Below are some pics.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Act Like Men #2
The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him. Proverbs 20:7
Below is a contrast between 2 men. One lived for God and the other didn't believe in a God.
"Max Jukes, the atheist, lived a godless life. He married an ungodly girl, and from the union there were 310 who died as paupers, 150 were criminals, 7 were murderers, 100 were drunkards, and more than half of the women were prostitutes. His 540 descendants cost the State one and a quarter million dollars.
"Jonathan Edwards, he lived at the same time as Max Jukes, but he married a godly girl. An investigation was made of 1,394 known descendants of Jonathan Edwards of which 13 became college presidents, 65 college professors, 3 United States senators, 30 judges, 100 lawyers, 60 physicians, 75 army and navy officers, 100 preachers and missionaries, 60 authors of prominence, one a vice-president of the United States, 80 became public officials in other capacities, 295 college graduates, among whom were governors of states and ministers to foreign countries. His descendants did not cost the state a single penny.
Are you more like Jukes or Edwards? Act like Men and be an Edwards.
Below is a contrast between 2 men. One lived for God and the other didn't believe in a God.
"Max Jukes, the atheist, lived a godless life. He married an ungodly girl, and from the union there were 310 who died as paupers, 150 were criminals, 7 were murderers, 100 were drunkards, and more than half of the women were prostitutes. His 540 descendants cost the State one and a quarter million dollars.
"Jonathan Edwards, he lived at the same time as Max Jukes, but he married a godly girl. An investigation was made of 1,394 known descendants of Jonathan Edwards of which 13 became college presidents, 65 college professors, 3 United States senators, 30 judges, 100 lawyers, 60 physicians, 75 army and navy officers, 100 preachers and missionaries, 60 authors of prominence, one a vice-president of the United States, 80 became public officials in other capacities, 295 college graduates, among whom were governors of states and ministers to foreign countries. His descendants did not cost the state a single penny.
Are you more like Jukes or Edwards? Act like Men and be an Edwards.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Act Like Men
13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love.
1 Corinthians 16
Friday, June 6, 2008
Headed to the Beach!!
Here are a few pics. from last year.
We will be back June 14 Lord willin' and the creek don't rise.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
The Sovereignty of God by Charles Stanley
Last night in Bible study we discussed the Sovereignty of God. Most Bible believing preachers, teachers, and theologians hold to the same basic beliefs about God's sovereignty. Why? The Bible says so.
Below is an article taken from In Touch ministries by one of my favorite preachers Charles Stanley. He shares his views on the sovereignty of God.
(start article)
God’s Sovereignty
READ | Psalm 103:19-22
Do you believe the Lord has absolute control over our universe—including all the people in it? The best way to know this truth is to learn what God has inspired men to say about Him in Scripture. (2 Timothy 3:16)
God declares He is sovereign over: Nature. The psalmist wrote, “Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps” (Psalm 135:6). God causes the rain to fall, the grass to grow, and vegetation to bring forth food. The Lord controls every single aspect of nature.
In both the Old and New Testaments, God declares He is sovereign over: Nations. “He makes the nations great, then destroys them; He enlarges the nations, then leads them away” (Job 12:23). God’s rule is certain and sure. He keeps watch over the nations (Psalm 66:7), knows what’s happening, and maintains His authority over both good and evil governments. (Romans 13:1)
God also declares His sovereignty over: Natural man. God has control over unbelievers as well as believers. “He himself gives all men life and breath and everything else” (Acts 17:25 NIV). The Scripture says He forms us in our mother’s womb, knows the number of hairs on our head, and determines the appointed times and places of our lives. (Psalm 139:13; Luke 12:7; Acts 17:26) Our spiritual life and our physical life are under His complete control. (John 6:44)
When we believe God is sovereign and experience this truth in our lives, we will be filled to overflowing with peace and joy. We will rest secure—knowing that, no matter what’s happening in the world, our God reigns. His will shall be accomplished. Does your life reflect trust in God’s sovereignty?
I say amen Dr. Stanley.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Remember those Spelling Bees
Remember those Spelling Bees! I really despised, feared and even hated spelling bees. But for the life of me I never had this happen to me.
Monday, June 2, 2008
God is Sovereign
God is sovereign. Most Christians will agree to this statement. But many disagree on what this means.
Below is an article from c. Michael Patton on the different views of God’s sovereignty.
Believing in the sovereignty of God is not an option of yes, no, or maybe within the Christian context. If the Bible is our authoritative guide, one must believe that God is sovereign. It is not unlike the issue of predestination. That God predestines people to salvation is not up for debate, what is up for debate is what it means that God predestines.
Both Calvinists and Arminians agree that God is sovereign, but they will often disagree as to what this means.
Here are the four primary options:
1. Meticulous sovereignty: God is the instrumental cause behind every action and reaction there has ever been. In other words, you chose white socks instead of the black socks because God caused it to happen. You have an itch on your eyebrow right now because God is actively causing it. In other words, every molecule that bounces into another is a result of God active agency in being the first and instrumental cause to the action.
This position holds little or no tension with regards to the human will and the divine will.
God is actively controlling everything.
Adherents: Hyper-Calvinists and some Calvinists
2. Providential sovereignty: While God is bringing about his will in everything (Eph 1:11), his will is not the instrumental cause of all that happens. God’s will plays a providential role in “causing” all things. In other words, all that happens happens because God did in some sense will it, but secondary causes are usually the instrumental cause behind the action. In the case of your socks, you chose them because you decided to, but it was also part of God’s will. God allows evil as it is part of his imperfect will to bring about a perfect end, but he is not the instrumental cause of evil.
This position holds much tension with regards to human will and divine will.
God is in control of everything.
Adherents: Calvinists and some Arminians
3. Providential oversight: Here God’s sovereignty is more of an oversight. He has a general plan, but is not married to the details. When necessary, God will intervene in the affairs of humanity to bring about his purpose, but this does not necessarily involve an intimate engagement with all that happens. God does not care what color socks you pick unless it somehow effects his meta plan.
This position holds much tension with regards to human will and divine will.
God could control everything, but only controls some things.
Adherents: Arminians and some Calvinists
4. Influential oversight: Here God’s sovereignty is self-limited. God could control things, but to preserve human freedom, he will not intervene in the affairs of men to the degree that the human will is decisively bent in one direction or another. He is hopeful that his influence will be persuasive to change a person’s heart or to guide them to his will, but is not sure if this will happen. Being all-wise, however, God will make strategic moves in people’s lives that will manipulate the situation to his advantage.
This position holds little or no tension with regards to the human will and the divine will.
God could control everything, but decides only to influence.
Adherents: Open Theist Arminians and some Arminians
Which view do you believe explains God’s sovereignty the best.
Below is an article from c. Michael Patton on the different views of God’s sovereignty.
Believing in the sovereignty of God is not an option of yes, no, or maybe within the Christian context. If the Bible is our authoritative guide, one must believe that God is sovereign. It is not unlike the issue of predestination. That God predestines people to salvation is not up for debate, what is up for debate is what it means that God predestines.
Both Calvinists and Arminians agree that God is sovereign, but they will often disagree as to what this means.
Here are the four primary options:
1. Meticulous sovereignty: God is the instrumental cause behind every action and reaction there has ever been. In other words, you chose white socks instead of the black socks because God caused it to happen. You have an itch on your eyebrow right now because God is actively causing it. In other words, every molecule that bounces into another is a result of God active agency in being the first and instrumental cause to the action.
This position holds little or no tension with regards to the human will and the divine will.
God is actively controlling everything.
Adherents: Hyper-Calvinists and some Calvinists
2. Providential sovereignty: While God is bringing about his will in everything (Eph 1:11), his will is not the instrumental cause of all that happens. God’s will plays a providential role in “causing” all things. In other words, all that happens happens because God did in some sense will it, but secondary causes are usually the instrumental cause behind the action. In the case of your socks, you chose them because you decided to, but it was also part of God’s will. God allows evil as it is part of his imperfect will to bring about a perfect end, but he is not the instrumental cause of evil.
This position holds much tension with regards to human will and divine will.
God is in control of everything.
Adherents: Calvinists and some Arminians
3. Providential oversight: Here God’s sovereignty is more of an oversight. He has a general plan, but is not married to the details. When necessary, God will intervene in the affairs of humanity to bring about his purpose, but this does not necessarily involve an intimate engagement with all that happens. God does not care what color socks you pick unless it somehow effects his meta plan.
This position holds much tension with regards to human will and divine will.
God could control everything, but only controls some things.
Adherents: Arminians and some Calvinists
4. Influential oversight: Here God’s sovereignty is self-limited. God could control things, but to preserve human freedom, he will not intervene in the affairs of men to the degree that the human will is decisively bent in one direction or another. He is hopeful that his influence will be persuasive to change a person’s heart or to guide them to his will, but is not sure if this will happen. Being all-wise, however, God will make strategic moves in people’s lives that will manipulate the situation to his advantage.
This position holds little or no tension with regards to the human will and the divine will.
God could control everything, but decides only to influence.
Adherents: Open Theist Arminians and some Arminians
Which view do you believe explains God’s sovereignty the best.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Spurgeon on the Gospel
"Avoid a sugared gospel as you would shun sugar of lead. Seek the gospel which rips up and tears and cuts and wounds and hacks and even kills, for that is the gospel that makes alive again. And when you have found it, give good heed to it. Let it enter into your inmost being. As the rain soaks into the ground, so pray the Lord to let his gospel soak into your soul."
"Let this be to you the mark of true gospel preaching - where Christ is everything, and the creature is nothing; where it is salvation all of grace, through the work of the Holy Spirit applying to the soul the precious blood of Jesus."
"When we preach Christ crucified, we have no reason to stammer, or stutter, or hesitate, or apologize; there is nothing in the gospel of which we have any cause to be ashamed."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)