It is ultimately to extend grace to others.
-If we’re going to draw attention to ones deficiencies we need to notice our own.

Point four- Gospel centered humor and laughter:

Psalm 126:2-3- “Then our mouth was filled with laughter; and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, ‘the Lord has done great things for them.’ he has done great things for us; we are glad”

-Candace

Weep No More

2008-08-12T00:02:00.000-04:00

The Lord laid this scripture on my heart during worship this past Sunday. I would like to share it, in hopes that it may encourage you as it did me. Now I would ask you to read these verse slowly and ask the Lord for a vivid picture of what is being discribed in these verses.

Revelation 4

1After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." 2At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. 3And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. 4Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. 5From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, 6and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.

Revelation 5

1Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?" 3And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, 4and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5And one of the elders said to me, "Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals."
6And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. 8And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9And they sang a new song, saying,

"Worthy are you to take the scroll

and to open its seals,

for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God

from every tribe and language and people and nation,

10and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,

and they shall reign on the earth."

11Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!" 13And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!" 14And the four living creatures said, "Amen!" and the elders fell down and worshiped.

The first verses in Chapter 4 give us a wonderful glimpse of the glory of heaven, all centered around the one who is seated on the throne. In Chapter 5 we get to partake in a puzzling yet magnificent interaction. First we witness the realization that Scrolls, which are the counsels and decree of God, the Will of God, ultimate fellowship with God, are lock up. The Apostle cannot access that which he desires most, for the his heart would be that of the psalmist: "Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long." Inaccessible are the riches of heaven, and he cries out "Who can change this?, Who can break this curse? He can do nothing, helpless, overcome with despair he weeps.

Maybe you feel like this, aware of the graces' but feel like they are sealed up, inaccessible to you, aware of the glory all around you but joyless because of the pain and suffering that surrounds you. Well may you hear louder then the weeping the sweet sweet words of the elder. "Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals." Behold your Savior, standing before the throne, the Mediator, interceding on your behalf. The Conquering Loin standing as a Lamb who was slain. Remember this picture, a bruised and broken lamb standing alone as Worthy. We can have fellowship with the Father because the our sin has been conquered, and we will partake in all the glory of heaven, where not a tear will fall, and no pain will ever be felt as we worship the one on the throne.

-Ryan-

My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less

2008-06-23T16:33:00.000-04:00

As Seth encouraged us to do on Sunday, I have spent most of my day looking up the words to the song, “My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less” and searching for scripture that goes along with this hymn. Doing so has been very beneficial to me. I’m so thankful to God for song writers like Edward Mote who have used their giftings in the area of songwriting to proclaim God’s truth.

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteous;
No merit of my own I claim
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness veils his lovely face,I
ret on his unchanging grace;
In every high and story gale
My anchor holds within the veil.
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

His oath, his covenant, his blood
Sustain me in the raging flood;
When all supports are washed away,
He then is all my hope and stay.
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When he shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in him be found,
Clothed in his righteousness alone,
Redeemed to stand before the throne!
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

God is our rock:

Psalm 18:1-2-“I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

Psalm 40:2-“He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.”

God is our hope:

Psalm 42:11-“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.

Romans 5:3-5-“More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

Romans 8:24-25- “For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Romans 12:12-“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”

We’ve been redeemed:

Lamentations 3:58- “You have taken up my cause, O Lord; you have redeemed my life.”

By God's Grace:

2 Corinthians 12:9- “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Ephesians 1: 7- “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.”

Ephesians 2:4-5-“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.”

Titus 2:11-12-“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.”

-Candace

Desiring God Conference 2008

2008-06-14T11:36:00.000-04:00

-Kyle-

Do as you Promised

2008-06-09T13:32:00.000-04:00

This is one of the gems given at Na08, this quote that C.J. used in his message on God's Word and Our Feelings is filled with truth about the loving nature of Christ. So I would encourage you to read it and embrace the wonderful truth it proclaims....

“God’s promises were never meant to be thrown aside as waste paper. He intended that theyshould be used. Nothing pleases our Lord better than to see His promises put in circulation.He loves to see His children bring them up to Him, and say, ‘Lord, do as you promised.’ Weglorify God when we please His promises. Do you think that God will be any the poorer forgiving you the riches He has promised? Do you dream that He will be any less holy forgiving holiness to you? Do you imagine He will be any less pure for washing you from yoursins? He has said, ‘Come now, let us reason together,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins arered as crimson they shall be like wool.’ Faith embraces the promise of pardon. It doesn’tdelay, saying, ‘This is a precious promise, I wonder if it is true?’ but goes straight to thethrone with it, and pleads, ‘Lord, here is the promise. Do as you promised.’ Our Lord replies,‘Be it to you even as you will.’ When a Christian grasps a promise but doesn’t take it to God,then God is dishonored; but when one hastens to the throne of grace, and cries, ‘Lord, I havenothing to recommend me but this, You have said it;’ then the desire shall be granted. Ourheavenly banker delights to cash His own notes. Never let the promise rust. Draw the word ofpromise out of its scabbard, and use it with holy violence. Don’t think that God will betroubled by your importunately reminding Him of His promises. He loves to hear the loudoutcries of needy souls. It is His delight to give favors. He is more ready to hear than you areto ask. It is God’s nature to keep His promises. Therefore, go at once to the throne with, ‘Do as You promised..’” Charles Spurgeon

- ryan

His Name(s)

2008-06-07T10:56:00.000-04:00

Recently, as I was doing some reading I came across this passage in 1 Chronicles: "Glory in his holy name." It got me to thinking... what does that mean? How do I glory in God's name? What steps must I take to accomplish this? Clearly I was over thinking the issue, but sometimes God makes the day cloudy so when the sun comes back the sky is that much more beautiful. Before I tackled this issue of what constitutes "glorying in his name", I first felt it necessary to examine some of his names and see what they mean. And that is what I would like to share :)

Now, before we go over some of these definitions, I want to make it extremely clear that would should not limit God to the definition of one of his many names. There is a reason that God has many names and it is primarily due to the fact that he is ALL things and therefore must not be placed in a box of literary definition. Here are some of the more common ones:

1. Yahweh - Actually spelled YHWY, it means Jehovah. It is the promised name of God.

2. Jehovah - Lord.

3. Alpha and Omega - The beginning and the End

4. Immanuel - God with Us

5. I AM - God uses this name to demonstrate that He is. He was not created, he was not formed or influenced in any way. He is and he will always be.

6. Hosanna - "Save Now" or "Please Save." It is used to describe Christ as the Messiah.

7. Messiah - The Anointed One.

8. Adonai - This is the Hebrew word for "Lord". One interesting fact about this name is that it is in plural form. Adoni would be singular but it is always found in the Bible as Adonai meaning "My Lords".

As I said before, God references himself in over 300 different ways throughout scripture, but I found it extremely helpful to remind myself of the meanings of just these few here. It assisted me in thinking of God in much bigger context and in a more all-encompassing manner. Hopefully you find it as beneficial as I did.

-Kyle-

Taste the Rainbow... (Hycoos and Whatnots)

2008-06-06T12:55:00.000-04:00

Hilarious.

-Kyle-

I have waaay too much time on my hands...

2008-06-04T14:16:00.000-04:00

(HT: DGM Blog)

-Kyle-

Awesome...

2008-06-03T09:15:00.000-04:00

When I was younger my family would always make fun of me for how fast I ate. My dad would tell me to just strap a bag to my face and eat like a horse next time... Needless to say, I was the unfortunate brunt of many jokes as a small child but now comes my oh so sweet redemption. Apparently this is now becoming popular:

New Wearable Feedbags Let Americans Eat More, Move Less

-Kyle-

Election 2008

2008-06-02T10:08:00.000-04:00

After last nights primary's in Puerto Rico, it is becoming increasingly clear that Barack Obama will face John Mccain in the general election. Though Hillary Clinton continues to pile up victories as of late, it makes little difference. Because of the way that delegates are apportioned in the Democratic primaries, Obama continues to edge close to his magic delegate number, solidifying his nomination. I very strongly believe that this election will be a turning point for our country. Though I have cautions for both candidates, it is becoming increasingly clear to me that Sen. Obama could indeed be a dangerous choice. From abortion rights to socialism, it is apparent that a President Obama could bring devastation to our country. However, I cannot fall into the trap of forgetting who is over all of this. God. It might very well be the Lord's will for Sen. Obama to win the election and that must be something that I am at peace about. Though I pray earnestly for the victory of John Mccain, I trust that God will be faithful and never forsake his people regardless of the political state of this nation.

-Kyle-

Greetings From Louisville!

2008-05-27T17:06:00.001-04:00

The conference is over and we are all very tired! God has done many great things in all our lives and we can’t wait to share them when we return to Jacksonville!

Best Prayer Ever

2008-05-25T18:52:00.000-04:00

This is the way I will pray before every meal from now on...

-Kyle-

Not Wasting New Attitude

2008-05-20T09:49:00.000-04:00

As New Attitude is fast approaching, I have been attempting to prepare my heart for what the Lord has in store. It is easy for me to get caught up in the busyness of life and the conference that I can neglect being purposeful. Some of the leaders of NA have also been stressing the importance of “Not Wasting” the conference. These are a few of the thoughts I came away with after reading some of their articles.

Ways To Not Be Wasteful:

Identify one area that you really want to hear from the Lord in or one area that you want to experience God in. Start praying that God will work in that area. Go to the conference in faith that He will meet you.

Have personal alone time with God. – I can sometimes think that because I’m surrounded by fellow believers, entering into worship and hearing messages from God’s word that it negates me from needing to have my quiet times with the Lord. But from personal experience it only makes those other times sweeter and prepares my heart for what the Lord wants to do in me.

Take notes so you can apply the messages when you get home.

Plan for application. But don’t plan on applying everything at once or you will be overwhelmed. Powlison says, “Take one bit of scripture and apply it to one bit of life.”

Don’t stay up so late to the point where you won’t be able to concentrate on the message the next day. Unlike God…we do need sleep!

Talk to someone new. – I have found that I best accomplish this in my family group and try to get to know the people I am with as well as I can in our short time together. But with so many people at the conference it should be easy to meet new people.

Build with the people that you know. – Eric Simmons says, “Sure you want to meet new people (we hope you meet lots). But there is something special about building relationships with people from home, people that know you and know what’s going on with your work/school/family.”

These are just few thoughts on how to not waste the conference. As you pray and prepare you heart, the Lord might show you other ways. I am praying that at NA I will be purposeful in striving to do all for the glory of God. I have to remember that going to this conference is a privilege not a right. I hope that the Lord will use it to continue molding me, as well as everyone else, to be more like him.

-Lana-

Observations of the Prophesier

2008-05-13T10:10:00.000-04:00

It is a well-documented fact that people have been prophesying in and outside of churches for hundreds of years now. Whether they are accurate or not in many cases remains to be seen. However, I believe the unique distinction of one who has the gift of “prophecy” or “encouragement,” must be classified. You see, there are many different types and deliveries of prophecy and I have taken the time to dissect these differences and categorize them for you into six very distinct and diverse groups:

1. The Persistent One

This prophesier is well known in the church community for their particular dedication to the prophecy mic. Sunday after Sunday, this person can be counted upon to meander down the isle, bible in one hand, notepad in the other, ready and willing to make your teeth feel the Spirit move. From scriptural exhortations, to “I see a picture of…” moments, this individual has no shortage of encouragements. In fact, they wrote the manual.

2. The Goosebumps One

A much rarer sighting, this prophesier has powers not seen in any other category. Though not experienced in every congregation, a visit to the mic by this individual will always guarantee one thing. Goosebumps like you’ve never felt before. More capable than any scary movie and more profound than the “break-an-egg-on-your-head” game, this prophesier pushes the boundaries of little bumps on your arms to a whole new level. On a scale of 1 to 10 it would be an 11.

3. The Short and Sweet One

This particular prophesier is known for their no beating-around-the-bush mentality and record-breaking speed. They have taken the saying, “less is more” to an entirely new level. Verses like “Jesus Wept” and “Praise the Lord” consist of their only vocabulary. Word of caution: don’t sneeze or you’ll miss it.

4. The Dramatic Effect One

One of the most well known of all prophesiers, the “Dramatic Effect One’s” title is indicative of their delivery. Gandalf and the movie-preview-voice guy come in a far distant second to this prophesier. Their most notable characteristics are extreme voice inflection, an ability to bring forth emotion like it’s a super power, and of course… the infamous clap line. These prophesiers are easy to spot even as they make their way to the mic. The “I’m-looking-into-the-face-of-God” composure coupled with the countenance of an angel gives them almost a glowing appearance. As they grasp the mic with two spirit filled hands, make sure both of your feet are firmly planted on the ground because your in for the ride of your life.

5. The “You’ll Get’m Next Time” One

Just when you thought that nothing could be more awkward than the time you let one rip in front of all of your mom’s friends, this newbie steps up to the plate and leaves only silence and questioning expressions in his wake. Usually these prophesiers are first-timers who thought they had all the confidence in the world until the music stops and the mic is “hot”. For the first 15 seconds of awkward silence everyone’s thinking “he must be crying”, until he opens his mouth and spews forth 10 seconds of un-intelligible gibberish. Any sane individual would realize their predicament and proceed with a duck and cover strategy at this point, but it appears that this prophesier has been blessed with the inability to perceive uncomfortable situations and pays no heed to the worship leaders desperate “cut-it” motions up on stage. As this individual makes his way back to his seat, avoiding all possible eye contact, we can only feel sorry for the job of transitioning that now faces the worship leader. This is an extremely convenient time for a bathroom break or to go get a pen.

6. The “Reject One”

This poor, poor soul knows full well the meaning of rejection because they’ve never tasted the metallic glory of the prophecy mic to their lips. There is no dignity for this individual. Though they try and hold their head high, everybody and their mother knows as soon as they get back to the pew the church bulletin has suddenly become more profound than the Bible. “Hey I didn’t know it was mike’s birthday last week…”. Most important in all of this is the “Rejector.” i.e. the “the Prophecy Mic Guy”. The Gatekeeper of Knowledge. (I am of the opinion that this individual should be required to wear a long flowing robe, grow out a white beard and have some sort of staff or scepter that he could use to “bop” bad prophesiers over the head in mid-sentence. Yea, that should do it.) His power to deliver crushing disappointment is unsurpassed. However, this individual most not let his true feelings show. When “rejecting” a prophesy, he must be sure that his face is contorted in just the right thoughtful, considerate, “maybe” expression along with a pat on the back or a textbook reply like, “I think the Spirit is transitioning to a time of reflection at the moment”.

*disclaimer: These words do not express the thoughts or beliefs of Grace Covenant Church. They are only my poor attempts to lighten the day with a little humor. I very strongly believe in the gift of prophecy and the Spirits use of it.

-Kyle-

Walking Wounded

2008-05-08T14:51:00.000-04:00

“We talk glibly about forgiving when we have never been injured; when we are injured we know that it is not possible, apart from God’s grace, for one human being to forgive another.” Oswald Chambers

In her book “Choosing Forgiveness” Nancy Leigh DeMoss states, “I’ve come to believe that, whether they realize it or not, unforgiveness is, in fact, a very real issue for most people. Almost everyone has someone (or ones) they haven’t forgiven. Whenever I have spoken on this subject, after defining and describing forgiveness form a biblical perspective, I have asked the audience the question: ‘ how many of you would be honest enough to admit that there is a root bitterness in you heart that there are one or more people in your life-past of present that you’ve never forgiven?’”

Colossians 3:13-“Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”

Mark 11:25-“And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that you Father also who is in heaven may forgive your trespasses.”

“Anything against anyone.” "That pretty much covers the bases. Doesn’t it? No offence is too great, no offender is beyond the boundary to which our forgiveness must extend. Our fellowship with God requires it and depends on it. So if we as believers persist in unforgiveness, our hearts are forced to wrestle with the fact that our actions amount to disobedience. The pathway of resentment and retaliation-God calls us to the pure, powerful, choice of forgiveness- and to pursue, wherever possible, the pathway of restoration and reconciliation. The outcome of our lives in not determined by what happens to us but by how we respond to what happens to us.”

This has begun to get me thinking. Here are a few questions that I have asked myself before and have had apply to my own life……

1. Is there a person or circumstance you have blamed for the way your life has turned out?
2. Is there someone who has wronged you that you’re still trying to make pay for there offence?
3. Can you think of a situation where you retaliated or became resentful, rather than forgiving someone who hurt you?

-Candace-

Grace and Gratitude

2008-04-27T22:24:00.000-04:00

Romans 11:35-" Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?"

The anwer is nobody!!!!

There are many times when our culture thinks otherwise. We're dissapointed with our family, neighbors, work, the waitress, the sales clerk. Ultimately we are disappointed with God. He hasn't given us everything we want! I find myslef being that person way too often!

In Randy Alcorn's book "The Grace and Truth Paradox" he states:

"If only we could see our situation clearly even for a moment. We deserved expulsion; He gave us a diploma. We deserved the electric chair; He gives us a parade. Anything less than overwhelming gratitude should be unthinkable. He owes us nothing! We owe Him everything!When you realize you deserve nothing better than hell, it puts a 'bad day' in perspective, dosen't it? If I grasp that I deserve hell, I'll be filled with gratitude not only for God's huge blessings- including my redemption and home in heaven-but also for His smaller blessings: sun, rain, a beating heart, eyes that see, legs that walk, a mind that thinks. If I don't have these, I'll be overwhelmed with the knowledge that I have plenty I don't deserve. And because Christ allowed Himself to be crushed under the weight of my sin, I'll enjoy forever a clear mind and perfect body."

As I read what was stated above I was very convicted! What a great reminder of the grace that God has so richly poured out on such a wretched sinner as I. How great it is to walk out into the world and answer the question "how are you doing?" and be able to answer with great gratitude that I am doing better then I derserve!!! What a great God we serve!

-Candace-

Stand Still

2008-04-23T22:09:00.000-04:00

Yes, it's another Morning and Evening quote. But I think the following entry for July 24th is very applicable to many circumstances and situations. It is my personal favorite right now, and it has been a huge source of encouragement to me because it describes me almost exactly.

Exodus 14:13 Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.

These words contain God's command to the believer when he is reduced to great straits and brought into extraordinary difficulties. He cannot retreat; he cannot go forward; he is shut up on the right hand and on the left; what is he now to do? The Master's word to him is, "Stand still." It will be well for him if at such times he listens only to his Master's word, for other and evil advisers come with their suggestions.

Despair whispers, "Lie down and die; give it all up." But God would have us put on a cheerful courage, and even in our worst times, rejoice in His love and faithfulness.

Cowardice says, "Retreat; go back to the worldling's way of action; you cannot play the Christian's part, it is too difficult. Relinquish your principles." But, however much Satan may urge this course upon you, you cannot follow it if you are a child of God. His divine fiat has bid thee go from strength to strength, and so thou shalt, and neither death nor hell shall turn thee from thy course.

What, if for a while thou art called to stand still, yet this is but to renew thy strength for some greater advance in due time. Precipitancy cries, "do something. Stir yourself; to stand still and wait, is sheer idleness." We must be doing something at once-we must do it so we think-instead of looking to the Lord, who will not only do something but will do everything.

Presumption boasts, "If the sea be before you, march into it and expect a miracle."

But Faith listens neither to Presumption, nor to Despair, nor to Cowardice, nor to Precipitancy, but it hears God say, "Stand still," and immovable as a rock it stands. "Stand still";-keep the posture of an upright man, ready for action, expecting further orders, cheerfully and patiently awaiting the directing voice; and it will not be long ere God shall say to you, as distinctly as Moses said it to the people of Israel, "Go forward."

-Amber-

Unconditional and Lifetime Surrender

2008-04-16T23:30:00.000-04:00

Over the last couple of weeks God has been laying the word “surrender” on my heart over and over again. About a week ago I began reading a book titled, “Surrender- the heart God controls” by Nancy Leigh DeMoss and have been very convicted by some of her points.

Recently I looked up what the word surrender meant and here are a couple things that I found:

1. To yield something to the possession or power of another
2. To give oneself up
3. To give up, abandon, or relinquish
4. To yield or resign in favor of another

“I have been before God, and have given myself, all that I am and have to God; so that I am not, in any respect, my own…. I have given myself clear away, and have not retained any things as my own.” Jonathan Edwards

The quotes below from her book have been very convicting to me. Oh how often I find myself doing the exact same thing over and over again….

“One of the challenges of complete surrender to Christ is that we don’t know what lies ahead. Doubtless, some of us might be more inclined to surrender if God would hand us a contract with all the details filled in. We’d like to know what to expect: ‘what will this cost me? What will He ask me to do?’ We want to see all the fine print so we can read it over, think about it, and then decide whether to sign our name on the dotted line.”

She goes on to say…

“That not God’s way. God says instead, ‘Here’s a blank piece of paper. I want you to sign your name on the bottom line, hand it back to Me, and let Me fill in the details. Why? Because I am God; because I have bought you; because I am trustworthy; because you know how much I love you, because you live for My glory not you own independent, self-promoting pleasure.’”

Proverbs 16:9-"The Heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps."

Father I abandon myself into Your sovereign hands; please do with me what You will. Whatever You may do, I thank You. I am ready for all, I accept all. I give up my plans and purposes, all my own desires, hopes and ambitions for my future. Thank you once again for the grace You bestow upon my life.

-Candace-

The Final Exam

2008-04-15T00:11:00.000-04:00

My aunt sent this to me...

At Penn State University, there were four sophomores taking chemistry and all of them had an "A" so far. These four friends were so confident that, the weekend before finals, they decided to visit some friends and have a big party. They had a great time but, after all the hearty partying, they slept all day Sunday and didn't make it back to Penn State until early Monday morning.

Rather than taking the final then, they decided that after the final they would explain to their professor why they missed it. They said that they visited friends but on the way back they had a flat tire. As a result, they missed the final. The professor agreed they could make up the final the next day. The guys were excited and relieved. They studied that night for the exam.

The next day the Professor placed them in separate rooms and gave them a test booklet. They quickly answered the first problem worth 5 points. Cool, they thought! Each one in separate rooms, thinking this was going to be easy.... then they turned the page. On the second page was written....For 95 points: Which tire? _________

-Amber-

2008-04-11T12:15:00.000-04:00

Ephesians 4:29: "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."

Corrupt:
debased in character; depraved; perverted; wicked; evil
made inferior by errors or alterations, as a text.
infected; tainted.
decayed; putrid.

to destroy the integrity of; cause to be dishonest, disloyal
to lower morally; pervert
to alter (a language, text, etc.) for the worse; debase.
to mar; spoil
to infect; taint
to make putrid or putrescent

I think after reading the above description of what the word corrupt means, no one would want to be responsible for letting “corrupt” speech come out of them, but sadly we are all guilty of it. I have recently been thinking about “speech” and have been reminded of the importance of words. I know that I can far too often be unconcerned with the words that are coming out of my mouth and guilty of letting corrupt words come out of me. We supposedly use an average of 25,000 words a day. How many of those am I using to glorify God and edify others?

Paul Tripp wrote in his book War of Words: "When we speak, it must be with the realization that God has given our words significance. He has ordained for them to be important...God has given words value. So we must do all we can to assign words the importance Scripture gives them."

Corrupt talk includes all words or communication that deters growth in godliness and hinders the cultivation of godly relationships. It defiles others. It has a decaying, rotting effect on a person's soul.-CJ Mahaney

This verse in Ephesians doesn’t just stop with the instruction to not let corrupt talk come out of our mouths, we are to replace that with something…speech that is good for building up.

1 Timothy 4:12 - Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

What amazing power and potential there is in our speech! When we are purposeful and intentional to use edifying and appropriate words, this is the result: God promises that our words will impart grace to those who hear. Every conversation we have with another person carries this marvelous potential of passing on the grace of God. And we are a people in need of God's grace, are we not? – Janelle Bradshaw

I am praying for God’s help in letting my words, whether many or few, be glorifying to the One who has enabled me to speak and to be a means of grace to all who know me and even those who don’t. When others love and encourage me, may I do the same to them. When others hurt and sin against me, may I seek to build them up and encourage them. When others are lost and need a kind word, may I speak the gospel truth, which is the kindest thing I could ever do for them. May I strive to use all 25,000 of my words as a beautiful building tool and not an instrument of destruction.

-Lana-

The Bald Worship Leader

2008-04-09T11:34:00.000-04:00

Prodigal John reports:

After I wrote the post about the "mandatory youth minister goatee" I was flooded with emails about another phenomenon sweeping the nation, the "bald worship leader."

Never one to deny attention to things that are sweeping the nation, I thought I would address it. I'm not bald and I'm not a worship leader either but if I ever lose my hair and a church has a need for a triangle-playing worship leader (only instrument I've got in the bag), here are three rules I am going to live by:

1. Refuse the temptation to be weird hat guy.
When you go bald I think there's a deep urge to really explore all the wonders that the hat world has to offer. But when I see the currently cool Fidel Castro type hat on stage I don't think, "here I am to worship." I think, "here I am to overthrow a capitalist society." From cowboy hats to bandanas and top hats, I think you have to be very careful when it comes to how you clothe your head. (Bret Michaels, we know you are bald. Stop it.)

2. Manage the sweat situation.
If I go bald, I am going to develop the most incredible ninja-like ability to keep my head sweat free. I'll still be rocking out on my triangle, have no fear, but never will you find yourself hypnotized by betting on which bead of sweat will make it down my dome first.

3. Develop an awesome worship leader face.
Someone brought to my attention that in addition to musical skill, a worship leader must possess a face that helps set the tone. It must look engaged but not distant, focused but not unavailable, happy but also a little melodramatic. It's hard to describe, but close your eyes, form a half smile, and imagine you've just taken a bite of your favorite food and happen to be holding an acoustic guitar.

I am sure there are other rules when it comes to being an awesome bald worship leader, but those are mine. Please note: I know there are a lot of amazing female worship leaders. Some of my favorite worship leaders are women. The church that I attend has a bunch, but thus far none of the ones I know have goatees or are bald. So until I think of something funny or someone sends me something about a quirk of female worship leaders, I am sparing them the ridiculousness of posts like this.

-Kyle-

Thoughts from Sinclair Ferguson...

2008-04-05T08:59:00.000-04:00

Recently, C.J Mahaney has been posting an interview he conducted with the famous Irish author and preacher, Sinclair Ferguson. You can read the interview here. There were many answers that Mr. Ferguson had to C.J's questions that were convicting, but one thing he said really resonated with me.

"There are times when I bump into somebody unexpectedly that I will say, “This is a happy providence.” And then I will stop and think, “Would it have been an unhappy providence if I hadn’t bumped into you?” We have this tendency—especially if you are inclined to this legalism—to measure how God’s love is doing for you these days by the providences that surround your life. Our ability to read providences are a very inaccurate measure of God’s love for us."

This is so applicable to me because I do it so darn often. It is a form of legalism that I think goes unnoticed and unchecked by many Christians today and serves only to limit the providence of God. We as sinners cannot determine what is good for us and what is not. We do not set the boundaries or limitations as to what is done for our benefit, only God does. Essentially, everything that happens to us is under the sovereignty of God and is therefore for our good.

It is errant and arrogant for me to say that because I received an 'A' on an exam that God is good or that the 'A' is definitively good. God is always good. However, the real test is what I would be thinking if I received an 'F'. Would I consider that circumstance as 'bad' now? In my heart is God still good or am I quietly seething about the outcome?

What I am trying to say is that what we think to be a bad thing is almost always a good thing in the end. Think through some of the events that have happened to you this week that you have deemed to be unsavory. Was it necessarily a bad providence? Many times I have to stop and ask God that he would comfort with the truth of Romans 8:28.

These are questions that I think we would all do well to ask ourselves in those situations. I pray that God would shed the light of his truth upon us and that we would surrender to that. Romans 8:28 "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good."

-Kyle-

Holding Hands... In Church

2008-04-03T10:27:00.000-04:00

I found this on a blog that lists things that Christians do or don't do, like or dislike. This was #108. I thought it was hilarious

"Every now and then, a minister will feel inspired to have everyone in the crowd hold hands. Which of course is awesome. But all too often, I find that Christians violate the three simple rules of hand holding. So as a service to the greater Christian population, I'm like the Billy Graham of sarcasm, I thought I would quickly review the three things you should never do when holding hands with strangers:

1. Interlink your fingers

This is way, way, way too intimate to do if you don't know me and happened to be married to me. But some people do it. Instead of doing the "hey pal I know we're holding hands which is weird but oh well" palm in palm grip, they weave their sweaty fingers between yours. As soon as someone does that to me, the 13-year old in me automatically thinks, "this person is trying to make out with me." Don't do this ever.

2. The "you're great squeeze"

For some reason lots of Christians feel the need to punctuate a good hand hold with a tiny gesture. They want closure. But please, avoid the temptation to end the hand holding session with a "Jesus loves you" squeeze. It's nowhere near as intimate as interlinking, but it still feels a little creepy coming from a man in his mid-50s that up to 30 seconds ago I had never seen in my entire life.

3. The linger

When it becomes clear that the hand holding is over, I expect you to let go of my hand like a bank robber fleeing the scene of the crime. Seriously, let's not be the last people pressed together with our hands awkwardly connected. Think of letting go as a race. I want us to win. I want you and I to set new land speed record in letting go. Come on, we can do it. Eye of the tiger. Eye of the freaking tiger.

-Kyle-

2008-04-02T08:54:00.000-04:00

Putting Down My Umbrella...

2008-03-25T11:23:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I feel as though I like to stay in the shade of my umbrella, even when it's sunny out. I don't mean this literally, but in my life I have seen a tendency to hold on to the negative rather than taking joy in the good. I was reminded this morning that though I am the worst of sinners, that should not always be my primary focus. My primary focus should be that, though I am the chief of sinners, yet Christ died for me and declares me justified. Just as if I've never sinned. My attention should be on God’s new mercies every day to me not on my past failures. Always dwelling on my sinfulness is primarily ME focused. Instead I should be lifting my eyes to where my help comes from. My help comes from the Lord. (Psalm 121:1-2) I’m not saying that considering our sin is never appropriate, because it is. All I’m saying is in my own life, I’ve realized that I can focus more on that than on what Christ has accomplished. God is honored and glorified when we praise His name and all He’s done for us. Here’s an excerpt on the subject from Spurgeon…

The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad.-Psalm 126:3

Some Christians are sadly prone to look on the dark side of everything, and to dwell more upon what they have gone through than upon what God has done for them. Ask for their impression of the Christian life, and they will describe their continual conflicts, their deep afflictions, their sad adversities, and the sinfulness of their hearts, yet with scarcely any allusion to the mercy and help which God has vouchsafed them. But a Christian whose soul is in a healthy state, will come forward joyously, and say, I will speak, not about myself, but to the honour of my God. He hath brought me up out of an horrible pit, and out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings: and he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God. The Lord hath done great things for me, whereof I am glad. Such an abstract of experience as this is the very best that any child of God can present. It is true that we endure trials, but it is just as true that we are delivered out of them. It is true that we have our corruptions, and mournfully do we know this, but it is quite as true that we have an all-sufficient Saviour, who overcomes these corruptions, and delivers us from their dominion. In looking back, it would be wrong to deny that we have been in the Slough of Despond, and have crept along the Valley of Humiliation, but it would be equally wicked to forget that we have been through them safely and profitably; we have not remained in them, thanks to our Almighty Helper and Leader, who has brought us out into a wealthy place. The deeper our troubles, the louder our thanks to God, who has led us through all, and preserved us until now. Our griefs cannot mar the melody of our praise, we reckon them to be the bass part of our life's song, He hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad.-C.H. Spurgeon

Pondering all the Lord has done in our lives will produce a heart of gratefulness in all of us. “Every day” we receive new mercies, so wouldn’t it only make sense to praise those mercies “every day”? My prayer and hope for myself as well as everyone, is that we will be a people who love to declare the goodness and mercy of the Lord. Being joyful because of what God has done is a very small thing considering what we’ve been given and it’s also a wonderful testimony to a watching world.

Mercies Anew
Every morning that breaks
There are mercies anew
Every breath that I take
Is Your faithfulness proved
And at the end of each day
When my labors are through
I will sing of Your mercies anew

When I've fallen and strayed
There were mercies anew
For you sought me in love
And my heart you pursued
In the face of my sin
Lord, You never withdrew
So I sing of Your mercies anew

And when the storms swirl and rage
There are mercies anew
In affliction and pain
You will carry me through
And at the end of my days
When Your throne fills my view
I will sing of Your mercies anew

-Lana-

Happy Easter

2008-03-22T12:56:00.000-04:00

Without doubt, easter is not about bunnies, or eggs, or eggs and bunnies. It is about the life death and resurrection of Christ Jesus our Saviour. This is a great video depicting just that...

-Kyle-

Awareness Test

2008-03-19T08:25:00.000-04:00

Test your skills...

-Kyle-

I walked on the Moon!...

2008-03-12T20:35:00.000-04:00

This clip is pretty funny, and how true it is. I can relate all to well, I sometimes wish amazing or just interesting things would happen to me, all for the fact that I would then be able to draw attention to myself. I would have that story that no matter how many times I told it I would leave the listeners in Shock and Awe. But then I starting thinking about it and I realized I already have that Amazing Story. A story about a sinner who was rebellious, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending my life in malice and envy, hated, hating others. But then a Loving Savior irresistibly drew me to himself and pour out immeasurable riches on my life. Now that sinner has been wash by the Blood of the Lamb, renewed by the Holy Spirit, and transformed by the grace of God.

The only thing more amazing then telling people "I walked on the moon", is telling them "Jesus Died For My Sins"

- Ryan

Piper on Children in Sunday School

2008-03-11T19:22:00.000-04:00

‘Something seems wrong when parents want to take their children in the formative years and put them with other children and other adults to form their attitude and behavior in worship. Parents should be jealous to model for their children the tremendous value they put on reverence in the presence of Almighty God. . .

‘Children can be taught in the first five years of life to obey their father and mother when they say, “Sit still and be quiet.” Parents’ helplessness to control their children should not be solved by alternative services but by a renewal of discipline in the home. . .

‘We do not believe that children who have been in children’s church for several years between the ages of 6 and 12 will be more inclined or better trained to enjoy worship than if they had spent those years at the side of their parents. In fact, the opposite is probably the case. . .

‘It will probably be harder to acclimate a 10– or 12-year-old to a new worship service than a 5– or 6-year-old. The cement is much less wet, and vast possibilities of shaping the impulses of the heart are gone. . .

‘By the time they are four years old, our children assume that they’ll be at all the regular weekly services with us.’

(HT: Denny Burk)

-Kyle-

Breathtaking

2008-03-10T11:56:00.000-04:00

Happy St. Patricks's Day!

Kyle | Kevin | Jon | Nathan | Ryan

(Landon's birthday present to Jon)

New Words

2008-03-06T09:47:00.001-05:00

I have learned two new words this week that I thought to share with you.

Impenitent - "Not feeling regret about one's sin or sins"

This was our state before God softened our hearts and led us to repentance: Romans 2:5 "But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when god's righteous judgement will be revealed."

What concerns me is that there are many times when I allow my heart to grow "hard and impenitent" in regards to my sin. This is directly contrary to what state I should be in, in light of the gospel. God has freed me from hardness of heart and has imparted upon me sufficient grace to repent and be sanctified.

Pawky - "cunning; sly."

Thought this word may not have as much biblical implication as impenitent, it still does apply to my deviations from Gods Word. Countless times I have rendered to the thinking that my sin goes unnoticed by God or that He doesn't really care about the state of His elect. In my pawkiest of moments (just pretend thats really a word), I even try and outwit the Word of God or explain it away in a desperate attempt to justify my sinful lifestyle.

Romans 1:22 "Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling man and birds and animals and reptiles"

The truth of the matter, is that we only think we are pawky. In fact, we are stupid. Only fools who lay claim to the title of wise.

May God grant us the grace to soften or impenitent hearts, and eliminate our pawky thinking in regards to our sin.

-Kyle-

The Prosperity Gospel

2008-03-05T08:29:00.000-05:00

Some of you may have seen this video before, but it is so good that I had to put it up. Piper at his best...

-Kyle-

A Season of Life

2008-02-29T20:36:00.000-05:00

Lamentations 3:31-33
"For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men".
This particular scripture verse has been a means of grace in my life over the past 7 months.

August- I began a new job, moved in with two wonderful roommates, my last two classes begin at UNF, and I ended a wonderful 2 1/2 month "relationship" with a good friend.

September- Jacksonville experienced 4 days of straight rain and our apartment roof caves through (in my roommates room), I move into the Holiday Inn on Baymeadows Rd. Oh and on accident I leave my textbook inside my apartment and can't get it out for 3 weeks due to "liability" reasons.

October- We were relocated from the Holiday Inn into a company stay type suite on the apartment complex premiss, finally allowed to get our stuff from our apartment, I ran a 5K and experienced 3 weeks of consistent swelling in my ankle that wouldn't subside.

November- Went to an urgent care center and XRays came out fine on my ankle and after a month the swelling went down, experienced 3 weeks of sickness (cold, cough) due to lack of sleep and pulling all nighters to finish out my two classes to graduate.

December- Continuation of all nighters at Florida Coastal Law School (they don't have to deal with parking decals!!) with my roommate Sarah, ended up failing a class and couldn't graduate and I began experiencing inflammation in my knee over Christmas.

January- Begin doctors appointments (XRays, blood work, MRI) to determine inflammation in my knee, tests prove that the pain I was experiencing was due to a fluid build-up, informed that we could finally move back into our place the beginning of February and began my class Research Methods of Psychology over again with a much better teacher.

February- After seeing an orthopedic he insisted that we drain my knee and he proceeded to send the fluid away to be tested. Results a week later showed, Gout in my knee. Gout is a disease in the knee that forms from a buildup of uric acid. It is unheard of that someone of my age has this. 90% of people who get Gout are men and women who usually have it are over 50+. My doctor said she has never heard of this type of case before and neither had my orthopedic. We FINALLY moved back into our place after being displaced for 4 months and I lost my job the day before I turned 24.

What do I say to all of this chaos? I hope that no one ever has to go through what I went through these 7 months. Is this is a season of suffering and trials the Lord brought me through? A season of sacrifice? or Trust? I don't know. I'm still trying to figure it out. Maybe I won't ever figure it out or maybe its not meant to be understood. These experiences have been so very hard. I've told myself over the years, "your a good student, you don't fail, your successful, your an above average student" and then too fail a class and not even graduate. To communicate to my parents and siblings that I failed was one of the hardest things to do. Studying for a test in a hotel room is impossible (don't try it). Eating out for a month is disgusting. Being sick during finals, pulling all nighters for exams and working a F/T job is practically impossible. I don't even know how I got up every morning to face the day. Running was my favorite past time. I haven't run since October and its been quite a struggle for me. Now I don't even know when my next run will be. Being with someone for 2 1/2 months last summer taught me a lot about myself and I wouldn't trade that season for anything. It was a short summer season that God somehow planned but He also planned for it to end in the most settling way. Finally realizing I have a type of disease that is completely unheard of for someone my age has been hard to understand.

The Lord has caused grief and affliction to come and go these past 7 months but their has been an unceasing amount of peace and joy in my heart. I have cried much and but I know I have smiled and laughed much more. Lamentations reminds me that "He will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love". I know that He is holding me and caring for me. Have I sought God in the midst of this insane turmoil? I wish I could say, yes but I have not. I believe now I am finally getting the big picture. God wants my attention. I can finally say, now He has it completely. Sometimes God has to cause grief and affliction and to bring us to our knees and He has done that with me. Although He cast me off for a little while, He has brought me back to Himself. This is just another season of life. Is it closed? or is it still open? I don't know, only He does. For "He is in the heavens and He does all He pleases".

There are many questions that I am faced with right now. Where will I work? Where will I live when August comes around and my lease is up? When can I run again?! What will summer hold for me? Graduate school? Teaching in Europe? but I am not living my life worried about these, I am living my day for today and looking forward to tomorrow.

- Sarah

I Need This T-shirt

2008-02-28T21:37:00.000-05:00

-Kyle-

God's Promises: What I'm Learning

2008-02-28T16:04:00.000-05:00

I have been reminded of a few things about God's promises since my previous post. What about those times when it doesn't seem like God is being faithful to do what He said he would? Well, I've learned that:

1) God always keeps His promises, but He keeps them in His timing, not mine.

Meaning...I might have to wait!

Scriptural Example: Psalm 69:13: "But as for me, my prayer is to you, O LORD. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness."

2) God always keeps His promises, but He keeps them in the way He sees fit (that is, the way that best suits His glory and my good).

Meaning...He might answer in a way that is contrary to my immediate desires!

Example: God promises grace. If I ask God for grace to teach me patience, He won't always teach me in the way I desire (the easy way!). My path to patience will likely be uncomfortable, hard work, like most sanctification.

3) God always keeps His promises, but His promises are often conditional.

Meaning...His blessings often require my obedience first!

Scriptural Examples: Philippians 4: 6,7: "[condition] do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. [promise] And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

I Peter 5:6: "[condition] Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, [promise] so that at the proper time he may exalt you."

Though my experience may seem to "argue" or disagree with Scripture when I can't see God's provision, the truth is that God always keeps His promises. He might not do it when or how I think best, but He, whose thoughts are higher than my thoughts, will be faithful to his Word in His own time and in His own way.

-Amber-

Part III: The Crossing

2008-02-25T11:25:00.000-05:00

Daniel delicately placed his right foot upon the wooden planks that formed the walkway of the bridge. It was steady. Unlike the wide path that lead to the village, the bridge was small and narrow, but just wide enough to let Daniel comfortably cross.

As he took his 2nd and 3rd steps it appeared to Daniel that Bridge was constructed to exactly his dimensions. Almost as if it was built specifically for him.

After a few more unsteady steps, Daniel paused to take a few deep calming breaths and glance back at the ridge where he had stood but a moment ago. A thick fog shrouded the other side now, or had it been there before? Either Daniel could not recall or it had always been there and he had not noticed.

Mentally shaking himself, Daniel once more concentrated on the task at hand.

He was halfway across now and as he gazed ahead he saw the Bridge Builder waiting patiently for him at the other side. With a confidence that seemed to come from outside himself, Daniel began to quicken his pace.

15 more steps. 10 more.

'I'm almost there' he thought to himself as tears slid silently down his cheeks. They were the last tears he would ever shed...

-Kyle-

Part II: "The Bridge Builder"

2008-02-23T01:20:00.001-05:00

He was more seasoned in life now. Almost jaded. Daniel's body was beginning to waste away and he knew it. Sunken eyes, wrinkled skin, exposed joints, all signs of the life he had lived. That all of mankind lives.

The chasm had seemed to grow over the years along with his age. Hopelessness engulfed him and despair was his best friend; it had been that way all his life and Daniel saw no reason to change that now.

Throughout time, the chasm had always been there. Daniel did not know why he was drawn to it, only that he was. Something was different this time however. Across the way, a man (or what seemed to be a man from this distance) appeared to be attempting the unthinkable, the impossible. 'Was the man...?'

He was.

Slowly but surely He was constructing a bridge to Daniel's side. He was crossing the gap.

As Daniel observed the man he settled down into the dry and bitter grass to watch Him continue His work...

-Kyle-

Part 1: The Chasm

2008-02-22T09:32:00.000-05:00

Daniel stood at the edge and glanced across the chasm. There was no way over. It didn't really bother him though, for he did not want to cross. After-all, he was happy with life on this side not to mention the wise man had advised him not to attempt to bridge the gap. "every man who has tried has fallen short", he had told Daniel.

As he began to move away from the edge he looked back toward the way from which he had come. It did seem unnatural and debase didn't it?

Nonetheless, Daniel slowly shuffled back down the wide beaten path that lead to the village.

10 steps. 15 steps.

He stopped.

No matter how hard he tried, Daniel could not disregard the unshakable drawing sensation that seemed to emanate from the other side of the chasm...

-Kyle-

(hopefully I can put the rest of this up over the next week or so)

Great Poem

2008-02-19T13:01:00.000-05:00

John Piper posted this poem on the Desiring God blog this morning, and in light of last weeks message I thought it was worth sharing. Piper considers it one of the best poems ever written on a biblical text and I think it is amazing as well (not that my opinion on it matters). Karsten is on of Piper's sons and is reasonably well-know for his poetry, much like his father. This poem is completely different than anything I have ever read. Don't read Luke 18:25 until after you read the poem.

Luke 18.25
by Karsten Piper

He spread his blanket on the sand,
kneeled and arranged his bowls and tools:
hook, mallet, clamp, chisel, rasp, razor.

His smile glinted in the rongeur’s claws,
and upside down in the curette’s spoon.
Light shone out of the needle’s eye.

“Hoosh,” he said and began plucking hairs,
paring calluses, shearing wool, shaving
to the follicles, cutting to the quick.

He sorted these, trimming skin with skin,
hair with hair, into rows of clay bowls,
and set a large basin to catch each sour drip

as he sliced the hide and used both fists
to yank back the whole stubbled, gray pelt,
as wet and red on its underside as afterbirth.

He piled this heavily away, draping it
in clean linen, and turned to the meat and bone
heaving under sheer, tight membrane.

Sawteeth chewed into femur, rib and shoulder.
Pliers twisted and wrenched away tendons
until everything softened, canted, and collapsed—

yet not one sliver dies. Each ribbon and shard
bawls for the horror and hurt of their missing,
wishing for the old braying wholeness.

Pain bloodies evening and morning,
stabbing day after day from even the first cuts,
like the slow light of far stars.

Eyeballs and heart float alone in the last bowl,
dark and defenseless, quavering when he leans down
and they recognize in his eyes how little is left.

“Easy now, Camel,” he says and lifts me
in his fingertips, one quivering strand at a time,
through the eye of the needle.

-Kyle-

Reflections

2008-02-15T10:59:00.000-05:00

The last few weeks have been a trial for me. Devotions have been non-existent, prayer only in times of desperate need, and encouragement to others sparse to say the least. I have been grumpy, irritable, graceless, lustful, prideful, and extremely selfish. I am what I have always been, a sinner. Sometimes it is more apparent to me than other times, but that does not change the consistency with which I "exchange the truth of God for a lie."

This morning when I woke, a strange feeling came over me that is difficult to describe. Remorse, Joy, awakening, sadness... a range of emotions that can only be explained by one singular factor. The Grace of God. How do I go from weeks of sinful selfish behavior to the all-of-a-sudden desire to please God, read His Word and sanctify my soul? This can only be due to the work of another. I am brought to tears at the thought of what God has done for me.

Why? Why save me? Even in my regenerated state I struggle with sin. What could possibly cause God to posses a disease such as myself?

God has done far more for me than cure me of a disease, he has clothed me in his glory and righteousness. He has held me in His arms like Father holds his foolish child, always comforting, always gracious, always loving.

What a day it will be to look my Father in the eyes and thank Him for his grace. I will run to Him and cry because for once, I won't care what other people think. I will bow before him in worship because I finally desire to bring Him glory for every remaining second of eternity. Can you imagine it?

What a glorious work God has done in a sinners like you and me! Rejoice! Soli Deo Gloria.

-Kyle-

Prone To Wander Blog

2008-02-14T10:34:00.001-05:00

I just wanted to let everyone know that there is a new blogger amongst us. Christine Edwards! She did not want to draw attention to herself and her new blog, but I thought it would be great to let you guys know about it. I have read her first post and was encouraged and convicted by her humble self-disclosure of herself. I know her desire is to glorify God in this endeavor and seek to encourage others.
Visit http://pronetowander.blog.com

2008-02-14T07:11:00.000-05:00

There is Therefore now no condemnation. - Romans 8:1

Come, my soul, think about this. Believing in Jesus, you are actually and effectually cleared from guilt; you are led out of prison. You are no loner in chains as a slave; you are delivered now from the bondage of the law; you are freed from sin and can walk around as a free man-the Savior's blood has procured your full acquittal. You now have a right to approach your Father's throne. No flames of vengeance are there to scare you now-no fiery sword; justice cannot strike the innocent. You disabilities are removed. Once you were unable to see you Father's face; now you can. You could not speak with Him; but now you can approach him with boldness. Once there was a fear of hell upon you; but now you have no fear of it, for how can there be punishment for the guiltless? He who believes is not condemned and cannot be punished. And more than all, the privileges you might have enjoyed, if you had never sinned, are yours now that you are justified. All the blessings that you would have had if you had kept the law are yours, because Christ has kept it for you. All the love and acceptance that perfect obedience could have obtained belong to you, because Christ was perfectly obedient on you behalf and has imputed all His merits to your account, that you might be exceedingly rich through Him who for you sake became exceedingly poor. How great the debt of love and gratitude you owe to you Savior!

A debtor to mercy alone,
Of covenant mercy I sing;
Nor fear with You righteousness on,
My person and offerings to bring:
Thye terrors of law and of God,
With me can have nothing to do;
My Savior's obedience and blood
Hid all my transgressions from view.

-Morning and Evening - February 13

~Annsley

We Should Help the Iraq and the Asian Countries

2008-02-13T16:00:00.001-05:00

This is Probably Me in 10 Years

2008-02-12T18:25:00.000-05:00

-Kyle-

My Heart is Spoken Forth

2008-02-09T23:57:00.000-05:00

The last couple of weeks God has and is continuing to do a work in my heart. I was struggling in my heart and it was beginning to be revealed on the outside. Mainly because I have not been experiencing joy in the season of life that God has called me to be in. The other night I went to my book shelf and turned to February 8th in a daily devotional called, “Steams in the Desert.” I felt like every word that was stated, was God speaking directly into my life.

It said, “O not look forward to the changes and chances of this life in fear. Rather look at them with full hope that, as they arise, God, whose you are, will deliver you out of them. He has kept hitherto; do you but hold fast to His dear hand, and He will lead you safely through all things; and when you cannot stand, He will bear you in His arms. Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow. The same everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of you tomorrow, and every day. Either He will shield you from suffering, or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace, then, put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations.”

He will silently plan for thee,
Object thou omniscient care;
God Himself undertakes to be
Thy Pilot through each subtle snare.

He will silently plan for thee,
So certainly, He cannot fail!
Rest on the faithfulness of God,
In His thou surely shalt prevail.

He will silently plan for thee,
His purposes shall unfold;
The tangled skein shall shine at last,
A masterpiece of skill untold.
-E Mary Grimes.

Though my soul has not been at ease lately, I have and still believe that God has ordained for me to be in this particular season of life. Though there are times I want to give up, God has shown me that I need to continue to run the race of endurance with full speed and trust that this is where He wants me to be at this point in my life. Over the last couple of days I have felt God’s grace pouring upon my life in a deeper and more profound way. And for that I am so very grateful!

-Candace-

Good Ole Charlie

2008-02-09T23:45:00.000-05:00

"And that really hurt, Charlie, and it's still...hurting."

After watching this video three times, you notice funny little details, like the fact that Charlie goes in for another bite right before the video cuts out.

-Amber-

Clinging to God's Promises

2008-02-07T22:10:00.000-05:00

I long to have faith like Abraham. God promised the patriarch what was humanly impossible, and Abraham believed Him. That’s why Romans 4:18-21 is one of my favorite passages:

In hope [Abraham] believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, "So shall your offspring be." He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.

One thing I love about this passage is the absolute nature of its language. Abraham allowed for “no distrust”; he stood firmly, “fully convinced” that he would see God’s promises fulfilled. He was 100% certain that God would do what He said. No wavering allowed.

With God’s help, I am on my way to cultivating that kind of faith. I’m not there yet; I may not get there in my lifetime. But: I’m on my way. I have made a fundamental change in the way that I try to look at God’s promises: with faith! This choice, the decision to grasp His promises tightly and to believe them, has had a great impact on my life. Here’s an excerpt from a journal entry I wrote a few days ago:

Though the fight for joy is still a daily battle for me, what helps me the most is choosing to cling to God’s promises and actually believe them (novel idea!) instead of desperately fighting to win this war without the hope of God’s help. I have begun to make the choice to rest. To believe.To be still in God’s “future grace,” still in his promises, and still in his power, instead of despairing in my failure.

Some verses that help me to focus on God’s ability and promises to accomplish the impossible: Isaiah 41:17-20, Ephesians 3:14-20, and 2 Cor.12:9-12. I love these verses because each communicates God’s power to do far more than I ever could do myself or even think to ask of Him. Though the desert (naturally) seems irreversibly dry, He promises flowing streams to the desolate heart. I will believe it! Though I am painfully aware of my weakness, it is then that I am strong in His unending power. Though I can’t comprehend or feel His love for me, I believe that He is able to restore my soul to know His love, even in a way that “surpasses knowledge.”

I'm not saying I won't waver. I will need to redirect my unbelieving thoughts to believing thoughts. I’ll have to ask God for forgiveness for doubting His promises and His faithfulness to carry them out. There will be times when I revert to hopelessness, instead of believing God as Abraham did. But I have faith that God will even help me with that weakness as He works in me each day to make me more like His Son.

Thank you, Father, for your promises, which are "yes and amen" in Christ. Please increase my faith to believe them!

"For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ." 2 Cor. 1:20

-Amber-

God vs. Gridiron

2008-02-04T19:44:00.001-05:00

One unlikely match-up Sunday pits two powerhouse opponents against each other: the National Football League and the Christian church.

On one side are church-sponsored Super Bowl parties with big-screen TVs, soft drinks and some soul-saving talk at halftime. On the other are NFL lawyers threatening to crack down on unauthorized use of the game. The league, which owns both the Super Bowl name and the broadcast, has restrictions that limit TV screens to 55 inches at public viewings, except at venues like bars and restaurants that regularly broadcast sporting events. Airing the game at events that promote a message, including a religious message, is forbidden.

Churches have long used the Super Bowl to draw newcomers and build fellowship among congregants. But in the face of legal threats, many are scaling back. Last month, a congregation of deaf Christians in upstate New York scratched plans to broadcast the game with closed captioning after learning they might be sued. At the First Baptist Church in Summerfield, N.C., the Rev. Richard Odom canceled plans to host 500 people. "God didn't command us to watch the Super Bowl," he says.

Others have rebranded their events as "Big Game Fellowship" or "Superb Owl" parties to avoid the trademarked phrase Super Bowl, or moved their parties to restaurants or congregants' homes to dodge the league's screen-size restrictions for "mass out-of-home viewings."

The conflict flared up last February when the league ordered Fall Creek Baptist Church in Indianapolis to cancel plans to show the game on a 12-foot-wide screen. Now some religious-rights advocates and pastors are challenging the rules. Yesterday, North Carolina Democratic congressman Heath Shuler, a former NFL quarterback, sent a letter criticizing the league's stance to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Mr. Shuler says that if the league won't budge, he plans to draft federal legislation that would exempt churches from the screen-size restrictions.

"It's unfortunate that the NFL has given exception to sports bars," Mr. Shuler says. "If they're going to give exceptions, let's give one to faith groups that are having a positive influence on people's lives."

The Rutherford Institute, a Virginia-based civil-liberties group that defends religious rights, is threatening to sue the NFL on behalf of an Alabama church.

I read this yesterday in the Wall Street Journal

Read the rest of the article here.

-Kyle-

The New Military if Hillary Wins

2008-02-04T08:32:00.001-05:00

I almost spewed my coffee onto my computer screen after I saw the billary picture. Gross.

(HT: reclaimingthemind)

-Kyle-

New Blog on the Block

2008-01-29T22:34:00.000-05:00

The moment we've all been waiting for... C.J Mahaney has started his own blog. here is the link: http://sovereigngraceministries.com/Blog/

-Kyle-

Taxes, Taxes, Taxes...

2008-01-26T09:08:00.000-05:00

Most recently I have been reading a book about taxes. I know I know, boring right? Wrong. The book I am reading is one of the most well-written and carefully thought out books that I have read this year. It is entertaining, thought-provoking, educational, and yes even fun. It is entitled "The FairTax Book" and is authored by Neal Boortz (radio talk show host) and Congressman John Linder (of Georgia). I wanted to share with you an excerpt from the book that discusses how federal Income Tax Withholding came about and then how it convicted me of my sin.

In the early years of the income tax, taxpayers would calculate the full amount of income taxes they owed for the previous tax year and write one check to the Internal Revenue Service. Your taxes were paid just as you pay your automobile insurance premium or your real estate property taxes today. you get your bill; you write your check. Before withholding came along, you can bet your life savings that people knew how much they were paying in income tax. You write the government a check for that kind of loot every year, and it has a way of sticking in the old memory bank.

That was a good thing for the individual taxpayer's sense of he fiscal well-being, at least. For politicians who want to raise taxes? Not so good. Then came withholding...

In order to gain the necessary level of public support for income tax withholding, a fiction was created. It was called the Ruml Plan, cleverly named after the man who came up with the idea, one Beardsley Ruml. Here's the bill of goods the Ruml Plan helped sell to the American people. It seems very simple: if, starting in 1943, you allow us to start withholding taxes from your paychecks, then we'll forgive you all of the taxes you owe for the year 1942 and you won't have to pay them when March 15 rolls around!...

Now let's take a moment to apply some logic to this Ruml Plan. Were Americans getting away with anything? Of course not. Perhaps the best way to dispel any notion that this was a "tax elimination" scheme is to point out that the government's revenues wouldn't decline under the plan. Now, if you're going to forgive an entire year's income tax collections, you would expect government revenue to take quite a hit, wouldn't you? Well, it didn't. The simple truth was that, instead of paying the previous year's tax bill in one lump sum, wage earners would really be paying the previous year's taxes over the course of the current year, paycheck by paycheck, through the new withholding system. The politicians realized that expanding the income tax, while instituting the withholding scheme, would allow them to increase the government's tax revenues enough that it easily compensated for this supposed 1942 "tax forgiveness" offer.

After reading this I was infuriated to say the least. My own government, knowingly deceiving the American people and robbing them of their money and freedom. Arrgh. To top it off, after I read this yesterday I received my W-2 from work, informing me of how much money the government "withheld" from me this year. Coincidence? I think not. I quickly began to grow angry and bitter in my heart, thinking I deserved that money that I had worked for. What right does the government have to take my money out of my paycheck before I even see it? I was ticked off to say the least.

Then came my Bible.

Then Conviction.

The Lord reminded me of a verse we read while discussing "Trusting God" and the sovereignty of the Lord in our government. Mark 12:17 "render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are Gods." Sweet, sweet conviction. It always goes down smooth. The fact of the matter is, is that God has placed our Government where it is and he has ordained "withholding" to be apart of our government. Though the Ruml Plan was deceiving in nature and wrong in my book, it doesn't give me a license to store anger and bitterness in my heart and thus sin against God. I can quietly disagree with the way the Government collects our taxes and then move on to trusting the sovereignty of God in all areas of my life. Yes, even in taxes. Now for that repentance thing...

Kyle

Where's The Music?

2008-01-24T10:48:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday, a message was given concerning our affections toward God. A phrase was used that, "Truth without affections is like life without music." Technically, you could use anything to replace the word music. A word that hits closer to home for you perhaps? Something like, truth without affections is like life without football, work, family, friends and so on. The point is, that when you take one of these things out of your life, it could seem boring or joyless. The same can be said of our Christian life when we know all the truths, but don't have any of the feelings that should accompany them.

I bring and offering of worship to my king
No one on earth deserves the praises that I sing
Jesus may you receive the honor that you're due

O Lord, I bring an offering to you

In my own life, I'm afraid that often times, these truths have become familiar to me. I can become complacent about aggressively pursuing these truths and keeping them ever before me. I can become lazy in studying these truths so that objective affections can grow out of objective truth. The Cross, should never become familiar to me. What Christ did, should never become familiar to me. Who God is, should never become familiar to me. God's truths should become so real and amazing to us that it affects our lives. It should affect our joy, countenance, emotions, attitudes and be an example to others. Who wants to be apart of a faith that is dry and devoid of passion? I have to ask myself how I can sometimes lose my voice shouting at a football game and then struggle to sing when I'm tired on Sunday mornings? Once again, this is a clue as to what I'm giving my affections to. We can't love what we don't know and when my affections for the Lord begin to wane, I know that's a big hint telling me to get in my room and pursue spending time with the God and allowing His truths to affect my affections. By God's grace we can all have a passionate love for the Lord if only we will take the time to pursue it. I once heard a saying that "Music is what feelings sound like." If that's true what would my feelings about God sound like? Bad karaoke music? My prayer is for my affections to be a fragrant offering to God.

"What shall I do to glorify and worship this best of beings? O that I could consecrate my soul and body to His service, without restraint, for ever! O that I could give myself up to Him, so as never more to attempt to be my own! or have any will or affections that are not perfectly conformed to His will and His love!" - Valley of Vision

-Lana-

A Wretch Like Who?

2008-01-22T22:55:00.000-05:00

I’ve been reading the book “The Grace and Truth Paradox” by Randy Alcorn and he tells a story in the book about a time he was listening to a soloist singing one of his favorite songs “Amazing Grace.” He said, “It was beautiful until she got to the tenth word.” “Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a soul like me!” His heart sank. The word wretch had been edited out. John Newton, the songwriter knew he was a wretch and that’s what made God’s grace so amazing, mind boggling, and pretty much awesome.

“If we’re nothing more then morally neutral souls, do you see what that does? It guts grace. The better we are, the less we need it. The less amazing it becomes. The Bible makes an astounding proclamation: ‘God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us' (Romans 5:8)"

“When you cut wretch out of the song, you shrink grace. You reduce it to something more sensible, less surprising. If we weren’t so bad without Christ, why did He have to endure the cross? Paul said if men were good enough, then ‘Christ died for nothing’ (Galatians 2:21) Grace never ignores the awful truth of our depravity. In fact, it emphasizes it. The worse we realize we are, the greater we realize how great God’s grace is.”

What relief this has brought me to realize that my salvation cannot be earned by good works and therefore can’t be lost by bad ones. Through that story I realized that if I see God as who He really is and myself as whom I really am there’s only one appropriate response, and that is to worship Him. What a wretched sinner I am but, by God’s amazing grace I am now free!!!

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost but now am found,

Was blind, but now I see.

-Candace-

For Jenn

2008-01-22T10:11:00.000-05:00

Proverbs 19:21 "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails."

Jeremiah 29:11 "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"

Phillipians 4:6 "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Joshua 1:5 "I will not leave you or forsake you."

-Amber-

Tom Brady

2008-01-19T09:56:00.000-05:00

I recently watched this interview and thought it was fitting in light of their most current quest for their fourth super bowl.

In reality, all of the lost are searching for "something more", Tom just has the guts to admit it. Maybe God is giving Mr. Brady all of these super bowls to draw him to Jesus Christ? That must be why the Jags lost! In all seriousness though, I sincerely hope and pray that Tom turns to Christ to fill his empty life.

-Kyle-

Finding Peace in God's Hands

2008-01-15T22:35:00.000-05:00

Here are some wise words from Elisabeth Elliot that I found very helpful....

“God’s promises to guide cover every imaginable situation. All we need to do is take the hand he stretches out. But it is here that the hardest question arises: How, exactly, do I take his hand? He has said over and over, ‘I will guide you,’ but there are so many promises with conditions attached, conditions that seem impossible to fulfill. The best kind of beginning, when we want to know the will of God, is to concentrate first on God himself. The briefest effort to do this will humble us.”

-Candace-

New Attitude 2008

2008-01-15T09:17:00.000-05:00

-Kyle-

Taste and See

2008-01-11T09:45:00.000-05:00

"Not long before his death on September 27, 1982, I visited Dr. Wilford Widen in the hospital. He looked up at me from his bed with a smile and said, 'Pastor John, the greatest thing in the world is to be saved.' Those words are the abiding legacy of a great saint who gave oversight to the Sunday school at our church for forty years and led the building campaign for on of our buildings.

Do you feel this? If not, perhaps the reason is that you never really felt very lost and desperate before the judgement of God or threatened by an eternity of conscious torment in hell. Oh, how we love being saved after we have just come close to being killed. Perhaps by a powerful ocean undertow. Or by getting a finger caught in the drain at the bottom of a swimming pool. (Yes, filled with water! I can remember it well). Or almost walking out in front of a car that speeds by just three feet from you at forty miles an hour, but your wife's voice catches you in the split second before you step into death. Or a remission from a long battle with cancer. Or release from a prison camp in the Gulag after sixteen years of expecting death. Or after surviving a plane crash when others perished.

Oh, how we love life at those moments and cleave to everything precious. So it is when you taste the preciousness of being saved from sin. Not just the words. Not just a fact learned from the Bible, but really feeling that you are justly damned and hopelessly lost and cut off from God and life and joy. Then to learn that God has made a way. That he will forgive you, That he will accept you and love you and work all thing for your good. That all your sins can be forgiven and cast into the deepest sea and never brought up against you anymore. Oh, the preciousness of being saved from sin and judgement and hell!"

John Piper

-Kyle-

HuckChuck Facts

2008-01-09T22:33:00.001-05:00

You may have already seen this but we thought it was worthy of posting...

-Caleb/Kyle-

Oh so Sweet...

2008-01-07T21:35:00.000-05:00

I am continually amazed by the inconsistencies that characterize my life. The hypocrisy, lying, cheating, and blatant rebellion disgust me to the point of tears sometimes. I know that even this realization of the deep state of my sin is only by the grace of God as well.

I have grown to enjoy those precious moments when the gospel of Jesus Christ becomes ever so clear to me. There is nothing better than those times when I am broken by my sin and shortcomings, only to find full acceptance by God and unmerited favor brought about by the blood and sacrifice of His Son. Every day I must pray that God make these truths so real to me, otherwise, when those moments of condemnation come I will crumble under its weight.

The gospel must be my foundation, and its truths the author of my faith. To borrow words from the artist Steve Fee, "Its all because of Jesus I'm alive." What a simple but truly comforting statement!

Listen to Spurgeon's wonderful words of truth and encouragement, "Jesus is to believers the one pearl of great price, for whom we are willing to part with all that we have. he has so completely won our love, that it beats alone for Him; to His glory we would live, and in the defense of His gospel we would die; He is the pattern of our life, and the model after which we would sculpture our character."

-Kyle-

2008-01-07T11:44:00.000-05:00

It's interesting how as soon as you think you're doing well and are walking steadily on a smooth path, you suddenly find yourself sprawled out on the rocky face of a mountain. This description isn't literal for me (well it could be =), but it depicts how I have felt very recently. I think I had become familiar with my surroundings and was able to navigate through daily life pretty well, but when I was placed in a new location, with a new routine and unexpected situations, I have seen that I did not walk things out as I should have. I was less of an encourager, I was less eager to serve, I was quicker to judge, I was quicker to anger, I was quicker to pride. Though I do believe that God's grace sustained me through many instances, I did not embrace it as I should have. I believe that in many ways I completely went against 1 Corinthians 13:4-8,

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends."

I lacked love last week because I sometimes lacked patience and kindness; I lacked love because I'm sure I was arrogant and rude; I lacked love because I know there were instances where I wanted my own way; I lacked love because I became irritable and resentful; I lacked love by being passive about certain things and not seeking after truth hard enough; I lacked love when I didn't bear all things, believe all things, hope in all things and endure all things. My heart is saddened when I consider the many ways I have failed, but I know that God is faithful and is continuing His amazing work in each one of us as He promises. All I can do now is seek after Him harder and pursue the kind of love in 1 Corinthians until it is effortlessly pouring out of me and blessing others. My desire is to be Christ to others and glorify the Lord in all that I do. I am deeply grateful for all the precious brothers and sisters the Lord has blessed me with and how the Lord has used them to reveal things in my life. My prayer for the future is that I will be able to beautifully portray the verse in 1 Thessalonians 5:11 "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing."

"We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself." - Romans 15:1-3

~Heavenly Father, you are so patient with me and my numerous failings. Help me to grow to be more like you as I walk out my days on this earth. Help me to demonstrate the kind of love that you have called me to and help me desire the things above more than the things of this world. Thank you for Your sustaining grace and for continuing Your work of sanctification in me. May You be glorified and others be blessed through my life. Amen~

-Lana-

Ski Trip Photos

2008-01-06T23:00:00.001-05:00

Huckabee Ads...

2007-12-30T13:34:00.000-05:00

-Kyle-

The Power of the Gospel

2007-12-28T09:07:00.000-05:00

Romans 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the jew first and also to the greek."

Paul is eager to preach the gospel because he knows what it is capable of. He has personally witnessed the conversion of hundreds of sinners. He is fully aware that it is the power of God. Without doubt, Paul understands that the Spirit works and changes lives regardless of circumstances.

Lately in my life I have lacked faith in the power of God to save the lost. I have forgotten that God works miracles and there is no person who is outside the realm of salvation. God's plan for the redemption of his people has been declared open to "all who will believe". He has not shut the door. The Lord has even specifically designed the Gospel to open the eyes of unbelievers and bring them out of the darkness.

The purpose of the gospel is this: to "bring salvation to everyone who believes." Historically, this great mercy was first provided to the jews. However, God now calls all people to his name. How dare I doubt the creator? How dare I lack faith in an all-powerful God. There is no excuse but to pray to God to grant me His faith and make me fully aware of His power to save. This morning God showed me how he saved one of THE greatest persecutors of the church of all time. God intervened in Paul's life and changed him from a pharisee to the most well-known apostle of all time. God even used Paul to write His Word! No doubt, God has the infinite capability to not only save those who we think are beyond saving, he can raise them to be great leaders in the church. Let us never doubt the power of the Spirit to change.

Father, I pray you will make my heart as Paul's. Let me not be ashamed of your gospel. Let me delight in the riches of salvation and have faith in your power to save the lost. I pray that I never doubt the depths of your mercy nor the strings of love that you attach to the elect as you call them into grace. Soli Deo Gloria

-Kyle-

Merry Christmas

2007-12-26T09:38:00.000-05:00

This post is a day late but necessary all the same. Spurgeon has some great thoughts here on the birth of Christ:

'Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel'

Isaiah 7:14

"Let us today go down to Bethlehem, and in company with wondering shepherds and adoring magi, let us see Him who was born King of the Jews, for we by faith can claim an interest in Him, and can sing, 'Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given'. Jesus is Jehovah incarnate, our Lord and our God, and yet our brother and our friend; let us adore and admire. Let us notice at the very first glance His miraculous conception. It was a thing unheard of before, and unparalleled since, that a virgin should conceive and bear a Son. The first promise ran thus, the seed of the woman, not the offspring of the man. Since venturous woman led the way in the sins which brought forth paradise lost, she, and she alone, ushers in the Regainer of Paradise. Our Saviour, although truly man was as to His human nature the Holy One of God. Let us reverently bow before the holy Child whose innocence restores to manhood its ancient glory; and let us pray that He may be formed in us, the hope of glory. Fail no to note His humble parentage. His mother has been described simply as 'a virgin', not a princess, or prophetess, nor a matron of a large estate. True the blood of kings ran in her veins; nor was her mind a weak and untaught one, for she could sing most sweetly a song of praise; but yet how humble her position, how poor the man to whom she stood affianced, and how miserable the accommodation afforded to the new-born King!

Immanuel, God with us in our nature, in our sorrow, in our lifework, in our punishment, in our grave, and now with us, or rather we with Him, in resurrection, ascension, triumph, and Second Advent splendor."

Charles Hadeon Spurgeon

-Kyle-

Pictures of the Year

2007-12-25T15:22:00.001-05:00

Time Magazine has published their pictures of the year for 2007. You can view them here

-Kyle-

Father Daughter Dinner

2007-12-20T22:24:00.001-05:00

For those of you who don’t know… The single guys in our Church had a formal dinner for all the single girls and their fathers. Yes they cooked and yes it was delicious.

Thanks guys for such a memorable evening!

Here are a few pictures…..

All the gals

After the hilarious "Pride and Prejudice" skit

The servers and the girls

Silly Picture

all the fathers and their daughters

-Candace-

The Power of Scripture Memorization

2007-12-10T22:26:00.000-05:00

Here's a gem from Piper's When I Don't Desire God:

"I believe in the power of the [memorized] Word of God to solve a thousand problems before they happen, and to heal a thousand wounds after they happen, and to kill a thousand sins in the moment of temptation, and to sweeten a thousand days with the 'drippings of the honeycomb.'"

-Amber-

The Best National Anthem Ever

2007-12-10T11:05:00.000-05:00

-Kyle-

The Prosecuter and the Judge

2007-12-07T09:25:00.000-05:00

God has presented His case before me: He is the prosecutor and the judge. Throughout history He shows me how my sins are no different from the sins of His people, Israel. He allows me to see how He has dealt with these sinners; He pronounces them guilty, and then proceeds to destroy them for their abomination (1 Kings 16).

Once He has gone out of his way to prove my guilt and display His righteousness, He proceeds to pronounce judgment upon my blasphemous, sinful self. What is His verdict? Not Guilty.

Just as he has gone to the depths to show me my sin and guilt though His law, He has also persuaded me of His love by providing my salvation though the obedience of His Son Jesus Christ.

In these acts the depth of his character is displayed. Not merely just his wrath, or just his mercy, or just his righteousness. But all of His glorious attributes intertwined in one magnificent plan of redemption for His glory. In the midst of all this is little old me. Forgotten by God at this point, right? Emphatically, no. He has graciously included me in the greater plan for His ultimate glory. What a great God we serve!

-Kyle-

Huckabee on Hardball

2007-12-05T09:30:00.000-05:00

Here is an excellent clip from Mike Huckabee's recent interview by Chris Matthews, a well-know liberal journalist. Huckabee really has some great answers to Matthew's questions. He wasn't confusing or contradictory, he was clear, concise and honest. Just what America needs!

-Kyle-

Part II: What Wisdom Is

2007-11-28T17:44:00.000-05:00

Once again, Packer's thoughts on the matter:

Realism Needed
We ask again: what does it mean for God to give us wisdom? What kind of gift is it?

If another transportation illustration may be permitted, it is like being taught to drive. What matters in driving is the speed and appropriateness of your reactions to things and the soundness of your judgment as to what scope a situation gives you. You do not ask yourself why the road should narrow or screw itself into a dogleg wiggle just where it does, nor why that van should be parked where it is, nor why the driver in front should hug the crown of the road so lovingly; you simply try to see and do the right thing in the actual situation that presents itself. The effect of divine wisdom is to enable you and me to do just that in the actual situation of everyday life.

To drive well, you have to keep your eyes skinned to notice exactly whats in front of you. To live wisely, you have to be clear-sighted and realistic -- ruthlessly so -- in looking at life as it is. Wisdom will not go with comforting illusions, false sentiment, or the use of rose-colored glasses. Most of us live in a dream world, with out heads in the clouds and our feet off the ground; we never see the world, and our lives in it, as they really are. This deep-seated, sin-bred unrealism is one of the reason why there is so little wisdom among us -- even the soundest and most orthodox of us...

But what... is wisdom? "Fear God and keep His commandments" (eccl. 12:13); trust and obey him, reverence him, worship him, be humble before him, and never say more than you mean and will stand to when you pray to him (5:17); do good (3:12); remember that God will some day take account of you (11:9, 12:14), so eschew, even in secret, things of which you will be ashamed when they come to light at God's assizes (12:14). Live in the present, and enjoy it thoroughly (7:14, 9:7-10, 11:9-10); present pleasures are God's good gifts. Though Ecclesiastes condemns flippancy (7:4-6), he clearly has no time for the super spirituality which is too proud or too pious ever to laugh and have fun. Seek grace to work hard at whatever life calls you to do (9:10), and enjoy your work as you do it (2:24, 3:12-13, 5:18-20, 8:15). Leave to God its issues; let him measure its ultimate worth; your part is to use all the good sense and enterprise at your command in exploiting the opportunities that lie before you (11:1-6).

This is the way of wisdom. Clearly, it is just one facet of the life of faith. For what underlies and sustains it? Why, the conviction that the inscrutable God of providence is the wise and gracious God of creation and redemption. We can be sure that the God who made this marvelously complex world order, and who compassed the great redemption from Egypt, and who later compassed the even greater redemption from sin and Satan, knows what he is doing, and "doeth all things well," even if for the moment he hides his hand. We can trust him and rejoice in him, even when we cannot discern his path. Thus the preacher's way of wisdom boils down to what was expressed by Richard Baxter:

Ye saints, who toil below,
Adore your heavenly King,
And onward as ye go
Some joyful anthem sing.
Take what He gives,
And praise Him still
Through good and ill
Who ever lives.

-Kyle-

Cinderalla Man

2007-11-27T10:44:00.001-05:00

For all you naysayers out there. I think you know who you are...

-Kyle-

Part I: What Wisdom is Not

2007-11-27T10:08:00.000-05:00

The Following is an excerpt from J.I. Packer's book "Knowing God."

What Wisdom is Not
But what sort of thing is God's gift of wisdom? What effect does it have on a person? Here many go wrong. We can make clear the nature of their mistake by an illustration.

If you stand at the end of a platform at York Station, you can watch a constant succession of engine and train movements which, if you are a railway enthusiast, will greatly fascinate you. But you will only be able to form a very rough and general idea of the overall plan in terms of which all these movements are being determined.

If, however, you are privileged enough to be taken by one of the higher-ups into the magnificent electrical signal box that lies athwart platforms 7 and 8, you will see on the longest wall a diagram of the entire track layout for five miles on either side of the station, with little glowing worm lights moving or stationary on the different tracks to show the signalmen at a glance where every engine and train is. At once you will be able to look at the whole situation through the eyes of those who control it: you will see from the diagram why it was that this train had to be signaled to a halt, and that one diverted from its normal running line, and that one parked temporarily in a siding. The why and the wherefore of all these movements becomes plain once you can see the overall position.

Now, the mistake that is commonly made is to suppose that this is an illustration of what God does when he bestows wisdom: to suppose, in other words, that the gift of wisdom consists in a deepened insight into the providential meaning and purpose of events going on around us, an ability to see why God has done what he has done in a particular case, and what he is going to do next. People feel that if they were really walking close to God, so that he could impart wisdom to them freely, then they would, so to speak, find themselves in the signal-box; they would discern the real purpose of everything that happened to them and it would be clear to them every moment how God was making all things work together for the good. Such people spend much time poring over the book of providence, wondering why God should have allowed this or that to take place, whether they should take it as a sign to stop doing one thing and start doing another, or what they should deduce from it. If they end up baffled, they put it down to their own lack of spirituality.

Christians suffering from depression, physical, mental or spiritual may drive themselves almost crazy with this kind of futile inquiry. For it is futile. Make no mistake about that.

I definitely found myself relating to the illustration above. Too often I think that I am specially privileged by God to make sense of His plan. This is extreme pride on my part and this type of thought process must be mortified quickly.

Tomorrow I will post what Dr. Packer has to say about what wisdom is.

-Kyle-

Trust in Him at ALL Times

2007-11-26T16:43:00.000-05:00

Psalm 62:8-“Trust in him at ALL times, O people; pour out you heart before him; God is a refuge for us.”

This is one of my favorite verses on trusting God. Charles Spurgeon has broken this verse down and shown me the real meaning of it….

“Trust in Him”- To trust in God is to cast our burden on the Lord, when it is too heavy for our own shoulder. In a word, trust in God is that high act of exercise of faith whereby the should, looking upon God is lifted up above carnal fears and discouragements. The holy duty is indeed never out of season.

“At all times”- I might mention many times in which we might trust in the Lord, but they are comprised in this little word “all,” and a precious word it is. When you are full of fears, then you shall bring the little word “all” unto him, and say, I have nothing to encourage me to come to thee but that precious little word, “all.”

“Pour out your heart”- The word “pour” plainly signifies that the heart is full of grief, and almost afraid to empty itself before the Lord. What does he say to you? “Come and pour out all your trouble before me.” He is never weary with hearing the complaints of his people; therefore you should go and keep nothing back; tell him everything that hurts you, and pour “all you complaints into his merciful bosom.” Make him your counselor and friend; you cannot please him better then when your hearts rely wholly upon him.

-Candace-

Wow

2007-11-21T10:03:00.000-05:00

Make sure you watch this video all the way to the end.

-Kyle-

Giving Thanks

2007-11-21T08:58:00.000-05:00

"Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks unto the Holy One
Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son"

With Thanksgiving being tomorrow, I thought it would be a perfect time to write about thankfulness and contentment. It's an original idea I know! I realize that I can far too often complain about what I don't have, instead of focusing on all that I have been given by our gracious God. In one of her books, Elisabeth Elliot said that, "Thanksgiving brings contentment." It's true that gratefulness is a great way to foster contentment! And the number one thing I should be grateful for is my salvation.

"My heart is never satisfied. I always want more. I've learned good gifts alone don't bring contentment. Well, maybe for a while, but not for a lifetime. Not even gifts from God. They alone don't satisfy. Plus, gifts can be taken away. What then?
Although it's right for me to be thankful for all the gifts God has given me in good health, a loving family, food, and so on, there is something more that I must be most thankful for. Christ Himself. Nothing satisfies like the ultimate gift of Christ, given through His work of salvation. There is nothing else I should be more grateful for, and nothing else that can bring about soul-deep contentment, no matter what the circumstances of life may hurl at me." - Danielle Ayers Jones

If I woke up on Thanksgiving morning to the worst circumstances possible, could I still be thankful? Like Job, who lost everything, could I still praise God? I hope so! I hope that my contentment lies in the arms of my heavenly Father and not in the things of this world. Tomorrow when I wake up I hope my first thoughts are not how excited I am about the impending feast a few hours away, but how grateful I am in knowing that I have been saved from eternal wrath, judgment and separation from God. Without that truth, nothing else matters.

"If I should suffer need,
and go unclothed, and be in poverty,
make my heart prize thy love,
know it, be constrained by it,
though I be denied all blessings."
- A Puritan Prayer -

-Lana-

A Good Wife...

2007-11-19T11:22:00.000-05:00

Ryan sent this to me by email the other day. I laughed for the entire read. I think you girls will really appreciate this ;) It comes from the 1955 Housekeeping Monthly on what makes a good Housewife. Interested already? Read and weep:

The Good Wife's Guide:

1. Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready, on time for his return. this is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospect of a good meal (especially his favorite dish) is part of the warm welcome needed.

2. Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you'll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh-looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people!

3. Be a little gay and a little more interesting for him. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it.

4. Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives

5. Gather up schoolbooks, toys, paper ect. and then run a dust cloth over the tables.

6. Over the cooler months of the year you should prepare and light a fire for him to unwind by. your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too. After all, catering for his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction.

7. Prepare the children. Take a few minutes to wash the children's hands and faces (if they are small), comb their hair and, if necessary, change their clothes. They are little treasures and would like to see them playing the part. Minimize all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer or vacum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet

8. Be happy to see him.

9. Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to please him.

10. Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first -- remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours.

11. Make the evening his. Never complain if he comes home late or goes out to dinner, or other places of entertainment without you. Instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure and his very real need to be at home and relax.

12. Your goal: try and make sure your home is a place of peace, order and tranquility where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit.

13. Don't greet him with complaints and problems

14. Don't complain if he is home late for dinner or even if he stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through that day.

15. Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or have him lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him.

16. Arrange his pillow and offer to take of his shoes. Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice.

17. Don't ask him about his actions or question his judgment or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him.

18. A good wife always knows her place.

Now thats my kind of woman ;) On a more serious note, though some of this is excessive, I think (very tentatively) that this article does offer some good pointers on how wifes can serve their husbands. Most likely this article would offend many women in today's world, but I believe their is some scriptural support for it.
If you examine the structure of such passages as Proverbs 31 or Titus 2, the language very much falls into place with the concept of this article. Please don't misunderstand me, I am not advocating some of the lines such as "his topics of conversation are more important than yours", all I am saying is that if both husband and wife alike have servant oriented dispositions toward each other it establishes a foundation of Christ-like love that will lead to a God glorifying marriage.

-Kyle-

Wedgie-Proof Underwear... Oh Yes

2007-11-16T08:56:00.000-05:00

I would so wear these

(HT:Denny Burk)

-Kyle-

Ahem...

2007-11-15T09:02:00.000-05:00

(*Clearing Throat)

I was shackeld, chained, content there to be,
But by your will you chose that I should go free,
It is by the blood of your only begotten,
That you have reminded me, and I have not forgotten,
Of the price that has indebted me so,
That has raised me, saved me, and allowed me to know,
The one and true God in all His majesty,
It is by His grace that now I am redeemed.

-Kyle-

Stored Up Protection

2007-11-14T14:11:00.000-05:00

"The Word of God is one of the most vital agents of sanctification in the life of a believer. Jesus prayed, "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth" (John 17:17) God's word has the power to protect us from sin and to purify us when we do sin. David understood the necessity and value of the scripture in his pursuit of godliness. "How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word...I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." (Psalm 119:9,11)" - Holiness by Nancy Leigh DeMoss

If I am serious about growing in godliness, I should be serious about storing God's word in my heart. I am sometimes scared of myself, because I know how prone my flesh is to sin. How prone my heart is to wander. But God has provided me with something to help guard myself! He says that His word has the power to protect us. The power to help keep my way pure. The power to help me not sin against a Holy God. How kind of the Lord to provide His children with such a means of grace! I am painfully aware of my need to steep myself in the scriptures in a deeper way. The following quote convicted me greatly and also encouraged my to step up my pursuit of God through His word in order to grow in holiness and bring Him glory.

"Mark it down - your progress in holiness will never exceed your relationship with the Word of God." Holiness by Nancy Leigh DeMoss

-Lana-

Spurgeon

2007-11-14T11:13:00.001-05:00

"I do not come into this pulpit hoping that perhaps somebody will of his own free will return to Christ. My hope lies in another quarter. I hope that my Master will lay hold of some of them and say, 'You are mine and you shall be mine. I claim you for myself.' My hope arises from the freeness of grace, and not the freedom of the will."

Charles Haddon Spurgeon

-Kyle-

The Grace of God and the Merit of Christ

2007-11-13T22:34:00.000-05:00

“Though the grace of God and the merit of Christ are not the same, they always go together in our relationship with God. We cannot experience one without the other. In terms of order, God’s grace comes first. It was because of His grace that God the Father sent His only Son to die in our place. To say it another way, Christ’s death was the result of God’s grace; grace is not the result of Christ’s death. But it is also true that our experience of God’s grace is made possible only by the death of Christ. God is gracious, but He is also just in an absolute sense; that is, His justice cannot overlook the least infraction of His holy law. Because Christ completely satisfied the justice of God, we can now experience the grace of God. Yeas ago I heard a simple acronym of grace expressing this relationship: Grace is God’s Riches at Christ’s expense.” -Jerry Bridges-

Ephesians 2:4-7-“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ by grace you have been saved and raised us up with his and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

"God’s grace shall never be wanting to those who sincerely desire to know and do their duty… The increase of gold lowers the value of it, but the increase of grace advances its price. The more men have of that, the more they value it." -Matthew Henry-

Heavenly Father, As another day has gone by I am once again astonished by your kindness and faithfulness to me. I pray that I would value Your great grace above ALL else. May I be someone that is satisfied and touched by Your grace ALL the days of my life.

-Candace-

Hey How Are You?

2007-11-12T09:08:00.000-05:00

When you write a letter, how do you normally begin? "hey whats up guys!", "I hope your doing well", "Life is good here." Something along those lines right? Well, Paul took a slightly different approach to his greetings in letters. As a matter of fact, In his letter to the Romans, the last thing he does in his greeting is greet the Romans!

Paul uses his opening statements to pack in more theology and doctrine than we do in all our letters combined. Within the first seven verses, 132 words and 18 lines of Romans Paul establishes numerous thesis that he later goes on to explain in greater detail. Oh ya, he did it all in one sentence :) (in case you didn't know it, Paul is the king of run-on-sentences).

Here is a list of just some of the content in his greeting:

1. He acknowledges himself to be a servant of Christ
2. The doctrine of election
3. His particular calling to preach the gospel
4. The faithfulness of God
5. The fulfillment of prophecies concerning Jesus Christ
6. The incarnate deity of Christ
7. Faith in future grace
8. The purpose of Christs sacrifice
9. The Glory of God
10. The majesty of God
11. Adoption
12. The proof of Christ's existence through the scriptures
13. Salvation
14. His greeting to the Romans

Did I mention Paul did it in one sentence?

-Kyle-

"New Look, Same Great Taste"

2007-11-12T00:12:00.000-05:00

Ok, the reason that I have not voiced my opinion on the new template is because I wanted to have substantial time to pray and seek God about this new look. Just Kidding. It is because I have been too lazy. But, with that said I would like to give my opinion on the new look. I think that a change in the blog could not have come at a better time. I believe God controls all things, even blog templates. In light of the recent changes to the Singles Homegroup I could not think of a more appropriate time for a fresh start to the blog also. Although the change to the template probably won't have quite as big of an effect as changing homegroups will, you never know what might happen. I am sure that although there is a new look to the blog, the same great content will stay the same. And also, although the homegroup has changed we all will give ourselves as fully to our new homes as we did to the old one. Here's to change in look and location but not to beliefs or passion.

Kevin