I haven't had a lot to blog about here lately. We are still unpacking from the move, but Dawn has done a tremendous job on the place. She has such a way with that kind of stuff. If it was just me, I would probably still be living out of boxes a year from now!
Drew is at camp this week. So, please pray that he has fun, makes friends, and grows his relationship with Jesus while he is there. It is awesome how spending time in the forest or just anywhere in nature can bring you closer to God. I guess experiencing creation helps us better understand the Creator!!!
That's all for now, but I do want to remind you all that we are having Discipleship Training this Friday at Sacred Grounds at 7:30pm. This week we are discussing the Cross!!! We will be asking what crucification is, how exactly Jesus died, and what did Jesus accomplish on the cross. Hope to see you there!!!
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Monday, July 14, 2008
Gen. 2:24 "...and they will become one flesh."
My friend Joe Rollins, no relation to Henry, posted a blog today about his wife being a woman of NOBLE CHARACTER. He referenced Proverbs 12:4 where it says that a wife of noble character is the crown of a husband, and he ended his blog with this:
Do you see your wife as the crown she truly is?
I feel that I don't thank my wife enough for who she is and what she does! Noble is defined as an exalted moral or mental character or excellence, and I think Dawn has always striven for this (even as a non-Christian). I remember discussing the Gospel with her before she accepted Jesus, and it was fairly difficult because she didn't realize that she needed forgiveness because she had always tried to live a "good" life. Fortunately, Jesus gave me the words and actions to show her where she was mistaken, and she became a true follower.
John Calvin, in referring to Jesus coming to earth as a human being, says that He accommodated us. Calvin is talking about how Jesus chose not to avail himself of some of His divinity while He was here for our sake. He humbled himself!
I see this in my wife as well. When out with the kids, she doesn't walk as fast as she can, but chooses to slow down so the kids can keep up. She accommodates them. She gets up with me in the mornings and makes my lunch for me. She accommodates me. She has chosen to stay home and forgo a career of some sort to take care of our family. She accommodates us.
So, to answer Joe's question: I think I have always seen her that way, but I have failed miserably to let her know that! Thanks for opening my eyes Joe!
I LOVE YOU DAWN!!!
Do you see your wife as the crown she truly is?
I feel that I don't thank my wife enough for who she is and what she does! Noble is defined as an exalted moral or mental character or excellence, and I think Dawn has always striven for this (even as a non-Christian). I remember discussing the Gospel with her before she accepted Jesus, and it was fairly difficult because she didn't realize that she needed forgiveness because she had always tried to live a "good" life. Fortunately, Jesus gave me the words and actions to show her where she was mistaken, and she became a true follower.
John Calvin, in referring to Jesus coming to earth as a human being, says that He accommodated us. Calvin is talking about how Jesus chose not to avail himself of some of His divinity while He was here for our sake. He humbled himself!
I see this in my wife as well. When out with the kids, she doesn't walk as fast as she can, but chooses to slow down so the kids can keep up. She accommodates them. She gets up with me in the mornings and makes my lunch for me. She accommodates me. She has chosen to stay home and forgo a career of some sort to take care of our family. She accommodates us.
So, to answer Joe's question: I think I have always seen her that way, but I have failed miserably to let her know that! Thanks for opening my eyes Joe!
I LOVE YOU DAWN!!!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
My Camouflaged Sin
Have you ever had a great idea? You know, the kind that immediately puts you in the best mood ever. I have, too. How would you feel if you shared that idea with someone, and they moved forward with it as if it were their own? Would you be angry? Would you feel betrayed?
That actually happened to me, and I felt both of those emotions simultaneously. I was enraged! Why? Because I was proud of my idea. Lately, it seems that I have become proud of a lot of things, and that is not good! If you know me at all, you know that I like to study the Word, and learn as much as I can. I don't see anything wrong with that, but I seem to have removed my focus from Jesus. I have put my focus into learning as much as possible for the wrong reason (ME).
I have elevated knowledge in my life to the point where it is an idol and object of my pride!
I want to use this blog to repent to all of you! I have asked for forgiveness from Jesus, and I am refocusing my life and priorities! I am sorry if my pride and arrogance has offended anyone or pushed anyone away. Please forgive me.
It's tough being human, and I challenge everyone out there to look inward and see if just maybe there is a camouflaged sin in there somewhere that needs to be taken care of.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Unpacking
Let the unpacking begin!!!
The move went really well, but we seem to be lacking some stuff. We have boxes and boxes of books, cds, movies, etc., but we haven't a single bookshelf to put them on! I am wanting to build one of those giant bookshelves with the 12x12 squares like Chad has, but I don't have the resources to do so right now. So, if anyone has any shelves they are looking to get rid of, give me a shout.
When moving day comes around, a person can really tell who cares! I know some people had other things to do, and that is fine, but I want to thank those of you who showed up for the two hours that it took for us to move. Andrew, Mike, Amy, Joe, Patrick, and Sam: I know you guys had other stuff you would have rather been doing than moving all my crap from one place to another, but my family and I thank you so much for giving us your time! God gave us a mission to serve others, and you all did just that last weekend...
Now, we have the daunting task of unloading the seemingly billions of boxes that we have. That isn't our stuff in the picture above. We have a lot more stuff than that, but I had no idea how much we had until last weekend. Please pray for our sanity as we embark on this journey(LOL)!!!
The move went really well, but we seem to be lacking some stuff. We have boxes and boxes of books, cds, movies, etc., but we haven't a single bookshelf to put them on! I am wanting to build one of those giant bookshelves with the 12x12 squares like Chad has, but I don't have the resources to do so right now. So, if anyone has any shelves they are looking to get rid of, give me a shout.
When moving day comes around, a person can really tell who cares! I know some people had other things to do, and that is fine, but I want to thank those of you who showed up for the two hours that it took for us to move. Andrew, Mike, Amy, Joe, Patrick, and Sam: I know you guys had other stuff you would have rather been doing than moving all my crap from one place to another, but my family and I thank you so much for giving us your time! God gave us a mission to serve others, and you all did just that last weekend...
Now, we have the daunting task of unloading the seemingly billions of boxes that we have. That isn't our stuff in the picture above. We have a lot more stuff than that, but I had no idea how much we had until last weekend. Please pray for our sanity as we embark on this journey(LOL)!!!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Mooohoovin' Oooon Up...
We are moving this weekend!!! We found a really nice 3 bedroom townhouse apartment at the Sheffield Square Complex in New Albany. The bedrooms are pretty big, and it has 1 and 1/2 baths. Dawn and I are excited to have more room, and Skylee is finally going to have a room all to herself.
The boys will still be sharing a room, but it is quite a bit bigger than what they have now, and they are going to have bunk beds that will be stacked to make more room. They are pretty stoked!
There are two things I think we are most excited about. First is the fact that we will have a pool! Second, we will live within walking distance of Mom and Pop's Ice Cream Parlor! I love that place, and our whole family can get dessert from there for about $10...
Please pray for us to have a successful move, and for the transition to go well for the family. Thanks!!!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
There is only ONE!
The following link is to a news story that I came across on foxnews.com today. Please take a minute and read through it...
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,370588,00.html
I was completely in awe as I read through the entire story, but there was one paragraph that really made me just want to weep. It said:
"Nearly across the board, the majority of religious Americans believe many religions can lead to eternal life: mainline Protestants (83 percent), members of historic black Protestant churches (59 percent), Roman Catholics (79 percent), Jews (82 percent) and Muslims (56 percent)."
This is absolutely mind-boggling!!! According to this study, more than 4 out of every 5 protestant believers (that is us at GCC) believe that Jesus is not the only path to God. This is so discouraging because all of the talk about "tolerance" in the world these days is leading the average Christian away from a doctrine that is not debatable just so we don't hurt someone's feelings. For those who ask themselves, "Who are we to say that we have the only answer," I will give the following illustration:
Imagine you are on a plane headed to Chicago, and you strike up a conversation with the man in the seat next to yours. After a few minutes you decide that you really like your new friend, and while you are talking he says, "Boy, I can't wait to get to Texas tonight!" You, on the other hand, know that his flight is taking him in the exact opposite direction than he thinks he is going. What do you do?
Do you just sit quietly and let him go to Chicago because you don't want to hurt his feelings or because you don't want to seem arrogant by having the right information that he doesn't?
Of course not! You would tell him that he is on the wrong plane, so he doesn't end up where he doesn't want to be.
We are in the same position every single day. There are people everywhere who are on the wrong path who think they are heading to where they want to be. However, John 14:6 says, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." For those reading this who don't know, THAT IS JESUS TALKING! According to this, anyone on a path that is not leading to Jesus, and ONLY Jesus, is on the wrong path...It is our responsibility to share this fact (in love) with them.
It seems to me that this is one of the basic doctrines that all Christians should believe, but according to that study on foxnews.com, more than 4 out of every 5 of us are missing it!!! Don't get me wrong, I don't want us to run around hurting everyone's feelings, but we have a mission given to us by Jesus to spread the Gospel, and train the new believers in the life and teachings of Jesus.
There is only ONE way to eternal life and that is by believing in Jesus Christ as the redemptive lamb who was slaughtered for our sins!
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,370588,00.html
I was completely in awe as I read through the entire story, but there was one paragraph that really made me just want to weep. It said:
"Nearly across the board, the majority of religious Americans believe many religions can lead to eternal life: mainline Protestants (83 percent), members of historic black Protestant churches (59 percent), Roman Catholics (79 percent), Jews (82 percent) and Muslims (56 percent)."
This is absolutely mind-boggling!!! According to this study, more than 4 out of every 5 protestant believers (that is us at GCC) believe that Jesus is not the only path to God. This is so discouraging because all of the talk about "tolerance" in the world these days is leading the average Christian away from a doctrine that is not debatable just so we don't hurt someone's feelings. For those who ask themselves, "Who are we to say that we have the only answer," I will give the following illustration:
Imagine you are on a plane headed to Chicago, and you strike up a conversation with the man in the seat next to yours. After a few minutes you decide that you really like your new friend, and while you are talking he says, "Boy, I can't wait to get to Texas tonight!" You, on the other hand, know that his flight is taking him in the exact opposite direction than he thinks he is going. What do you do?
Do you just sit quietly and let him go to Chicago because you don't want to hurt his feelings or because you don't want to seem arrogant by having the right information that he doesn't?
Of course not! You would tell him that he is on the wrong plane, so he doesn't end up where he doesn't want to be.
We are in the same position every single day. There are people everywhere who are on the wrong path who think they are heading to where they want to be. However, John 14:6 says, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." For those reading this who don't know, THAT IS JESUS TALKING! According to this, anyone on a path that is not leading to Jesus, and ONLY Jesus, is on the wrong path...It is our responsibility to share this fact (in love) with them.
It seems to me that this is one of the basic doctrines that all Christians should believe, but according to that study on foxnews.com, more than 4 out of every 5 of us are missing it!!! Don't get me wrong, I don't want us to run around hurting everyone's feelings, but we have a mission given to us by Jesus to spread the Gospel, and train the new believers in the life and teachings of Jesus.
There is only ONE way to eternal life and that is by believing in Jesus Christ as the redemptive lamb who was slaughtered for our sins!
Monday, June 23, 2008
Books---They Still Make Those?
I am often taken aback at the lack of interest our young people seem to have in books these days! I have had a lot of conversations this past week about some books that I have read and wanted to recommend, but the main response I get from most of the youngsters that I have spoken with is "I don't read." Not "I can't read," but "I DON'T read."
Maybe it is because I get an enormous amount of knowledge and pleasure from diving head first into a good book, but that comment just floors me! I wish I could come up with a way to prove to all of the doubters that if you stick to reading for a while, it gets easier and a lot more fun. I despised reading in school because I had to! Now, I read what I want, when I want, and I could not imagine living a life without books.
Just to clear the air, I am not "dissing" anyone who does not read. I am just pleading the case for the books out there that can't speak. Their feelings are hurt because they were created to make all of us smarter, and even some of them were created to entertain us! I used to debate with a friend a while back that the book is always better than the movie or show or video game, and I am still right on that one...LOL (Love ya Mike Tolle).
Anyway, for those of you out there who don't read but would be willing to give it a shot, I want to recommend the Circle Trilogy by Tedd Dekker. He is a fiction writer who happens to be a Christian as well. Notice I didn't call him a "Christian writer." That would be like calling your plumber a "Christian plumber." Anyway, these 3 books are titled Black, Red, and White. They are a quick read and are very, very exciting!!! I loved them, and I think anyone who has faith our wonderful God will enjoy them as well. Just give them a shot, and let me know what you think.
Maybe it is because I get an enormous amount of knowledge and pleasure from diving head first into a good book, but that comment just floors me! I wish I could come up with a way to prove to all of the doubters that if you stick to reading for a while, it gets easier and a lot more fun. I despised reading in school because I had to! Now, I read what I want, when I want, and I could not imagine living a life without books.
Just to clear the air, I am not "dissing" anyone who does not read. I am just pleading the case for the books out there that can't speak. Their feelings are hurt because they were created to make all of us smarter, and even some of them were created to entertain us! I used to debate with a friend a while back that the book is always better than the movie or show or video game, and I am still right on that one...LOL (Love ya Mike Tolle).
Anyway, for those of you out there who don't read but would be willing to give it a shot, I want to recommend the Circle Trilogy by Tedd Dekker. He is a fiction writer who happens to be a Christian as well. Notice I didn't call him a "Christian writer." That would be like calling your plumber a "Christian plumber." Anyway, these 3 books are titled Black, Red, and White. They are a quick read and are very, very exciting!!! I loved them, and I think anyone who has faith our wonderful God will enjoy them as well. Just give them a shot, and let me know what you think.
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