Monday, October 15, 2007
A Joyful Moment in a Rough Day
Today was a rather difficult day for us at work. We are both overly tired, burning the candle at both ends, and dealing with heart issues of several of our students. In the middle of these joy-snatchers, a friend we had not seen for many months unexpectedly showed up for a short visit to our new school. She was overflowing with hugs, love, support, and encouragement for the job we are doing. Thank you, dear friend, for your kindness. And thank You, Heavenly Father, for sending her to us.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Questions
Rick Long from Lake Country (formerly Countryside South) spoke at WCBC today. His messages are always profound, yet refreshingly simple. He leaves me with a lot to chew on. Today's message was no exception. He simply had us consider a number of questions throughout the gospels (particularly John), that Jesus asked during his ministry--questions that had specific implications within their context, but that also have implications for us today.
John 1: "What are you seeking?"
John 6: "Do you take offense at this?" and "Do you want to go away as well?"
Matthew 16: "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" and "Who do you say that I am?"
John 13: "Do you understand what I have done to you?" and "Will you lay down your life for me?"
John 21: "Do you love me more than these?" and "What is it to you?"
Obviously, Rick was able to elaborate significantly on each question, and on the contextual responses, and, as always, he had wonderful insights and great application.
Maranatha!
John 1: "What are you seeking?"
John 6: "Do you take offense at this?" and "Do you want to go away as well?"
Matthew 16: "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" and "Who do you say that I am?"
John 13: "Do you understand what I have done to you?" and "Will you lay down your life for me?"
John 21: "Do you love me more than these?" and "What is it to you?"
Obviously, Rick was able to elaborate significantly on each question, and on the contextual responses, and, as always, he had wonderful insights and great application.
Maranatha!
Sunday, September 30, 2007
God's Tattoos
But Zion said, "The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me."
"Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me."
Isaiah 49:14-16 (ESV)
People who get tattoos in the reckless years of their youth often regret them later, especially when they incorporate the name of some former fling. God's tattoos are eternal because his promises to Israel are eternal. He has no regrets. The fulfillment of those promises is our guarantee that Jesus Christ will never regret the scars on his hands either, and that God the Father will also fulfill the promises made to us and represented by those scars.
Human tattoos are primarily a passing vanity. The tattoos of the Father and of his Son, Jesus Christ, are emblems of God's glory.
Maranatha!
"Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me."
Isaiah 49:14-16 (ESV)
People who get tattoos in the reckless years of their youth often regret them later, especially when they incorporate the name of some former fling. God's tattoos are eternal because his promises to Israel are eternal. He has no regrets. The fulfillment of those promises is our guarantee that Jesus Christ will never regret the scars on his hands either, and that God the Father will also fulfill the promises made to us and represented by those scars.
Human tattoos are primarily a passing vanity. The tattoos of the Father and of his Son, Jesus Christ, are emblems of God's glory.
Maranatha!
Friday, September 7, 2007
Good Morning
I will extol You, O Lord, for you have lifted me up, and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
O Lord my God, I cried out to you, and you healed me.
O Lord, you brought my soul up from the grave; you have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.
Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holy name.
For his anger is but for a moment, his favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
Now in my prosperity I said, “I shall never be moved.”
Lord, by your favor you have made my mountain stand strong; you hid your face, and I was troubled.
I cried out to you, O Lord; and to the Lord I made supplication: “What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it declare your truth?
Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me; Lord, be my helper!”
You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, to the end that my glory may sing praise to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.
Psalm 30 (NKJV)
The night has ended. The Lord really does bring joy in the morning. And such sweet joy it is.
Maranatha!
O Lord my God, I cried out to you, and you healed me.
O Lord, you brought my soul up from the grave; you have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.
Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holy name.
For his anger is but for a moment, his favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
Now in my prosperity I said, “I shall never be moved.”
Lord, by your favor you have made my mountain stand strong; you hid your face, and I was troubled.
I cried out to you, O Lord; and to the Lord I made supplication: “What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it declare your truth?
Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me; Lord, be my helper!”
You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, to the end that my glory may sing praise to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.
Psalm 30 (NKJV)
The night has ended. The Lord really does bring joy in the morning. And such sweet joy it is.
Maranatha!
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Current Reading List
I recently took a 3-credit seminary grad course in Biblical Counseling at my old alma mater, FBBC&TS. I highly recommend the course. The class met intensively for 5 hours each evening for one week. I still have most of the reading (1500 pages) and the written homework to complete by late October.
Here are the titles of the books I chose from the bibliography to fulfull the reading requirement. I tried to tailor my selections somewhat to fit my vocation of schoolteacher to adolescents.
Conflict Under Control, Jeff Newman
Shepherding a Child's Heart, Tedd Tripp
Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands, Paul David Tripp (Tedd's brother)
PsychoBabble, The Failure of Modern Psychology and the Biblical Alternative, Richard Ganz
When People Are Big and God Is Small, Edward T. Welch
Blame It on the Brain, Edward T. Welch
The Young Peace Maker, Corlette Sande
Becoming a Titus 2 Woman, Martha Peace
There Really Is a Difference, Renald E. Showers
Depression: The Way Up When You Are Down, Edward T. Welch
Suffering: Eternity Makes a Difference, David Paul Tripp
Bad Memories: Getting Past Your Past, Robert D. Jones
Suicide: Understanding and Intervening, Jeffrey S. Black
Self-Injury: When Pain Feels Good, Edward T. Welch
Cutting: Bleeding the Pain Away, Amy Baker
ADD: Wandering Minds and Wired Bodies, Edward T. Welch
ADHD: Helping Those Confronted with This Label Understand It and Evaluate Where They Need to Turn for Help, Rita Jamison
Asperger Syndrome, Michael R. Emlet
Here are the titles of the books I chose from the bibliography to fulfull the reading requirement. I tried to tailor my selections somewhat to fit my vocation of schoolteacher to adolescents.
Conflict Under Control, Jeff Newman
Shepherding a Child's Heart, Tedd Tripp
Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands, Paul David Tripp (Tedd's brother)
PsychoBabble, The Failure of Modern Psychology and the Biblical Alternative, Richard Ganz
When People Are Big and God Is Small, Edward T. Welch
Blame It on the Brain, Edward T. Welch
The Young Peace Maker, Corlette Sande
Becoming a Titus 2 Woman, Martha Peace
There Really Is a Difference, Renald E. Showers
Depression: The Way Up When You Are Down, Edward T. Welch
Suffering: Eternity Makes a Difference, David Paul Tripp
Bad Memories: Getting Past Your Past, Robert D. Jones
Suicide: Understanding and Intervening, Jeffrey S. Black
Self-Injury: When Pain Feels Good, Edward T. Welch
Cutting: Bleeding the Pain Away, Amy Baker
ADD: Wandering Minds and Wired Bodies, Edward T. Welch
ADHD: Helping Those Confronted with This Label Understand It and Evaluate Where They Need to Turn for Help, Rita Jamison
Asperger Syndrome, Michael R. Emlet
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Starting Over
In light of an exciting new ministry opportunity the Lord has prepared for me and for some dear friends (and us for it), I have been perusing the idea of new things in Scripture lately: new covenant, new creation, new life, new mercies, new song, new heaven and new earth, new spirit, new heart, new and living way.
New. Fresh. Pure. Clean. Unaffected, undamaged by sin.
The wording of Lamentations 3:22-23 tells me that not only is God's mercy toward me new, it is new each day. Its newness is never-ending. He has an endless supply of mercy.
Praise the name of Jesus Christ. Maranatha!
New. Fresh. Pure. Clean. Unaffected, undamaged by sin.
The wording of Lamentations 3:22-23 tells me that not only is God's mercy toward me new, it is new each day. Its newness is never-ending. He has an endless supply of mercy.
Praise the name of Jesus Christ. Maranatha!
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