Through the Bible in 2010

As believers it is a good and worthy goal to read through the Bible each year.  If you've wanted to do it in the past, but have never been successful, you are certainly not alone.  Often what we need is some accountability and a good plan to help reach that goal.

If you're setting a goal of reading through your Bible in 2010, let me hear from you.  This way we can keep each other accountable, and we can encourage each other to enjoy reading through the Bible together. 

If you need a good plan, then I commend any of the ones at the link given below.

These are all from the ESV (English Standard Version) website, but obviously they will work with any translation of the Bible.  One of the great things about the ESV website Bible reading plans is the ability to choose a plan and have them e-mail you the full Scripture texts to be read that day.  This way you have the full texts right there on your computer to read as you have time over the course of the day.  You can also print out the plan for the whole year to carry with you in your Bible. 

I will be using the ESV Study Bible reading plan in 2010.  If you follow the "print" link given under that plan, you'll be able to print out a set of really useful bookmarks you can use to chart your reading each day. 

Here is the link for the plans:

http://www.esv.org/biblereadingplans

A Year In Proverbs

This one will be lengthy, but as promised, here is the 2010 readings in Proverbs for those of you who will be joining me in our year long study of the book of Proverbs from the Old Testament.  There are 52 weeks in the year, so there are 52 different readings.  I'll be putting these in Excel later this week.  When that is done, I'll make that available on the blog as well, but for now, here are the readings for 2010.

Let me know if you'll be joining the study!  All discussion will take place here on the blog.

1. Proverbs 1:1-7
2. Proverbs 1:8-19
3. Proverbs 1:20-33
4. Proverbs 2:1-22
5. Proverbs 3:1-12
6. Proverbs 3:13-35
7. Proverbs 4
8. Proverbs 5:1-14
9. Proverbs 5:15-23
10. Proverbs 6:1-19
11. Proverbs 6:20-35
12. Proverbs 7
13. Proverbs 8
14. Proverbs 9:1-12
15. Proverbs 9:13-18
16. Proverbs 10
17. Proverbs 11
18. Proverbs 12
19. Proverbs 13
20. Proverbs 14
21. Proverbs 15
22. Proverbs 16
23. Proverbs 17:1-14
24. Proverbs 17:15-28
25. Proverbs 18:1-12
26. Proverbs 18:13-24
27. Proverbs 19:1-15
28. Proverbs 19:16-29
29. Proverbs 20:1-15
30. Proverbs 20:16-30
31. Proverbs 21:1-15
32. Proverbs 21:16-31
33. Proverbs 22:1-16
34. Proverbs 22:17-29
35. Proverbs 23:1-14
36. Proverbs 23:15-21
37. Proverbs 23:22-35
38. Proverbs 24:1-22
39. Proverbs 24:23-34
40. Proverbs 25:1-14
41. Proverbs 25:15-28
42. Proverbs 26:1-14
43. Proverbs 26:15-27
44. Proverbs 27:1-14
45. Proverbs 27:15-27
46. Proverbs 28:1-14
47. Proverbs 28:15-28
48. Proverbs 29:1-14
49. Proverbs 29:15-27
50. Proverbs 30
51. Proverbs 31:1-9
52. Proverbs 31:10-31

Books I Received For Christmas

People often wonder what I'm reading, so here's the list of the books I received for Christmas this year...and will therefore subsequently be reading as time permits.  I've included links for additional information and also for ordering purposes for those who might be interested in any of these titles.  Let me know what you're reading!  I always enjoy talking about books.

Forgotten God:  Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit by Frances Chan
http://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-God-Reversing-Tragic-Neglect/dp/1434767957/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261985700&sr=8-1

Freakonomics:  A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner
http://www.amazon.com/Freakonomics-Economist-Explores-Hidden-Everything/dp/0060731338/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261985934&sr=1-1

Good to Great:  Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't by Jim Collins
http://www.amazon.com/Good-Great-Companies-Leap-Others/dp/0066620996/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261985987&sr=1-1

The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan
http://www.amazon.com/Pilgrims-Progress-This-World-Which/dp/1433506998/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261986122&sr=1-1

Unleashing the Word:  Rediscovering the Public Reading of Scripture by Max McLean
http://www.amazon.com/Unleashing-Word-Rediscovering-Reading-Scripture/dp/0310292700/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261986238&sr=1-1

The Meaning of the Pentateuch by John Sailhamer
http://www.amazon.com/Meaning-Pentateuch-Revelation-Composition-Interpretation/dp/0830838678/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261986293&sr=1-1

Gospel-Powered Parenting:  How the Gospel Shapes and Transforms Parenting by William Farley
http://www.monergismbooks.com/Gospel-Powered-Parenting-How-the-Gospel-Shapes-and-Transforms-Parenting-p-18649.html

The Gospel-Driven Life:  Being Good News People in a Bad News World by Michael Horton
http://www.monergismbooks.com/product.php?productid=18661

Counterfeit Gods:  The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope That Matters by Tim Keller
http://www.monergismbooks.com/Counterfeit-Gods-The-Empty-Promises-of-Money-Sex-and-Power-and-the-Only-Hope-that-Matters-p-18355.html

Our Secure Salvation:  Preservation and Apostasy by Robert Peterson
http://www.monergismbooks.com/product.php?productid=18778

In Christ Alone:  Living the Gospel-Centered Life by Sinclair Ferguson
http://www.monergismbooks.com/In-Christ-Alone-Living-the-Gospel-Centered-Life-p-18005.html

Bible Overview by Steve Levy
http://www.monergismbooks.com/Bible-Overview-p-18132.html

Word Pictures:  Knowing God Through Story and Imagination by Brian Godawa
http://www.amazon.com/Word-Pictures-Knowing-Through-Imagination/dp/0830837094/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261986894&sr=1-1

Proverbs by Derek Kidner (from the Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries Series)
http://www.monergismbooks.com/Proverbs-TOTC-p-18223.html

Who Made God:  Searching For a Theory of Everything by Edgar Andrews
http://www.monergismbooks.com/product.php?productid=18686&cat=0&page=1

And as always...I love to know what you're reading as well, so let me hear from you!

Sunday Video

Made Me Laugh

As a pastor sometimes its nice to be reminded I don't live on an island. This video from Pastor Frances Chan made me laugh...and it made me grateful for the wonderful work the Lord has done in giving us a united congregation. You guys at GIBC rock, and God has given a great gift of encouragement to me and to my family in being a part of this wonderful congregation. Anyway, this video made me laugh...I hope you enjoy it.

This one is presented in wide-screen, so you may want to click on the video so you can view it on youtube.

Tuesday's Top Ten - What Dad Needs To Take Responsibility For Teaching His Son

Top 10 Lessons Dad Should Teach His Son


This one is for the dads out there who have sons. One day those sons are going to leave home (its true you know), and there are some life skills it falls to YOU to teach your son before that day arrives. These are my top 10. Again, these are the ones YOU teach your son…not your wife…not the neighbor down the street…not his college room mate…YOU.  These are listed in no particular order.

1) Teach him how to buy his clothes. Teach him some basics…sizes in shirts; pants lengths; how to make wise clothing decisions…basics first…avoid trendy. As a coming of age thing, when he turns 12 or 13, make him start buying his own clothes. You may give him the money to do it…just don’t have mom go to the store and buy all his clothes for him anymore. If he wants new clothes, he goes to the store to buy them.

2) Teach him how to take care of his clothes. Teach him how to do his laundry. Teach him how to iron a shirt and how to iron pants. Teach him to fold his clothes and put them away. Teach him how to polish his dress shoes. See above…when he turns 12 or 13…if he wants clean clothes, he does his laundry. If he wants unwrinkled clothes, he irons them. Start preparing him when he’s 10 or 11 so he knows what to do and he’s prepared to succeed.

3) Teach him how to manage his finances. Teach him how to build a budget. Teach him how to save. Teach him how to tithe and to be generous. Does he get an allowance? As soon as the allowance starts, that’s when the lessons here begin. It’s never too early to begin teaching good financial practices to your son.

4) Teach him how to drive a car with a manual transmission. Yeah, I know…laugh away…but I wish my dad had taught me how to do this, so if any of you guys out there want to take the challenge…its called mentoring…and yes, even pastors need help in some areas. 16 is a good age in most states...or whenever you teach him to drive (yeah dad…driver’s ed is good…but this one’s your job too)

5) Teach him to have manners. Yes, sir; Thank you; No, ma’am will take him far in life. As will standing when a lady stands or approaches the table; pulling out her chair; opening her door; holding the door…and a hundred other things that are small but make a huge impact. As soon as he’s talking you can begin instilling these skills.

6) Teach him how to have an interesting conversation. How to ask questions to keep the conversation moving. Teach him to be interested and to not just sit slump shouldered over in the corner looking bored. This likely means YOU need to have a few conversations with your son that actually requires more than yes or no responses…and the earlier you begin engaging him in this way, the better.

7) Teach him to lead family worship. Teach him to love God’s church. Teach him to read the Bible and to study it. Teach him about Jesus. Pray for him and teach him to pray. When he’s ready to follow Christ, you be the one who shows him the way. If he’s a believer when he’s 12 or 13, you can begin letting him carry some of the family worship responsibilities.

8) Teach him how to treat a lady. This goes hand in hand with number 5, but there are some other things he should know about treating the girls he will date. He needs to know how to respect a girl and how to treat her the same way he would want his daughter treated should he have one once he’s married. If he has a sister, watching the way you interact with her will teach him a lot here.

9) Teach him how to throw a ball and how to swing a bat. If you can do it, coach or be involved in other ways with his little league teams. While I would never advocate making him do something he doesn’t want to do, I would also strongly encourage you to help him find a sport he can enjoy…even if he never plays it well. He probably should know how to watch a football game or a baseball game. He should know that in baseball you have an infield and an outfield and that in football you have sidelines and end zones….for starters. Other sports may come into play as well.  (this is, admittedly, written with American sports in mind)

10) Teach him how to tie a tie.

11) Yeah, I know…I can’t count…but help him find his passion…and then learn to enjoy it with him.

12) Make sure he hears you say these three statements…over and over…

- I love you.

- I’m proud of you.

- You’re good at…

So there it is...my top 10...er...12 things dad should teach his son.

What about it, dads?  What would you add to the list?  What would you change?

Choosing Thomas

I really have no words for the power of this video. Just...watch it.

This video doesn't fit here very well. Double click it to view it on youtube for the best quality.

For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.

Psalm 139:13-14

Tuesday's Top Ten

Top 10 Tips for the Appropriate Wear of a Suit

I’m grateful for the helpful men in my life who have taught me a thing or two about how to best wear a suit. Even though I don’t wear one very often, I wanted to share what I feel are the top 10 tips for looking your best when wearing a suit…not a sports jacket and pants…but a suit.

1) When building your wardrobe, get classic colors first and get the nicest quality you can afford. A well made suit just fits better than one that is poorly made.  Get black and navy first. After that you can add a gray one. Simple patterns are much better than bold patterns if you prefer a pattern. Avoid trendy…they’ll be out of style in a year. The MUST HAVES for the well dressed man are…a black suit; a navy blue suit; and a navy blue sports jacket. Get those first…then add more as needed. Better to have two really great suits than several cheaply made ones. A well-made suit will last a long time…assuming your body weight doesn’t fluctuate too much.

2) For lack of a better term, husky/chubby/stocky men should generally stay away from double-breasted suits. My personal preference is the classic, three-button suit, but the two-button is nice as well. I used to wear double breasted, and when I go back and look at pictures…yeah…bad idea….for me, anyway.

3) When you hem the pants, shorter guys should avoid cuffs. I break this rule, because I really like cuffs, but generally, short guys should have them hemmed straight. Also, when hemming the pants, there should be a small break right at the top of the shoes. You don’t want your suit pants hemmed too short. Better too long than too short…obviously, just right is best. Oh, and make sure you take the shoes you’ll be wearing with the suit when you try the pants on. Shoes are all made differently, and if you try the suit on with one pair of shoes and then try to wear it with a different pair, don’t be surprised when the pants don’t fall properly to the top of the shoes.

4) Button your jacket. When you sit down, unbutton it. When you stand back up…automatic…button it. It just looks better. And for heaven’s sake, take it off when you get in your car. If you don’t it will be a wrinkled mess by the time you get where you’re going.

5) There is never any good reason to wear a button down collar shirt with a suit. Button downs are far too informal for a suit. This is probably the most common mistake men make when they wear a suit. Get a classic, straight-collar shirt…solid colors are best. And get the best quality shirts you can afford for wear with your suits. They’re a bit expensive, but I’m a huge fan of Brooks Brothers dress shirts. They’re classic, so they’ll stay in style forever; you can wash them at home; and coming out of the dryer, they look almost pressed, so ironing is kept to a minimum. Again, classic shirt colors…white, ecru, and blue to start…and probably I’d purchase them in that order. Personally, I like to have multiple white shirts and then just one of each of the other colors. White goes with anything…most of the time.

6) Your socks should match your pants. And wear solid color socks with a suit.

7) Black shoes should be worn with any suit in the blue/black/gray family. Save your brown shoes for sports jackets and brown toned suits. And wear lace up shoes with a suit. Save the loafers for your sports jacket. And at least keep them a little polished and not all scuffed up.

8) NEVER wear your navy blue suit coat as a sports jacket. And NEVER wear a navy blue suit jacket with any pair of navy blue pants other than the ones that came with the suit. They will not match. The same rule holds for black. You’ll be amazed how many different shades of black there are out there.

9) Your belt should match your shoes. Black belt with black shoes…brown belt with brown shoes…and preferably the same shade of brown. Yes, you must wear a belt with a suit.  I'd also consider having buttons sown in for a set of braces...you might know these better as suspenders, but braces is the more technically correct term.  Suspenders snap on.  Braces button on.  I just like them.  I think they look good and they serve the practical purpose of helping keep the pants in place.  Also, you might consider a set of shirt garters.  These are devices that hook to the bottom of your shirt and then run down and connect to your socks.  They keep your socks up and keep your shirt tucked in and looking sharp for when you remove your jacket.

10) When hemming your jacket sleeves, take your dress shirt with you. The shirt sleeves should just extend beyond the hem of the jacket when the arms are held straight at your sides. If you don’t need to hem your jacket, then make sure you buy a shirt with sleeves long enough to extend according to the above rule. Under no circumstances should you wear a short sleeved shirt with a suit. Short sleeves are too informal for wear with a suit.

So there's my pastoral top ten tips for how to wear a suit properly.  I'll be back next week with another top ten list.  Next week - Top Ten Lessons Dad Should Teach His Son!

Don't Watch This

This week's video is from Pastor Francis Chan. Pastor Chan shepherds a church in California. He is a challenging follower of Christ. His words will make you uncomfortable...so, if you want to live safely and comfortably then by all means, don't watch this video.

Dads At Christmas

Hello Everyone!

I found this today on Mark Driscoll's blog, and thought it was not only immensely timely, but also wonderfully practical.  I hope you guys find this helpful during this Christmas season...and for many Christmas seasons to come.

16 DADDY CHRISTMAS TIPS
(reprinted from theresurgence.com.  written by Mark Driscoll)

’Tis the season for Dad to drop the holiday ball, stress out as the money is being spent for presents, and miss yet another providential opportunity to lovingly lead his family. So, this blog is intended to help dads not fall into the same old rut of holiday humdrum, sitting on the couch watching football and eating carbs, but rather intentionally plan out the upcoming holiday season. Our children grow quickly and if we miss the sacred moments God opens up for us to connect with and bless our families, everyone suffers and we set in motion generations of missed opportunity.




Dad needs...


1.a plan for the holidays to ensure his family is loved and memories are made. Dad, what’s your plan?


2.to check the local guides for what’s going on to make fun holiday plans for the family. In Seattle it’s here.


3.to carve out time for sacred events and experiences to build family traditions that are fun and point to Jesus. Dad, is your calendar ready for December?


4.to not let the stress of the holidays, including money, cause him to be grumpy with Mom or the kids. Dad, how’s your joy?


5.to give experiences and not just gifts. Dad, what special memories can you make this holiday season?


6.to manage the extended family and friends during the holidays. Dad, who or what do you need to say “no” to?


7.to ensure his family is giving generously during the holidays. Dad, who in need is your family going to adopt and bless?


8.to schedule a big Christmas daddy date with his daughter. Dad, what’s your big plan for the fancy daddy date?


9.to schedule guy time with his son. Dad, what are you and your son going to do that is active, outdoors, and fun?


10.to help Mom get the house decorated. Dad, are you really a big help to Mom with getting things ready?


11.to ensure some holiday smells and sounds. Dad, is Christmas music on the iPod, is the tree up, and can you smell cookies and cider in your house?


12.to snuggle up and watch some fun shows with the kids, especially the little ones. Dad, is the DVR set?


13.to take the family on a drive to see Christmas lights while listening to music and sipping cider. Dad, is it mapped out?


14.to help Mom get the kids’ rooms decorated. Dad, do the little kids get lights or a small tree in their room?


15.to read about Jesus and pray over his kids. Dad, how’s your pastoral work going with each of your kids?


16.to repent of being lazy, selfish, grumpy, or just dumping the holidays on Mom. Dad, are you a servant like Jesus to your family?

A Special Thank-You

Last night at our church, we were reminded afresh what a truly awesome God we serve, and I just wanted to thank him for the gift of some wonderfully talented musicians!

If you're familiar with our church in Heidelberg, then you know we have incredible turn over in our membership. Most of our membership is transient, and thus they are only with us for a few years at most. This creates interesting challenges. Some of the most faith-stretching challenges have come when musicians have transitioned away from our church family.

God has always been faithful to provide us musicians, and we have never been without faithful musicians willing to serve.

Recently, God has given our church two young, German musicians that have truly been a blessing to our congregation. I am so grateful to Him for this expression of His goodness.

These two men are Gernot and Michael, two wonderfully gifted musicians. They are providing a great foundation on which to build a God-honoring music ministry.

Last night they blessed our church with a concert that was truly God-exalting. It was a special night, and a highlight of the time I have been at GIBC. It is a joy to serve alongside men who love the Lord and who are faithfully serving Him with the gifts He has given them. What a tremendous testimony to His goodness and to His faithfulness!

Over and over God proves His faithfulness. He is so good to us! Last night was a joyous reminder of this.

Some Additional Thank-Yous Are In Order As Well:
Thanks to those who contributed their voices...the Schiesls and Tom and Samantha.

Thanks to Scott for the great work with sound and to Jackie for the wonderfully tasteful slides that accompanied the service.

Thanks also to the ladies who provided the incredible reception following the concert, and to John and Amy for helping out with childcare!

Working together, God was glorified and the service was a testimony to His goodness and faithfulness from beginning to end.

Truly, we are so very blessed!

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
I Corinthians 10:31

Thanks for serving to His glory with excellence!

Sunday Video

This week's video comes from John Piper.  I have found this to be utterly powerful and convicting regarding the things I treasure and the things I allow to fill my life...and how I ought to be praying for my fellow Americans and the churches that stand as beacons across our great country.

May God stir us all to a deeper understanding.  May this video challenge you and convict you as it has me.

A Thought-Provoking Quote To Prepare Our Hearts For Worship Tomorrow

"Whomever the Lord has adopted and deemed worthy of His fellowship ought to prepare themselves for a hard, toilsome, and unquiet life, crammed with very many and various kinds of evil." John Calvin

I love John Calvin.  In fact, should God grant my wife and I another son, it would be my honor to (with my wife's consent, of course!) to name him John Martin after two of the most significant influences on my own life and thinking about Jesus Christ - John Calvin and Martin Luther.

This quote from Calvin was new to me, but I have found myself reflecting on it much today.

I commend it to you as we prepare our hearts for worship tomorrow.  Wherever you are, as you gather with the church family where you worship, may this quote challenge you to consider your walk with Christ and what it means to be a follower of Him by taking up our cross daily.

An Invitation

Hello out there!

I want to invite you to join me on a journey through the book of Proverbs in 2010.  I've never undertaken a study like this, but I'm planning to spend 2010 in the book of Proverbs...really getting to know it, and I'd like to invite you to join me.  Just reply to this post and let me know if you are going to join us.

Here are some good resources you might want to look into to guide your study as you participate with us.

- http://bestcommentaries.com/book/3684/the-book-of-proverbs-bruce-k-waltke/
- http://bestcommentaries.com/book/3165/proverbs-tremper-longman-iii/
- http://bestcommentaries.com/book/3908/proverbs-derek-kidner/ (this is the one I'm going to use primarily)
- http://bestcommentaries.com/book/3387/proverbs-charles-bridges/

(By the way...bestcommentaries.com is AWESOME!!)

You might also be interested in this book...

http://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Proverbs-Tremper-Longman/dp/0877849420

I'll be preparing the readings over the next few days, and will then post it here.

I look forward to this study, and I can't wait to see how God uses this intensive time in His Word for His glory!

Sunday Sermon Rewind

It may be hard to believe, but Advent season is upon us!  This year we want to take a few weeks and spend a little time looking at the way Jesus, unexpectedly "interrupts" our lives...and often our timelines.  This past week, we began this new series with a look at Acts 4:1-4.

REFLECTION

Peter and John did not go to the Temple that day looking to get arrested and go to jail.  In fact they had gone to the Temple in order to pray.  That's about as far from trying to get arrested as a person can get!

However, God had other plans for them, so on their way to pray they encountered a man the biblical text describes as having been "lame since birth."  The Lord used them to heal the man completely, and he ran into the temple "praising the Lord."  Being good apostles, they saw an opportunity to present the Gospel and they began to preach.  It was at this point the interruptions presented themselves.  In the text we see they encountered three.

1. First, they faced the interruption of antagonists in the form of the priests, the Temple captain, and the Sadducees.

As believers we know that we will encounter antagonists.  Such encounters are simply assumed in the Scripture.  Therefore, we do well to consider how to react when those circumstances come our way.

• Recognize WHO the antagonists are.  Our enemy is not a person, but instead the spirit behind the person motivating their behavior.  Paul writing in Ephesians reminds us that "we do not wrestle against flesh and blood."
• Recognize who YOU are.  In Christ you are secure.  Regardless of how intense the persecution may be, they can do no worse than to kill you!  How's that for a little biblical perspective?
• REJOICE that you have been counted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ.  When we encounter persecution, we are in good company.  Jesus says..."for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you."

2.  Second, they endured the interruption of their circumstances.  They hadn't intended to go to jail when they'd gotten up that morning, but that was exactly what happened.  They may have been surprised, but God was not!  This was exactly what he'd prepared for them that day, so as long as they were focused on Him, they could be assured of His presence with them.

Life has a way of throwing all kinds of curves our way.  But while they may be unexpected to us, they are far from unexpected by God.  Often we have difficult circumstances so that we can learn to rely on Him more...so that our faith can be increased...so we can learn to trust Him and love Him more.

3.  Third, there was the divine interruption.  Antagonists...unexpected, difficult circumstances...and yet the Gospel still worked.  People still encountered the living God and got saved. 

They may kill you, but they cannot kill the Gospel.  Therefore, we can stay bold and secure in Christ.

II Timothy 2:9 says that regardless what happens..."the Gospel is not bound!"

What we can know if if God has begun a work in us, He will absolutely see that work through to the end.

So whatever difficulty you face today, know that as a believer, God is with you, God is not surprised by anything that comes your way, and regardless of what happens, God is at work, and the Gospel is advancing.

Its all about HIM!  Even in the midst of interruptions...He is the point!

MEDITATION

Notice that when God heals miraculously, He FULLY heals.  This man had never walked a step in his life, yet when healed of his infiirmity, he not only was ABLE to walk...He actually DID get up and walk!  That's amazing!  Its like the story of the man born blind in the Gospels who was healed by Jesus...when he had his eyes opened, he not only COULD see...He KNEW what it was he was looking at.  That's stunning if you consider it.

Secondly, its a huge encouragement to be reminded the advance of the Gospel doesn't depend on me.  Peter and John went to jail...and the Gospel called people to faith even as they were going to a night in prison.  We preach...but it is God who adds to the church those who are being saved.  We are not called to be SUCCESSFUL evangelists, but we are called to be FAITHFUL evangelists.  In fact a faithful evangelist is a successful one...even if no one he shares with ever comes to faith in Christ.  The success IS the faithfulness.

How about you guys?  How did God speak to you in the sermon this past Sunday?  What challenged you?  What encouraged you?

Love to hear from you!

Have a great week!

Beauty Will Rise

Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Psalm 73:25-26 ESV

By now you are probably aware of the tragedy that befell Stephen Curtis Chapman and his family on May 20, 2008 when their young, adopted dauthter, Maria, was struck in their driveway and killed by an SUV driven by one of the Chapman's sons.

Now, 18 months later, Stephen Curtis Chapman has released what is arguably one of the most important albums to be released in any genre this year.  The album is raw, stripped down musically, and emotionally one of the most beautiful listening experiences I've had in a really long time.

I can't stop listening to it..  I recommend it highly.  Download it (legally), find a quiet spot, listen to it...and be amazed by the awesomeness of God, even in the midst of devastation and tragedy.  There is MUCH to meditate on here!

God is good...and all things work for good for those who love the Lord and who are called according to His purpose.

Tune in tomorrow for my reflections on this past Sunday's sermon.

Sunday Video

On this, the first Sunday of Advent, I wanted to share this video as the first clip in this recurring Sunday theme...the Sunday Video. Writing in Colossians 1, Paul says of Jesus Christ that, "in Him all things hold together and have their being." This video brings that home like no other I've ever encountered. I pray this is an encouragement to anyone who finds their way to my blog today!

Have a Christ exalting Sunday!

Reflections on the First Christmas Markets of 2009

Yesterday was Thanksgiving Day for Americans. Since Samantha, Benjamin, and I had celebrated the holiday with our Home Group last week, we decided to take a short trip to Leipzig and to Dresden for our first Christmas markets of 2009. We had a nice time, but it occured to me that there are between 150-200 booths at any given Christmas market all selling essentially the same things.

There are basically 6 types of booths at a Christmas market with a few novelities thrown in for fun.

- there are food booths of two types..."food you eat now" and "food you eat later"
- there's the carved wood booth...usually about 20 variations of this same booth
- there's the medieval/fantasy booth...because nothing says Christmas like a black dragon holding a candle
- there's the table linens and lace booth
- there's the toy sellers
- there's the seller of hats, coats, and gloves...which cater to people like me who think they can tough it out and then realize 15 minutes after arriving they wish they'd brought a pair of gloves and a hat.

If you go during the day you avoid the press of humanity, but you miss out on the "holiday magic"...because nothing generates Christmas cheer quite like the entire population of the city all gathered in one square block of land.

So it occurs to me to ask the question...after centuries of German Christmas markets, what makes people continue to go to these things? And it seems to me that deep down maybe it is the need to believe in something, so we go in search of something to make our lives magical for even just a few brief moments.

Nothing sparks in us the hunger to believe quite like this season of the year. So we gather in large masses of people, all wandering around booths all selling the same things to the same groups of people who have been coming for decades...because they need a sense of magic...a sense of the miraculous...in their lives.

Maybe there's something in us that needs miracles, and living in a world that has to explain away everything miraculous leaves us all a little less...human.

But maybe that's just me...

Blessings: A Prayer For Thanksgiving

Those of you who've known me long will know how much I enjoy the book "The Valley of Vision." It is a volume of Puritan prayers that have been assembled by Arthur Bennett.

As we Americans prepare for Thanksgiving Day tomorrow, I wanted to share with you a prayer from this wonderful book. The prayer is entitled, "Blessings."

BLESSINGS

Thou Great Three-One,
Author of all blessings I enjoy, of all I hope for,
Thou hast taught me
that neither the experience of present evils,
nor the remembrances of former sins,
nor the remonstrances of friends,
will or can affect a sinner's heart,
except thou vouchsafe to reveal thy grace
and quicken the dead in sin
by the effectual working of thy Spirit's power.
Thou hast shown me
that the sensible effusions of divine love in the soul
are superior to and distinct from bodily health,
and that oft-times spiritual comforts are at their highest
when physical well-being is at its lowest.
Thou hast given me the ordinance of song as a means of grace;
Fit me to bear my part in that music ever new,
which elect angels and saints made perfect
now sing before they throne and before the Lamb.
I bless thee for tempering every distress with joy;
too much of the former might weigh me down
too much of the latter might puff me up;
Thou art wise to give me a taste of both.
I love thee
for giving me clusters of grapes in the wilderness,
and drops of heavenly wine
that set me longing to have my fill.
Apart from thee I quickly die,
bereft of thee I starve,
far from thee I thirst and droop;
But thou art all I need.
Let me continually grasp the promise
'I will never leave thee nor forsake thee."

May the God of all good gifts be the root of all you are thankful for as you celebrate His graciousness tomorrow!

Thoughts On Sunday's Sermon

REFLECTION

It is always immensely edifying to interact with our Lord in the pages of the Psalms. It seems I almost always find them far richer than I originally expected, and so I am regularly surprised by our Lord whenever I find Him in the pages there.

Enter Psalm 121...what a rich text this is!

The flow of the text moves like this...

- Why does the psalmist look up?
- He looks up because he recognizes he needs help that he cannot find within himself
- Who does he find when he looks up?
- He finds the Lord when he looks up.
- Is the Lord able to help?
- Yes, the Lord is qualified to help like no one else.
- Why is the Lord qualified to help?
- He is qualified most foundationally because He is the MAKER of heaven and earth.
- He is further qualified because He is the ever alert WATCHMAN.
- How does the Lord help?
- The Lord helps by KEEPING.
- What does the Lord keep?
- The Lord keeps my MATERIAL NEEDS (He is the shade upon my right hand)
- The Lord keeps my SPIRITUAL NEEDS (He keeps me from evil.)
- The Lord keeps my PHYSICAL NEEDS (He keeps my life.)
- The Lord keeps my DIRECTIONAL NEEDS (He keeps my going out and my coming in)

So the questions everyone of us must ask are these...
-Do I trust Him with these areas of my life?
- Will I give Him control of these areas or will I hold on to them and try to direct them myself? - Do I believe He is MORE QUALIFIED than I am to direct my life?

MEDITATION

- I've always understood there were philosophical and scientific perspectives on the creation, but I'd never really thought about the theological implications of the creation. It was challenging for me to meditate on the way I understand creation and how that understanding impacts how I relate to God. In the pages of Scripture we read things like this...

For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth
Isaiah 65:17

- God states that he will make new heavens and a new earth...but how is that possible if he didn't make this one?

For thus says the Lord,who created the heavens(he is God!),who formed the earth and made it(he established it;he did not create it empty,he formed it to be inhabited!):“I am the Lord, and there is no other.
Isaiah 45:18 (ESV)

Do you see how intimately connected are God's assertion of Lordship and His creative work? Can he truly be Lord over something if He didn't make it?

CORRECTION

I made this statement on Sunday in the sermon, and I wish I'd further clarified it.

"How can I believe God can make new heavens and a new earth if He didn't even make this yucky one?"

I should be clear that I don't believe God made this one yucky. He made it "very good." He made it "perfect." Our sin made it "yucky." The point was simply that if I don't believe God made this one, how can I possibly believe He could make a new one that will be infinitely better?

Welcome to the Blog! Hope to see you back soon!

How did God speak to you in the sermon on Sunday? What questions do you have?

Enjoying the Journey,
Pastor Dave