As I look back on 2008, I don't see much progress. The fact that I didn't plan any goals and resolutions for this year is more so the reason why. I kinda took this year as it came at me, and that is not a good thing. The Lord gave me much to grow from this year, and I feel like I dropped the ball. The good news is that by God's grace I see that and I want a different result for 2009.
My first goal/resolution is to be the husband/father that God has called me to be. I desire to be there for my wife and kids no matter what. I want them to know that they are my first priority. I also hope to find new ways to love my wife, as Christ loved the church (Eph 5:25). I also hope to find new ways of being involved in my children's life. My main goal is to keep the gospel at the center of my family, and to lead them in the way of the Lord, Jesus Christ.
My second goal/resolution is to grow in my prayer life. My main goal is to pray for things that will bring honor, glory and praise to the Lord. I also want to pray more for my dear brother and sisters in Christ, waiting eagerly for all that the Lord will do in the lives of the people around me while being thankful for everything. And for my own life, I need to “Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on me.”.
My third goal/resolution is to work unto the Lord in all that I do (Col. 3:23). No matter if it is at home, work, church or One28 small group. I want to give the Lord my best in all that He has prepared for me to do. It is only because of Him that I can do anything. He gave His life for mine, and I will live my life for Him!
While I do have other goals/resolutions, I find that these are the more important ones that I want to go after and own. I am excited about 2009, and Lord willing being able to look back and see how the Lord changed me to be more like Him. May His grace shower upon His people as we all step towards Christ likeness. May growth in purity and holiness be the goal and resolution of everyone that says they abide in Jesus Christ!
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
A resolution to put my plans into action....
Sometimes a sermon can have a big impact in your life. The Holy Spirit can use God's Word to bring conviction and change. I have to say that listening to the sermons "What is man?", and "What is man? (Part 2)" has really started the snowball rolling in "taking dominion over the earth" in my life.
I ask myself, "What are you doing to change the world?". When I look at my life, I see a lot of planning but not a whole lot of action. I need to take my "taking dominion" more seriously. I think it is ok to plan, but that planning needs to get you two steps forward. When I am finding myself in the same place I was when I made those plans it is not a good thing.
I desire to be the best "image bearer" in everything that God would have me to do. I need take my responsibilities more serious. I need to work harder at my plans. I know this will be hard, but fruit producing.
My goal this next year is to come up with a few plans and go after it. As I cross the goal line of a plan of mine, then I can take two steps forward and go after another plan of mine.
I am excited to see all that God has for me and my family in 2009. This has been a year to be thankful for much. I hope to find time in the following weeks to share my thankfulness of 2008, while also sharing with you my plans for 2009.
I ask myself, "What are you doing to change the world?". When I look at my life, I see a lot of planning but not a whole lot of action. I need to take my "taking dominion" more seriously. I think it is ok to plan, but that planning needs to get you two steps forward. When I am finding myself in the same place I was when I made those plans it is not a good thing.
I desire to be the best "image bearer" in everything that God would have me to do. I need take my responsibilities more serious. I need to work harder at my plans. I know this will be hard, but fruit producing.
My goal this next year is to come up with a few plans and go after it. As I cross the goal line of a plan of mine, then I can take two steps forward and go after another plan of mine.
I am excited to see all that God has for me and my family in 2009. This has been a year to be thankful for much. I hope to find time in the following weeks to share my thankfulness of 2008, while also sharing with you my plans for 2009.
DO SOMETHING!
DO SOMETHING!
By Charles H. Spurgeon
You Christian people with your grand illusive projects, how they melt away! Some of you would have done a great deal that is useful by now if you had not dreamed of doing so much that is imposing. Oh, what wonderful plans for evangelizing London, for converting the whole Continent of Europe to Christ—float in the brain, or evaporate in a speech—and nothing is done! We are like a certain Czar of Russia, of olden times, who always wanted to take a second step before he took the first. We are always projecting some wonderful scheme that proves too amazing to ever be carried out! So we dream of what ought to be and should be—of what might be and as we hope may be! Such “dreams are the children of an idle brain.” The dreamers grow listless and nothing is done. In the name of the eternal God, I beseech you, if you love Him, get to work for Him! Better slay a single enemy than dream of slaughtering an army! Better that you sow a single grain of corn or plant a single blade of grass, than dream about fertilizing the Sahara, or reclaiming from the mighty sea untold acres of fertile land! Do something, Brothers and Sisters, do something! It is high time to awake out of sleep, for “the time is short.”
— Adapted from The C. H. Spurgeon Collection, Version 1.0, Ages Software, 1.800.297.4307—Sermon #2861, Volume 49 — “THE TIME IS SHORT” — Read/download the entire sermon, free of charge at
http://www.spurgeons.org.
By Charles H. Spurgeon
You Christian people with your grand illusive projects, how they melt away! Some of you would have done a great deal that is useful by now if you had not dreamed of doing so much that is imposing. Oh, what wonderful plans for evangelizing London, for converting the whole Continent of Europe to Christ—float in the brain, or evaporate in a speech—and nothing is done! We are like a certain Czar of Russia, of olden times, who always wanted to take a second step before he took the first. We are always projecting some wonderful scheme that proves too amazing to ever be carried out! So we dream of what ought to be and should be—of what might be and as we hope may be! Such “dreams are the children of an idle brain.” The dreamers grow listless and nothing is done. In the name of the eternal God, I beseech you, if you love Him, get to work for Him! Better slay a single enemy than dream of slaughtering an army! Better that you sow a single grain of corn or plant a single blade of grass, than dream about fertilizing the Sahara, or reclaiming from the mighty sea untold acres of fertile land! Do something, Brothers and Sisters, do something! It is high time to awake out of sleep, for “the time is short.”
— Adapted from The C. H. Spurgeon Collection, Version 1.0, Ages Software, 1.800.297.4307—Sermon #2861, Volume 49 — “THE TIME IS SHORT” — Read/download the entire sermon, free of charge at
http://www.spurgeons.org.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
O Hallelujah! Now I’m Free!
Today while looking through this web site http://www.spurgeongems.org/ I found a great hymn that is worth meditation. May the truths of this hymn marinate in your heart and cause you to sing a new song to the Lord today and forever.
O Hallelujah! Now I’m Free!
A hymn by Donald S. Fortner
Though long I walked the rebel’s path
And ran from God, a child of wrath,
The Lord in sovereign mercy came
And pardoned all my sin and blame!
Awakened by the Spirit’s call
From death incurred by Adam’s fall,
God gave me faith! Grace broke my chains!
I trust the Lamb for sinners slain!
I have no righteousness, I know,
By anything that I can do.
But, still, the law gives no distress.
Christ is the Lord my Righteousness!
His righteousness is fully mine.
Imputed by God’s wise design.
And with His righteous garments on,
I am as holy as God’s Son!
Complete in Christ alone I stand,
Who met for me the law’s demands:
When He had brought in righteousness,
Christ died in the poor sinner’s place!
Freed from the law, in Christ I’m free!
Its curses shall not fall on me!
Since Jesus lived and died for me,
O hallelujah! Now I’m free!
O Hallelujah! Now I’m Free!
A hymn by Donald S. Fortner
Though long I walked the rebel’s path
And ran from God, a child of wrath,
The Lord in sovereign mercy came
And pardoned all my sin and blame!
Awakened by the Spirit’s call
From death incurred by Adam’s fall,
God gave me faith! Grace broke my chains!
I trust the Lamb for sinners slain!
I have no righteousness, I know,
By anything that I can do.
But, still, the law gives no distress.
Christ is the Lord my Righteousness!
His righteousness is fully mine.
Imputed by God’s wise design.
And with His righteous garments on,
I am as holy as God’s Son!
Complete in Christ alone I stand,
Who met for me the law’s demands:
When He had brought in righteousness,
Christ died in the poor sinner’s place!
Freed from the law, in Christ I’m free!
Its curses shall not fall on me!
Since Jesus lived and died for me,
O hallelujah! Now I’m free!
Monday, December 8, 2008
Mary did you know?
3:37 min video
This is one of my favorites. Listen to it and rejoice this Christmas season. One of my favorite parts of this song is the line "When you kiss your little baby you've kissed the face of God!"
This is one of my favorites. Listen to it and rejoice this Christmas season. One of my favorite parts of this song is the line "When you kiss your little baby you've kissed the face of God!"
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Martin Luther Quote
"This is the mystery of the riches of divine grace for sinners, for by a wonderful exchange our sins are now not ours but Christ's, and Christ's righteousness is not Christ's, but ours." - Martin Luther
Monday, December 1, 2008
Feeding Sheep or Amusing Goats?
Feeding Sheep or Amusing Goats?
by Charles Spurgeon
An evil is in the 'professed' camp of the Lord, so gross in its impudence, that the most shortsighted Christian can hardly fail to notice it. During the past few years this evil has developed at an alarming rate. It has worked like leaven until the whole lump ferments!
The devil has seldom done a more clever thing, than hinting to the Church that part of their mission is to provide entertainment for the people, with a view to winning them. From speaking out the gospel, the Church has gradually toned down her testimony, then winked at and excused the frivolities of the day. Then she tolerated them in her borders. Now she has adopted them under the plea of reaching the masses!
My first contention is that providing amusement for the people is nowhere spoken of in the Scriptures as a function of the Church. If it is a Christian work why did not Christ speak of it? 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, and provide amusement for those who do not relish the gospel'.
No such words, however, are to be found. It did not seem to occur to Him. Where do entertainers come in? The Holy Spirit is silent concerning them. Were the prophets persecuted because they amused the people, or because they confronted them? The 'concert' has no martyr roll.
Again, providing amusement is in direct antagonism to the teaching and life of Christ and all His apostles. What was the attitude of the apostolic Church to the world? "You are the salt of the world", not the sugar candy; something the world will spit out, not swallow.
Had Jesus introduced more of the bright and pleasant elements into His teaching, He would have been more popular. When "many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him," I do not hear Him say, 'Run after these people, Peter, and tell them we will have a different style of service tomorrow; something short and attractive with little preaching. We will have a pleasant evening for the people. Tell them they will be sure to enjoy it! Be quick, Peter, we must get the people somehow!'
No! Jesus pitied sinners, sighed and wept over them, but never sought to amuse them!
In vain will the epistles be searched to find any trace of the 'gospel of amusement'. Their message is, "Therefore, come out from them and separate yourselves from them... Don't touch their filthy things..." Anything approaching amusement is conspicuous by its absence. They had boundless confidence in the gospel and employed no other weapon.
After Peter and John were locked up for preaching, the Church had a prayer meeting, but they did not pray, 'Lord, grant unto your servants that by a wise and discriminating use of innocent recreation we may show these people how happy we are'.
No! They did not cease from preaching Christ. They had no time for arranging entertainments. Scattered by persecution they went everywhere preaching the gospel. They turned the world upside down; that is the only difference from today's church.
Lastly, amusement fails to effect the end desired. Let the heavy laden who found peace through the concert not keep silent! Let the drunkard to whom the dramatic entertainment had been God's link in the chain of their conversion, stand up! There are none to answer! The mission of amusement produces no converts!
The need of the hour for today's ministry is earnest spirituality joined with Biblical doctrine, so understood and felt, that it sets men on fire.
Lord, clear the Church of all the rot and rubbish the devil has imposed on her, and bring us back to apostolic methods!
by Charles Spurgeon
An evil is in the 'professed' camp of the Lord, so gross in its impudence, that the most shortsighted Christian can hardly fail to notice it. During the past few years this evil has developed at an alarming rate. It has worked like leaven until the whole lump ferments!
The devil has seldom done a more clever thing, than hinting to the Church that part of their mission is to provide entertainment for the people, with a view to winning them. From speaking out the gospel, the Church has gradually toned down her testimony, then winked at and excused the frivolities of the day. Then she tolerated them in her borders. Now she has adopted them under the plea of reaching the masses!
My first contention is that providing amusement for the people is nowhere spoken of in the Scriptures as a function of the Church. If it is a Christian work why did not Christ speak of it? 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, and provide amusement for those who do not relish the gospel'.
No such words, however, are to be found. It did not seem to occur to Him. Where do entertainers come in? The Holy Spirit is silent concerning them. Were the prophets persecuted because they amused the people, or because they confronted them? The 'concert' has no martyr roll.
Again, providing amusement is in direct antagonism to the teaching and life of Christ and all His apostles. What was the attitude of the apostolic Church to the world? "You are the salt of the world", not the sugar candy; something the world will spit out, not swallow.
Had Jesus introduced more of the bright and pleasant elements into His teaching, He would have been more popular. When "many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him," I do not hear Him say, 'Run after these people, Peter, and tell them we will have a different style of service tomorrow; something short and attractive with little preaching. We will have a pleasant evening for the people. Tell them they will be sure to enjoy it! Be quick, Peter, we must get the people somehow!'
No! Jesus pitied sinners, sighed and wept over them, but never sought to amuse them!
In vain will the epistles be searched to find any trace of the 'gospel of amusement'. Their message is, "Therefore, come out from them and separate yourselves from them... Don't touch their filthy things..." Anything approaching amusement is conspicuous by its absence. They had boundless confidence in the gospel and employed no other weapon.
After Peter and John were locked up for preaching, the Church had a prayer meeting, but they did not pray, 'Lord, grant unto your servants that by a wise and discriminating use of innocent recreation we may show these people how happy we are'.
No! They did not cease from preaching Christ. They had no time for arranging entertainments. Scattered by persecution they went everywhere preaching the gospel. They turned the world upside down; that is the only difference from today's church.
Lastly, amusement fails to effect the end desired. Let the heavy laden who found peace through the concert not keep silent! Let the drunkard to whom the dramatic entertainment had been God's link in the chain of their conversion, stand up! There are none to answer! The mission of amusement produces no converts!
The need of the hour for today's ministry is earnest spirituality joined with Biblical doctrine, so understood and felt, that it sets men on fire.
Lord, clear the Church of all the rot and rubbish the devil has imposed on her, and bring us back to apostolic methods!
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