Hmmpf . . . . (for lack of a better title)

For three weeks my mind has been filled with nothing. I look at this page and think what a shame I have nothing to say. I have been really busy with a lot of stuff and now finally, I have a break and I have nothing to say besides I made it. I have one semester down and it is pretty sweet. Having nothing to say is not bad, just different.

Shout Out: Thanks Kathy for the Internet time and the usage of your computer. I hope to finish Luther later tonight if that is okay.

Hemlock Inn

I am in North Carolina. Or actually, I will be in less than 48 hours. I am flying out tomorrow. I am elated. That is all.

TFC Update

Earlier in the week I sent in my housing preferences and a deposit. The deposit is refundable if I change my mind. All of my credits from KCC transferred! I will start the year off with a little less stress than most freshman since I have credit for English, math, psych, and others. I will not most of the basics because of my credits. Please pray for my college choice. I am pretty sure that this is the place because more of my family is settling with the idea.

North Africans of Paris

Paris is the capital city of France, and has a rich history and culture. Paris is known for its famous architecture, rich foods, and high fashion, along with being a strong center for art, dance and music throughout the world. Many of the countries colonized by France in the past are represented in France’s multi-ethnic population. Individuals from virtually every unreached people group in North Africa or the Middle East (NAME) can be found living in the greater Paris area, known as the “Ile-de-France.” These NAME Muslims make up well more than 10 percent of Paris’ total population. Moroccan Soussi Berbers; Algerian Khabyle Berbers; North African Arabs; and the peoples of Egypt are abundant. Syrians, Iraquis, and Lebanese make up a strong segment of the population. Many of these immigrants continue living as if they were still in North Africa or the Middle East. They maintain their “home” cultures, even in Paris’ sophisticated environment, which in turn, contributes to tensions between the French and the nationalized Muslim populations. For instance, though the wearing of scarves is a practice of most Muslim women, scarves are forbidden in official photos or in public schools. Many of the NAME Muslims of Paris have moved from countries that are closed to Christianity. The religious freedom of France allows an environment where an open Christian witness can be shared.

Original site with more information

In His Hands

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?

Isaiah 40:12

Do You Thirst for the Lord?

Here is an excerpt from Donald S. Whitney's book Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health.

"Lord, I want to know You more," sang Mike, just before the sermon. One of my seminary professors from years back, who was guest preacher at our church that Sunday morning, sat next to me on the front pew and listened transfixed. As Mike continued to sing, I could hear my older friend sigh occasionally. When the song was over, T.W. sat motionless for so long I thought he had forgotten that he was now supposed to preach. As I turned to remind him I saw his shoulders lift and fall with the slow draw and release of his breath. Finally, he opened his eyes and stepped thoughtfully to the pulpit. He looked down for what seemed to be a full minute before he could speak. And then, "Lord, I do want to know you more." Departing from his prepared words for awhile, he spoke of his thirst for God, his longings to know Christ more intimately, to obey Him more completely. Here was a man who had followed Christ for more than fifty years still captivated by the sweetness of the quest. In his second half-century as a disciple of Jesus, the grace of growth still flourished in him.

It's been ten years since that Sunday morning. I've seen T.W. at least annually since, and the things of God have not diminished their magnetic pull on his heart's aspirations. Two months ago I found myself sharing a shuttle bus ride with him from a denominational convention back to our hotel. Though nearly seventy now, and weakened by cardiac surgery, his eyes flashed as he talked half an hour about what he was learning about prayer. Even as his body decays, his longings for God display the growing strength of his soul.

The Apostle Paul must have similarly impressed others in his day. Despite all his maturity in Christ, all he had seen and experienced, late in life (in Philippians 3:10) Paul wrote of the passion that propelled him: "that I may know Him." What is he talking about? Didn't he already know Jesus more closely than perhaps anyone else ever will? Of course he did. But the more he knew Jesus, the more he wanted to know Him. The more Paul progressed in spiritual strength, the more thirsty for God He became.

With a similar thirst, the writer of Psalm 42:1-2 prayed, "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?" Does this describe your thirst for God? If so, be encouraged: whatever else is transpiring in your Christian life, your soul-thirst is a sign of soul-growth.

Donald S. Whitney

Contextualization of the Gospel = Confusion

Check out this article at the Slice of Laodicea. It is interesting.

"Contextualization . . . This word can be summed up in the following phrase: "we don't want to be seeker sensitive, but seeker sensible; we don't want to argue for relativism, but relevantism." This appears to be nothing more than mere double-talk beloved: sensible for sensitive - relevantism for relativism. In reality, it is exactly the same thing just clothed in different rags."

TFC Update

I received a phone call from JR, my admissions counselor today. He told me Toccoa Falls College had accepted my application and that he looked forward to seeing me in the fall if that was where God was leading me. Please pray for me to make the right choice, either to go with TFC or continue to look around. I have and idea, but I would like to give this completely to God.

Runaway Thoughts

This summer the church is going on a mission trip to Puerto Rico. I am excited, but there have not been any meetings to sign up. When the church went to Scotland, there were signups and meeting once a month to prepare for the trip. If we do not meet soon, plane tickets will be so high. We need to start fundaraising now for the trip. I really hope that we can get things rolling fast before the time runs away.

Braces

Currently, I am sitting and waiting for my little brother to finish his orthodontics appointment. I have never had braces and I cannot imagine what it is like. My dentist says my biggest problem is the the poor enamel that has been handed down to me from my dad. We both need better enamel. I also drink lots of coffee! Therefore, my teeth are not the sparkling white they probably could be. Coffee vs. White Teeth?

Friday at The Falls

I love the school out there!!! It is great. The school is smaller than mygraduating class. I prayed with a lot of people there. There are prayer rooms everywhere. The people are really friendly and the missions program is awesome.

Last night, while eating dinner outside, I dropped my napkin.This is a normal occurrence with me, I am very clumsy. So in response to my plight,I said "ZUT," which is French for "darn it!" This guy overheard me and said, "you speak French also!" I was so excited to meet two other people on campus one from GA the other from NY that liked speaking French at one time in their lives.

When I went to their worship service, I really felt at home worshiping with the other believers on campus. Also, instead of chapel on Thursdays, they assign you to small groups to do bible study!

The two girls I stayed with were really fun. Callie and I when I was describing my church preferences and laughed even harder when at the same time she pulled out her reformation study bible like mine. Megan asked, if because she was an armenianist, if we could still be friends since Callie and I were Calvinists. I said it would be tough.

Besides all of that, I am praying that God will make clear to me the right college choice.

Sidenote: I went to the founders website to see if there were any reformed churches in Toccoa. There were none. (sadness)

Jars of Clay

Good Monsters Music Video


The Jars of Clay concert was superb. I feel silly asking but I do not exactly understand this song completely.

Toccoa Falls College

Ask me about it!

Labor Day

AAAAHHHHH!

School is very taxing. I cannot think straight. The week seems to pass by very slow. I lose track of time so easily. I cannot get anything done. Every day I am physically wasted. I cannot manage my time at all.

Here is a video I am feeling right now.

Belarus - VOM

Belarus became an independent state in 1991, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Despite independence, the nation is still struggling to find a national identity.

Religion: Christian 78.70%, non-Religious/other 20.20%, Jewish 1%, and Muslim 0.10%

Ideological Influence: Remaining communist influence

Head of State: President Aleksandr Lukashenko

Persecution: In November 2002, a repressive new religion law came into effect. According to the new law, all unregistered religious activity, communities with fewer than 20 members and any religious activity in private homes (apart from occasional, small-scale meetings) are considered illegal. Religious communities that do not have a registered umbrella body will not be able to invite foreign citizens for religious work, and all religious literature will be subject to censorship. In addition, all religious organizations will have to be re-registered within two years. The Full Gospel Union Church denomination, a developing Protestant movement in Belarus, was constantly under attack by the government in 2005, which sought to shut down the operations of its 60 churches. Using their flawed legal system to confiscate property legally belonging to a Full Gospel Union Church in Minsk, authorities launched an organized campaign of harassment and oppression to restrict the growth of Christianity. A network of Baptist churches was also ordered to disband. Baptists in the Brast region complained of increased persecution in 2004. Pastors were fined, and the Justice Ministry ordered a network of unregistered Baptist churches disbanded. The personal property of two Baptists was confiscated, and the pay of another docked after they sang hymns and distributed Bibles during an Easter visit to a hospital.

Missionary Opportunity: Christian literature needs to be made more available. However, the JESUS film has been seen by most of the population in the Belarusian or Russian language.

Happiness is . . .

I am very happy today. Due to mandatory teacher in-service, (why I love teachers) inside rehearsal was cancelled today after 12:00, tomorrow all day and Thursday. Friday will be my last official day of summer band for ever! (reverb action)

Irregularity

I am trying to stay awake without caffeine. I need to fall asleep tonight without a sleeping aid. I am so glad I am tired, but I cannot take a nap. I cannot go to bed any earlier than 9:30. (it is a personal rule) If I go to bed at 9:30, I will get 8 hours of sleep, in theory. I need to get on a schedule to be ready for school on the right side of my bed.

Random comment not pertaining to sleep: Thank you for your prayers for my recent adventures in life.

Hope is a Glorious Grace - John Owen

“Christ in you the hope of glory”—Colossians 1:27

Hope is a glorious grace, whereunto blessed effects are ascribed in the Scripture, and an effectual operation unto the supportment and consolation of believers. By it are we purified, sanctified, saved. And, to sum up the whole of its excellency and efficacy, it is a principal way of the working of Christ as inhabiting in us: “Christ in you the hope of glory” (Col 1:27). Where Christ evidenceth His presence with us, He gives us an infallible hope of glory; He gives us an assured pledge of it and worketh our souls into an expectation of it. Hope in general is but an uncertain expectation of a future good which we desire; but as it is a gospel grace, all uncertainty is removed from it, which would hinder us of the advantage intended in it. It is an earnest expectation, proceeding from faith, trust, and confidence, accompanied with longing desires of enjoyment. From a mistake of its nature, it is that few Christians labor after it, exercise themselves unto it, or have the benefit of it; for to live by hope, they suppose, infers a state not only beneath the life of faith and all assurance in believing, but also exclusive of them. They think to hope to be saved is a condition of men who have no grounds of faith or assurance; but this is to turn a blessed fruit of the Spirit into a common affection of nature. Gospel hope is a fruit of faith, trust, and confidence; yea, the height of the actings of all grace issues in a well-grounded hope, nor can it rise any higher (Rom 5:2-5).

Now, the reason why men have no more use of, no more benefit by, this excellent grace, is because they do not abide in thoughts and contemplation of the things hoped for. The especial object of hope is eternal glory (Col 1:27; Rom 5:2). The peculiar use of it is to support, comfort, and refresh the soul in all trials, under all weariness and despondencies, with a firm expectation of a speedy entrance into that glory, with an earnest desire after it. Wherefore, unless we acquaint ourselves by continual meditation with the reality and nature of this glory, it is impossible it should be the object of a vigorous, active hope, such as whereby the apostle says “we are saved.” Without this we can neither have that evidence of eternal things, nor that valuation of them, nor that preparedness in our minds for them, as should keep us in the exercise of gracious hope about them.

Suppose sundry persons engaged in a voyage unto a most remote country, wherein all of them have an apprehension that there is a place of rest and an inheritance provided for them. Under this apprehension they all put themselves upon their voyage, to possess what is so prepared. Howbeit some of them have only a general notion of these things. They know nothing distinctly concerning them and are so busied about other affairs that they have no leisure to inquire into them; or do suppose that they cannot come unto any satisfactory knowledge of them in particular, and so are content to go on with general hopes and expectations. Others there are who by all possible means acquaint themselves particularly with the nature of the climate whither they are going, with the excellency of the inheritance and provision that is made for them. Their voyage proves long and wearisome, their difficulties many, and their dangers great, and they have nothing to relieve and encourage themselves with but the hope and expectation of the country whither they are going. Those of the first sort will be very apt to despond and faint; their general hopes will not be able to relieve them. But those who have a distinct notion and apprehension of the state of things whither they are going, and of their incomparable excellency, have always in a readiness wherewith to cheer their minds and support themselves.

In that journey or pilgrimage wherein we are engaged towards a heavenly country, we are sure to meet with all kinds of dangers, difficulties, and perils. It is not a general notion of blessedness that will excite and work in us a spiritual, refreshing hope. But when we think and meditate on future glory as we ought, that grace which is neglected for the most part as unto its benefit, and dead as unto its exercise, will of all others be most vigorous and active, putting itself forth on all occasions. This, therefore, is an inestimable benefit of the duty exhorted unto, and which they find the advantage of who are really spiritually minded.

"Hope" - from A Puritan's Mind

—From The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded, John Owen, The Works of John Owen, vol. 7, pp. 321-323, reprinted by Banner of Truth.

Dr. Mohler's Fidelitas

Missions at Risk: A Failure of Nerve
R. Albert Mohler, Jr.The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

America's evangelical Christians are facing a critical testing-time as the twentieth century draws to a close. Among the most important of the tests we now face is the future of missions, and our faithfulness to the Great Commission.

Just as doors of opportunity are opening around the world, the Church seems to be losing its voice. A virtual re-paganization of Western culture is occurring, indicating that the failure of the American Church is evident at home as well as abroad. What is the root issue?

At base, the issue is a failure of theological nerve--a devastating loss of biblical and doctrinal conviction. The result is retreat on the mission fields of the world and regression on the home front. Since mid-century, the mainline Protestant denominations have been withdrawing from the missionary enterprise, some even declaring a "moratorium" on the sending of missionaries charged to preach the Gospel. Among these denominations, the total missionary force is now a fraction of the force at mid-century, and many of those who remain on the fields have been assigned duties far removed from conversionist witness.

This loss of theological nerve is a fundamental failure of conviction. Put bluntly, many who claim to be Christians simply do not believe that anyone is actually lost.

The essence of this belief is universalism, the belief that all persons will be saved, whether or not they have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Universalism presents itself in many forms, including modern inclusivism, pluralism, and our pervasive relativism. In its boldest and most honest form, it is the absolute declaration that all persons will be saved (if indeed there is anything from which to be saved). By this account, all religions have an equal claim to truth which underlies the "religious" character of humanity.

In its more romanticized forms, universalism is the belief that God would not actually sentence rebellious human beings to eternal punishment, in spite of what He reveals in Holy Scripture. These persons believe in a God of their own devising, and not the God of the Bible.

Universalism also presents itself in a naïve form, by which Christians refuse to deal with the issue and simply declare no position or conviction on the issue. Their stance betrays their lack of conscience and conviction. Their conscience is uncluttered by concern for the lost.

The believing Church down through the ages has steadfastly resisted the universalist temptation, because universalism is so directly opposed to the clear teaching of Scripture. The Bible presents Jesus Christ and His atoning work as the only means of salvation; His gospel as the only "good news" for a lost world; and the gospel as the global mandate of the Church.

There is no room for universalism--whatever its form--in the evangelical churches. By rejecting the finality of Jesus Christ and the integrity of His gospel, those who promote universalism are witnesses to another gospel, as the Apostle Paul warned.

Given their commitment to the gospel, could evangelical Christians allow universalism to make inroads into their ranks? There are signs that this is now well underway. In the evangelical academy, some are advocating views well in line with the liberal Protestant arguments of the mid-century. The challenge of pluralism has found many evangelicals with weak knees. The pattern of evangelical compromise is also evident in those who seek to reduce the unique claim Christianity makes to truth, and also among those who promote the idea of a second opportunity for saving faith after death.

The pattern is not restricted to the academics, however. The most dangerous trend may be found in the pews of evangelical churches, where more and more Christians are willing to reject or compromise the uniqueness of Christ and His atonement, citing the apparent "sincerity" of those who worship other gods, or no god at all.

Where will the Church stand? A recent report indicates that at a recent Urbana missions conference (bringing together thousands of college-age evangelicals), only a third of the participants indicated their belief that "a person who does not hear the gospel is eternally lost." As one missionary veteran responded: "If two-thirds of the most missions-minded young people in America do not affirm the lostness of mankind, the Great Commission is in serious trouble!" Should these trends spread within the Southern Baptist Convention, we will be in serious trouble indeed.

Let us make our convictions clear. We stand for the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, who alone has atonement for our sins. We believe in justification by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. This is the sum and substance of the genuine gospel.

The missionary impulse logically follows, for we are called to bear witness and to make disciples of all nations. Southern Seminary--always a leader in the training of missionaries--is now multiplying that commitment through an unprecedented partnership with the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. This new partnership is demonstrated in the development of two new degree programs designed to meet the unique needs of missionaries. A new masters program is now underway, and beginning in the fall, Southern Seminary will become the first Baptist institution to offer the Doctor of Missiology degree. This will augment the Ph.D. in missions already offered through the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism, and Church Growth. In an era when commitment to missions is at risk in other quarters, Southern Seminary is determined by God's grace to advance, and never to retreat.

© R. Albert Mohler, Jr. - All Rights Reserved

Here is the Article

Fidelitas may be reproduced in whole or in part, but must include the attribution statement printed above. For further information, contact the Office of the President, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2825 Lexington Road, Louisville, KY 40280. Phone 502.897.4121, Fax 502.899.1770. Or, contact by e-mail at presoffice@sbts.edu

Nigeria - VOM

Nigeria has known only one decade of an elected government since it left the British Empire in 1960, until President Olusegun Obasanjo was elected to office in 1999. He was reelected in 2003. Obasanjo has promised reforms, but a culture of greed and corruption runs deep.


Religion: Christian 52.61%, Muslim 41.00%, Traditional ethnic 5.99%, and non- Religious/other 0.40%

Ideological Influence: Islam

Head of State: President Olusegun Obasanjo, a committed Christian, has wisely and tactfully moved to bring about change while endeavoring to preserve national unity. The former ruling elite have put forth efforts to frustrate and discredit his administration.


Persecution: Islam has been given preferential treatment over Christianity in the past. Shariah Law has been implemented in 12 of Northern Nigeria’s predominately Muslim states. Christian leaders are hopeful Obasanjo’s government will continue to crack down on Muslim fanaticism. In 2005, violence against Christians continued. Believers were killed; churches, Christian schools, homes and businesses were burned and destroyed. The government in the past has turned a blind eye.


Missionary Opportunity: The church in Nigeria is strong, but there is concern over the rise of foreign cults and the mixing of Christianity with the country’s traditional fetish beliefs. Nigeria has become one of the major missionary-sending countries of the developing world.

In the Beginning

School starts for me tomorrow! I have band camp at 7:00 am! That is earlier than the start of school! I have been up to the high school and it is a disaster. Be grateful if you get the new campus, AHS. When the battle was raging last year if the seniors should get the option to attend or not, I was satisfied that HHS would not be that bad. Now I am convinced that nothing can be worse. I do not know how I am going to get from class to class in seven minutes. I went to check in and I had to walk over exposed pipes and wood planks for walkways. Our band hall has rats living in it and things are literally rotting out. It makes me really sad. Someone said that we are special because no one will have the memory of their high school under construction. Who wants that memory?

Anyway, I apologize about the complaints. I know that God has a plan for all of this mess, but that does not raise my school spirit any higher. It will be very frustrating with my brother at AHS with several of my favorite teachers on campus. (Yes, Kathy, that includes you.)

Phil 4:11

Do You Thirst for God? - Donald S. Whitney

"Lord, I want to know You more," sang Mike, just before the sermon. One of my seminary professors from years back, who was guest preacher at our church that Sunday morning, sat next to me on the front pew and listened transfixed. As Mike continued to sing, I could hear my older friend sigh occasionally. When the song was over, T.W. sat motionless for so long I thought he had forgotten that he was now supposed to preach. As I turned to remind him I saw his shoulders lift and fall with the slow draw and release of his breath. Finally, he opened his eyes and stepped thoughtfully to the pulpit. He looked down for what seemed to be a full minute before he could speak. And then, "Lord, I do want to know you more." Departing from his prepared words for awhile, he spoke of his thirst for God, his longings to know Christ more intimately, to obey Him more completely. Here was a man who had followed Christ for more than fifty years still captivated by the sweetness of the quest. In his second half-century as a disciple of Jesus, the grace of growth still flourished in him.

It's been ten years since that Sunday morning. I've seen T.W. at least annually since, and the things of God have not diminished their magnetic pull on his heart's aspirations. Two months ago I found myself sharing a shuttle bus ride with him from a denominational convention back to our hotel. Though nearly seventy now, and weakened by cardiac surgery, his eyes flashed as he talked half an hour about what he was learning about prayer. Even as his body decays, his longings for God display the growing strength of his soul.

The Apostle Paul must have similarly impressed others in his day. Despite all his maturity in Christ, all he had seen and experienced, late in life (in Philippians 3:10) Paul wrote of the passion that propelled him: "that I may know Him." What is he talking about? Didn't he already know Jesus more closely than perhaps anyone else ever will? Of course he did. But the more he knew Jesus, the more he wanted to know Him. The more Paul progressed in spiritual strength, the more thirsty for God He became.

With a similar thirst, the writer of Psalm 42:1-2 prayed, "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?" Does this describe your thirst for God? If so, be encouraged: whatever else is transpiring in your Christian life, your soul-thirst is a sign of soul-growth.

http://www.spiritualdisciplines.org/thirst.html

Creation

Psa 33:6
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.

Le Repos

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.


Venez à moi, vous tous qui êtes fatigués et chargés, et je vous donnerai du repos.

Mathew 11:26

Sighs of relief part 2

I got my schedule changed!

I dropped the classes that I did not need for college!

God is so good to answer my prayers and help me to follow through.

Sighs of relief

Today, God allowed me to speak at the girl's get-together on truly knowing Christ. I selected Hebrews 1 to discuss and it was refreshing to revisit the first chapter of my ongoing bible study. I was very excited. It went remarkably well, I do not remember exactly what came from my lips. I know that it must have been God speaking, which was an answer to my prayers.

Due to the devotion, I have been asked to lead a small group on Wednesday nights. I was asked what grade level and this I know not. I am not sure what age I can teach or which group I would like. I will be praying for God's guidance.

Also, I am going to be praying for the opportunity to disciple another. If it is God's will for me to disciple a young girl, I will contact Jessica. I need God's guidance.

If he points me to these areas of ministry, I will need to definitely cut two of my hardest classes, which I believe is God's will anyway. Instead of filling my plate academically, I will fill it with the things of God. I want to put my yes on the table before the question is even asked.

People Groups

I want to adopt a people group to pray for. I am thinking about the Nigerians living in France. They are classified as a "Last Frontier" group in France.

"Niger is one of the world's poorest countries, ranking 176th on 177 countries in the 2004 Human development index of the United Nations Development Program. Close to 70% of Niger's 11 million inhabitants subsist on less than a dollar a day. Only 43% of Nigeriens have access to drinking water and barely 6.5% have access to electricity. Life expectancy at birth is 46 years, and one child in five dies before age five."

http://www.peoplegroups.org/Detail.aspx?PID=42478

Missions - Some Thoughts

Since I am on the missions team at my church, I am looking for organizations and ideas to spark an interest in local, national, and world missions in my youth group. Please pray that for my last school year, that God will allow our youth group to do mighty things in the world of missions. Pray that my youth group will grow deeper in love with Christ and see the world with His eyes.

Really Big Goats

I know that this is completely random, but I had a dream last night about giant goats and I decided to find several pictures of goats to share. I did not know goats could be this big!

I also like the moose.

Disclaimer: No animals were harmed in this blog and I am not responsible for the actions of others.

College - Time is Slipping Away!

AHHH!

I am very weary of going to college, nit because I know not what God has called me into, but WHERE!

I have looked at several colleges and language schools and right now I do not have peace about any of them. I am the first as far as I know in my family called in foreign missions.

I have a passion for French and I want to pick up other languages to be fully global. I know that God is in complete control but that does deny the fact I am only human and I cannot fathom what his plans are for my life much less tomorrow.

Please pray for me in my endeavors that I may find the center of the Lord's will.

Every Tribe and Tongue

Revelation 5:9-10

And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy art Thou to take the book, and to break its seals; for Thou wast slain, and didst purchase for God with Thy blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. “And Thou hast made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”

(From Purgoturio)
http://purgatorio1.com/?p=442

Creation's Groans and the Saints' Sighs

"We know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body."
—Romans 8:22-23.

We were once an undistinguished part of the creation, subject to the same curse as the rest of the world, "heirs of wrath, even as others." But distinguishing grace has made a difference where no difference naturally was; we are now no longer treated as criminals condemned, but as children and heirs of God. We have received a divine life, by which we are made partakers of the divine nature, having "escaped the corruption which is in the world through lust." The Spirit of God has come unto us so that our "bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost." God dwelleth in us, and we are one with Christ. We have at this present moment in us certain priceless things which distinguish us as believers in Christ from all the rest of God's creatures. "We have," says the text, not "we hope and trust sometimes we have," nor yet "possibly we may have," but "we have, we know we have, we are sure we have." Believing in Jesus, we speak confidently, we have unspeakable blessings given to us by the Father of spirits. Not we shall have, but we have. True, many things are yet in the future, but even at this present moment, we have obtained an inheritance; we have already in our possession a heritage divine which is the beginning of our eternal portion. This is called "the first-fruits of the Spirit," by which I understand the first works of the Spirit in our souls. Brethren, we have repentance, that gem of the first water. We have faith, that priceless, precious jewel. We have hope, which sparkles, a hope most sure and steadfast. We have love, which sweetens all the rest. We have that work of the Spirit within our souls which always comes before admittance into glory. We are already made "new creatures in Christ Jesus," by the effectual working of the mighty lower of God the Holy Ghost. This is called the first-fruit because it comes first. As the wave-sheaf was the first of the harvest, so the spiritual life which we have, and all the graces which adorn that life, are the first gifts, the first operations of the Spirit of God in our souls. We have this.

I do not know a more beautiful sight to be seen on earth than a man who has served his Lord many years, and who, having grown grey in service, feels that, in the order of nature, he must soon be called home. He is rejoicing in the first-fruits of the Spirit which he has obtained, but he is panting after the full harvest of the Spirit which is guaranteed to him. I think I see him sitting on a jutting crag by the edge of Jordan, listening to the harpers on the other side, and waiting till the pitcher shall be broken at the cistern, and the wheel at the fountain, and the spirit shall depart to God that made it. A wife waiting for her husband's footsteps; a child waiting in the darkness of the night till its mother comes to give it the evening's kiss, are portraits of our waiting. It is a pleasant and precious thing so to wait and so to hope.I fear that some of you, seeing ye have never come and put your trust in Christ, will have to say, when your time comes to die, what Wolsey is said to have declared, with only one word of alteration:—

"O Cromwell, Cromwell!
Had I but served my God with half the zealI served the world,
he would not, in mine age,Have left me naked to mine enemies."

Oh, before those days fully come, quit the service of the master who never can reward you except with death! Cast your arms around the cross of Christ, and give up your heart to God, and then, come what may, I am persuaded that "Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come. Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." While you shall for awhile sigh for more of heaven, you shall soon come to the abodes of blessedness where sighing and sorrow shall flee away.The Lord bless this assembly, for Christ's sake. AMEN.


Charles Spurgeon

See the full sermon at http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0788.htm

Prayer Requests

China (China Aid Association)

May 27th and 28th, 2006, 30 house-church leaders from Langzhong City, Sichuan Province were arrested and forced to pay fines. Eyewitnesses and family members of the victims reported that the arrests happened from 11 a.m. on May 27th until 9 a.m. on the 28th during a fellowship meeting. Fifteen members of the Public Security Bureau in six police vehicles raided the meeting. Eyewitnesses say that during the arrests and interrogations, Christians were abused inhumanely by constant heavy beatings. Though some of those arrested were released on the 28th, on morning of the 29th, 14 house church leaders received criminal detention notices. They are:

Li Ming
Wang Yuan
Li Jinbo
Li Chengxi
Shi Zhihe
Gou Yongcai
Jin Jiyun
Wang Shuhua
Gou Qingju
Ke Xiufang
Sun Changfen
Hu Yongju
Zhang Shulan

Liao Zhoulan Pastors Li Ming, Wang Yuan, Li Jinbo and Jin Jiyun are major leaders of the Chinese House Church Alliance which was established in 2004. It is made up of approximately 300,000 members from various house church movements scattered across 21 provinces. CAA also learned that in recent weeks a number of house churches from Beijing, Shangdong and Guangdong were forced by the local authorities to close.

Pray Jesus will draw close to the prisoners with His loving comfort. Pray God will protect them from further beatings. Pray their faithfulness to Jesus will inspire Christians everywhere to seek a closer walk with our Savior and Friend.

Prayer Update from Voice of the Martyrs

Lend Me Your Ears . . .

When choosing a new church, one looks for good biblical preaching. What is good biblical preaching. Here is what "9 Marks" as in the nine marks for a living church has to say.


What are the different kinds of preaching?

Anecdotal - a sermon in which the preacher primarily tells engaging stories with a moral lesson.

Biographical - a sermon in which the preacher traces the life of a biblical character and draws contemporary moral implications.

Topical - a sermon that has a topic in mind prior to consulting the text, and then searches for one or more biblical texts that address the topic chosen beforehand.

Textual - a sermon that refers often to a particular Biblical text, but does not take the main point of the text as its own.

Expositional - a sermon which takes the point of the text as the point of the sermon

Expositional preaching expounds what Scripture says in a particular passage, carefully explaining its meaning and applying it to the congregation. It is a commitment to hearing God's Word and to recovering the centrality of it in our worship.

God's Word gives clear primacy to exposition. Many preachers and pastors today question whether the Bible really gives us any reason to think that expositional preaching is the best way to preach. But the prophetic nature of preaching and the performative nature of God's Word reveal exposition to be best suited to unleashing the power of the text. Exposition is primary because preaching is prophetic. To say that preaching is prophetic is not to say that it is either predictive or ecstatic utterance - preachers are ambassadors, not prognosticators; and their source of revelation is God's mediated written word, not His immediate verbal word. It is rather to say that preaching is about receiving God's word and communicating it to God's people in a way that is faithful to God's intention. Preaching is prophetic because it conveys God's Word to God's people. Exposition best handles the prophetic nature of preaching because the expositional sermon is unique for taking the point of the passage as the point of the message. It is therefore the best way to remain faithful to the content and intent of God's Word in any given text.

Preaching often becomes like taking pictures with a disposable camera - no zooming, no panning, focus isn't guaranteed, and panoramics are unlikely. Expositional preaching is like graduating to a telephoto lens - it gives you the ability to take a wider diversity of Scriptural snapshots from new angles and more perspectives with higher resolution, richer texture, and variable scope.

Visit the website to see the other nine marks - http://www.9marks.org/

Why do people blog?

Honestly, why do people blog?

I do not have the answer to this very imposing question. You would think that I would have a very reason for using this site, but I don't. I have never passed out my blog address to anyone except one person. It is funny I catch myself acting as if many eyes are watching, but the truth is that nobody cares.

Blogging, narcissistic? Not for some.

Anyway, (simple crutch word in the English language which do not mean any way but, I have a loss for words and please hold as I ponder my next dubious statement) I believe that I blog out of a sense of duty.

If someone could tell me what that duty is, I will be most pleased.

Last Thought: Happy Father's Day!

Mission Trip 2006 - Alabama

Please pray that the Lord is glorified in all that we do in Mobile / Dauphin Island Alabama!

The youth choir is going to help clean up the wreckage from the hurricanes. We will be ministering to the communities and sharing the gospel with tons of people. Please pray that God will use us as vessels for his good and perfect plan. Please pray that our attitudes are fixed on Him and not what the devil wants us to be caught up in. Please pray that lives will be impacted eternally.

The Example of John Owen, a Puritan - Piper

I mentioned earlier that the old Puritans called this drawing near "common with God." We need to learn from them. J.I. Packer says that the Puritans differ from evangelicals today because, with them: communion with God was a great thing; to evangelicals today it is a comparatively small thing. The Puritans were concerned about communion with God in a way we are not. The measure of our unconcern is the little that we say about it. When Christians meet, they talk to each other about their Christian work and Christian interests, their Christian acquaintances, the state of the churches, and the problems of theology - but rarely of their daily experience of God.

According to Packer the greatest of the Puritans was John Owen. Owen's experience of communion with God is a great example for us. God saw to it that Owen and the suffering Puritans of his day lived closer to God and sought after communion with God more earnestly than we. Writing a letter during an illness in 1674 he said to a friend, "Christ is our best friend, and ere long will be our only friend. I pray God with all my heart that I may be weary of everything else but converse and communion with Him." God used illness and all the other pressures of Owen's life to drive him into communion with God and not away from it.

But Owen was also very intentional about his communion with God. He said, "Friendship is most maintained and kept up by visits; and these, the more free and less occasioned by urgent business . . ." In other words, in the midst of all his academic and political and ecclesiastical labors, he made many visits to God.

And when he went, he did not just go with petitions for things or even for deliverance in his many hardships. He went to see his glorious friend and to contemplate his greatness. The last book he wrote - he was finishing it as he died - is called Meditations on the Glory of Christ. That says a great deal about the focus and outcome of Owen's life. In it he said, The revelation . . . of Christ . . . deserves the severest of our thoughts, the best of our meditations and our utmost diligence in them. . . . What better preparation can there be for [our future enjoyment of the glory of Christ] than in a constant previous contemplation of that glory in the revelation that is made in the Gospel.

The contemplation Owen has in mind is made up of at least two things: on the one hand there is what he called his "severest thoughts" and "best meditations" or in another place "assiduous meditations," and on the other hand relentless prayer. The two are illustrated in his work on Hebrews. One of his greatest achievements was his seven-volume commentary on Hebrews. When he finished it near the end of his life, he said, "Now my work is done: it is time for me to die." How did he do it? We get a glimpse from the preface:

I must now say, that, after all my searching and reading, prayer and assiduous meditation have been my only resort, and by far the most useful means of light and assistance. By these have my thoughts been freed from many an entanglement."

Thus Owen drew near to God by prayer and assiduous meditation and found light and freedom. In this way his was a zeal to draw near that accords with knowledge. This is the kind of zeal that we want. This is the sweet personal knowledge that keeps the zeal in bounds and makes it burn the more brightly. With this knowledge and zeal let us draw near day by day and hour by hour.

Read the whole article here:

http://www.desiringgod.org/library/sermons/97/032397.html

Senior Citizen

Today when the bell for class to end this morning I felt this cool sensation traveling up my spine. All of a sudden I had a grin on my face and I knew just what to do once I exited the building.

I AM A SENIOR! HIGH SCHOOL IS ALMOST OVER! O-V-E-R!

I am so exited. I am ready to let go of the high school drama and finish strong.

Time

Two Weeks ago, I was struggling to keep my head above the water with last minute school issues. This is how I felt.

"Where does time go in the winter time? Does it hibernate so you lose track of it? Where does time go in the spring? Does it jump forward because it cannot wait for flowers to bloom? I do not know. Recently, I lost my mind. Currently, I am pondering upon its whereabouts. Honestly, no joke. I have just now realized that it checked out Thursday and I need it back but I cannot find it. There are no handbooks or science guides to instruct me on my search, or road sign to point me on my way. There are no television shows to inform me, or words to tell me where to begin. I am currently checked out for life in general. Do I sound insane? I did not even know that the train was coming; I just got hit in the middle of the tracks of life, broad-sided. Gone. Tired. Weary."

Looking back I praise God for taking care of me! This past (and last for a while) week of school was a blessing. How I often forget who controls the universe is in control of my life. Just trust Him. I cannot stress it enough! This whole year has been about trusting God to handle life's problems and let him sit in the driver's seat. It was so hard to stand back and feel helpless, but I was not alone. I hate when it takes the heard times to teach us what we should have already known. If we could give it over every day, life would run, in my case, a whole lot smoother.

I Need Thee Every Hour

I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.

Refrain:
I need Thee, O I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
O bless me now, my Savior,I come to Thee.

I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their power when Thou art nigh.

Refrain

I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide, or life is in vain.

Refrain

I need Thee every hour; teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises in me fulfill.

Refrain

I need Thee every hour, most Holy One;
O make me Thine indeed, Thou blessèd Son.

Refrain

I do not know why I love this hymm so much. I play hymms to cool nerves and relax. One night I opened my hymnal and found this song immediately. I found the words soothing to my weary soul.

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/n/ineedteh.htm

J'irai

J’irai sur la fin de l’Univers, loin de toutes mes inquiétudes, loin de toutes les réponses non connues de l’humanité, loin de toi, loin de tout ce que je voudrais te dire et je ne peux pas te dire, loin de moi. Quand je reviendrai, peut-être le monde sera autre. Nous serons autres... peut-être.

par Mariana Fulger

A Christ-Centered Church

While the definition of the word “Puritan” remains a matter of some debate, there is no doubt that ecclesiastical issues were close to the heart of every Puritan preacher. Despite the fact that in creed and sermon the doctrine of the church was incessantly expounded in terms of the covenant and of grace and the doctrines of Christ’s threefold office, historians of the period have not paid much attention to the strong Christocentric nature of the Puritan doctrine of the church. A full exposition of John Owen’s ecclesiology is beyond our present purpose, which is merely to demonstrate that Owen’s views of the church’s nature, composition, authority, mission, ministry, and worship have strong and direct ties to Christology.

The Nature of the Church
In the writings of John Owen one can find the following definitions of the church. The first is a definition of God’s house, his Zion:

By the church of Christ I understand, primarily, the whole multitude of them who antecedently are chosen of his Father, and given unto him; consequently, are redeemed, called, and justified in his blood;—the church which he loved, and gave himself for, ‘that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word; that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy, and without blemish,’ Eph. v. 26, 27. And, secondarily, also every holy assembly of mount Zion, whereunto the Lord Christ is made beauty and glory,—every particular church of his saints, inasmuch as they partake of the nature of the whole being purchased by his blood, Acts xx. 28. (8:286)

The church exists in visible structured societies, and must do so, since man was created to act in society, and the “principle end” of living in society is the glory and worship of God. To create a holy worshipping society, God revealed his will to Adam in innocence, and, after the fall, with a specific view toward the coming of Christ, to Adam’s descendants. Owen often calls such a society a “church-state” to signify all the various ecclesiastical structures since creation: households of patriarchs, the nation which covenanted together at Sinai, and the particular local church of the New Testament era (a “gospel,” or “evangelical, church-state”). By any definition, it centers on Christ.

- Richard Daniels

For the rest of the article visit:

http://www.johnowen.org/media/daniels_christology_owen.pdf

Bad Books

In English, I must read The Catcher in the Rye. I cannot take the language! I feel like every page sullies my mind to a point of non-recognition. I told my teacher that I felt that the sexual undertones and promiscuous content left much to be desired and I wished to switch books. I was ignored on the grounds that now days you must accept the language and more on she replied. She asked me how I could pick up a book that did not contain language or sexual content and I said easy. I quoted Philippians 4:8 and she looked at me like I was crazy. I failed the quiz because I refused to finish the book assignment. It frustrated me. Tonight I finished the book assignment and read excerpts aloud to my father and he was also disgusted. Arrg! I am not sure what to do next but comply with her wishes.

The Nicene Creed

Circa 381 A.D.

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible;And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried; and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father; and he shall come again, with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord, and Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spake by the Prophets. And I believe one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church; I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.

AMEN.

Chicago Photos

The Sears Tower

Do I need to explain this one?

Chicago Stock Exchange

College Photos of Importance

Tribute to the Pretzal and Libral Arts at Austin College

The only thing I enjoyed at Knox College

One of the Several Buildings at Austin College

Wheaton's Mastadon

Bible Verse du Jour

"And the LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed."(Deuteronomy 31:7-9)

Puritan T-shirts

I am doing a project on several Puritan authors and when I was searching the web I found these two t-shirts. they make me chuckle.

Sands of Time

Okay, I was looking at the date for my last post and I realized that I have been living in warpspeed. I have been incredibly stressed recently. Possibly because I have been struggling with school and I am about to make my very first C in my whole life! Last semester I had an A average in Physics and now I am going to have a C. I am not thinking clearly at all. I just got back from visiting colleges with my Dad. First we visited Austin College in Sherman, Texas. I loved it, despite the lackluster surroundings of Sherman. Rien! The pre-med adviser greeted me wearing blue-jeans and a sweatshirt. He was very laid back and from what I gathered, really cared for his students. The campus has a real strong sense of community and there is a bond between all of the students and faculty. The students are often invited over for dinner and call their professors by their first name. The community service station had coloring book pictures on the windows. (I know that was a random statement but I love coloring books!) The second college I visited was terrible! I visited Knox College. On paper, I thought this college would be my number one pick, but in person, it was cold and the tour guide was a wreck. I felt so sorry for him and I thought to myself if I went here I would be in a living nightmare. The college lets the students vote on rules and policies along with the curriculum and teachers who get fired. His major he had been working on was deleted by the students and now he was reorienting himself in other fields! The whole campus is student-run and the curriculum is based on mini research projects throughout the year.

The last college was Wheaton. I did not really take hold of the three chapel services a week idea and my Dad did not appreciate the attitude experienced after visiting the financial aid office that if you do not have enough money to go there, just forget it. Oh well. It was too formalized if that even makes sense. If I had to make a comparison between the other two and Wheaton, I would say that it was friendlier than Knox and had a sense of mission but lacked coloring pages posted on the wall and a working relationship with the teachers. But, when I interviewed the French prof, he thought that since I spoke clean French that my Dad also spoke French fluently. I shook my head and said no, I just have a really good teacher that loves the language and teaching.

On the last day my dad and I visited Chicago! I love Chicago.

All in all, my Dad and I had a wonderful bonding experience and like my airplane bathroom phobia, I did not have to make extra stops, only the meal stops were made. At least now I no what I want in a college and a rule of thumb for looking at other colleges.

Random Shirts!

I am selling Random Shirts! Check out the website through my affiliate link!

http://team.randomshirts.com/a/jer209inferno

What Role Does Sanctification Play in Salvation?

How do I "Pursue . . . the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord"?

Unlike regeneration, there is much Spirit-filled human effort involved in sanctification. On the one hand, "it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13). "On the other hand," we're commanded in 1 Tim. 4:7, "discipline yourself for the purposes of godliness." God uses means of grace to sanctify us, chief of which are the personal and corporate spiritual disciplines. In the personal realm, these include intake of God's Word, prayer, private worship, fasting, silence and solitude, etc. These are balanced by disciplines we practice with the church: public worship, hearing God's Word preached, observance of the ordinances, corporate prayer, fellowship, etc. And all along, our confidence is not in ourselves, but in God. As Paul put it, "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus" (Phil. 1:6).

Donald S. Whitney

Christmas in Review

My fear of shots and strange doctors in austere lab coats started at an extremely young age. I believe most people would agree that if somehow they could bypass the squeamish moment experienced at the dreadful office, the life expectancy would dramatically increase. Oh the horrors that are entailed once you are left in the sterile silence for the nurse to arrive, what mysteries lay behind her sly smile. Particularly one experience comes to mind when courage crosses my mind, enduring the ghastly visit and making it out alive and unaltered.

Unfortunately one morning during the Christmas break I woke up in a cold sweat, my eyes were glazed and a moat of drool surrounded my head like a halo. I gasped for air and swallowed my fear as I opened my mouth to see what was lodged in my throat. To my surprise, I had grown the largest bacteria culture known to man in my mouth. It was white and frothy and again I gasped, this time in disgust, my tonsils had been consumed by oozing pustules. It was time to visit the doctor, for one, I could not breathe, and two, the infection was highly painful and unattractive, fearing it would consume my face.

My mother drove me in quiet solitude; I knew what would be in store, definitely a kiss of penicillin. Immediately the doctor knew what was wrong as he plugged his nose and gazed into my mouth. He then shook his head and motioned for the nurse. I was not going to go through with it. Suddenly, my mother grabbed my rear and flashed a little skin and then the torture began. It felt as if syrup was passing through a pinhole. I felt my head become heavy and my arms limp and I thought I was going to lose it, and then it was finished.

It took courage to bear all and let that nurse stick it to me hard, but I thank her.

What do Galatians, Hosea, and Isaiah have in common?

What is the common thread between these three books? Let's look at them individually.

Galatians:
"The secret of the Lord is with those who have been broken by his cross and healed by his Spirit." Galatians exalts these two things: the cross of Christ as the only way a person can get right with God, and the Spirit of Christ as the only way a person can obey God. Anything that diminishes the beauty and all-sufficiency of what happened on the cross of Christ is anathema to Paul. Anything that puts our willing or running where the Holy Spirit belongs is witchery to Paul. And the reason we sense a kind of compassionate rage running beneath this letter is that someone had bewitched the Galatians to put themselves where the Spirit belonged and the works of law where faith in the cross belonged.” - P.T. Forsythe, a Scottish Minister

Galatians is a letter about God’s grace, an undeserved gift received by faith alone. Paul passionately speaks against the intertwining of the Jewish faith and the gospel of Christ. The people of Galatia have fallen from truth.

Hosea:
Hosea’s ministry was at the same time as Isaiah’s. Hosea opens up with an allegory, his wife, Gomer, a prostitute who represents the covenant people or Israel. God made him live the tragedy of Israel's unfaithfulness by marrying a harlot. What follows is shocking because the idolatry of Israel is shocking. Hosea continues to illustrate the adultery Israel has committed ant the covenant that was shattered, but it is not until God pursued her heart and brought her back. "And you shall know the Lord." Know here, is an intimate. Israel had tried to intertwine idolatry and God’s holy covenant. In chapter 7, verse 14 it says “They do not cry to me from the heart, but they wail upon their beds; for grain and wine they gash themselves; they rebel against me.” God pursue our heart and souls, genuine worship. But he is also a God of wrath and Israel had to understand the supremacy of Christ in all things. “He wants you to come into the wilderness, to listen to him speak tenderly and to respond to him, "My husband." God wants your heart, not just your hands, because if he has your heart he has everything.”

Isaiah:
Isaiah also pointed his ministry with the covenant life, constant reoccurring theme in the Old Testament. God’s people lost their vision of God and his kingdom of righteousness, satisfied with their own special blend on religion. Also like Hosea, curses as promised in the books of law, blessings always follow. They looked to Assyria and Egypt for protection from the almost eminent defeat and downfall an the nation. This was breach in the covenant they had with God. They openly showed their distrust that God would carry them through. They even created and alter modeled after one of Assyria’s idols to please them in hopes of assistance. Finally you read the passage about Hezekiah and how it appeared that God changed his mind about destroying Judah. God never changes his mind. This would allude that he is not all-knowing or in complete control of our daily lives. We know that God is sovereign, he keeps his promises. You know that from David’s line, a redeemer will come to save God’s people, Jesus Christ. Therefore you know that to keep his promise, Judah could not have been wiped out it the prophesies were to stand. God will display his wrath but he also will show his mercy.

So what is the common thread? Have you caught it yet? Each book of the bible mentioned a covenant. Of course the Old Testament mentioned a covenant with God and the Jews, while Paul speaks of a covenant with Christ and his believers because of Christ’ blood. A beautiful Covenant we have as believers in Christ is all sufficient and sustaining. The love that God has for his children and the passion we should have for him if we really “knew” God is compelling, to “know” Christ. Not through traditions or false exhortations, God calls us to know him intimately and delight in him every day.

“Vast starry skies seen from a mountain in Utah, and four layers of moving clouds on a seemingly endless plain in Montana, and standing on the edge of a mile-deep drop in the Grand Canyon can all have a wonderfully supplementary role in enlarging the soul with beauty. But nothing can take the place of the supremacy of Christ." - John Piper

To know him deeply, to have joy and freedom in Christ . . .

Oh NO!!!

I have school tomorrow and that means no more sleeping in! I am going to be busy. Yet, one thing that excites me, I am going on a road trip with my dad this spring break so I will start counting the days. It will all start again when the first bell rings!