It has been a while since I last posted, so I figured it was time to post again. Over the last few months some very exciting things have been happening. All four siblings that were in the process of being placed in my parents home have no been placed there. They will all start to be in the process of being adopted. What joyful and wonderful mercies God has shown to these children recently and to my family. My parents are still working on expanding their home so that they more adequately live with all of the wonderful children that they now have.
My wife and I are expecting our second child any day now and cannot wait to meet her! Our son is very ready to meet his little sister. Each and every day he holds discussions with us about "baby". I cannot wait to see his reaction to the little bundle of joy that we are expecting. It amazes me with how many intricacies there are in children. They seem to proclaim truths about God without even opening their mouths. God surely creates us wonderfully!
I have also been working on a book that I am hoping to release as an e-book in March and later in print. Pre-order for the e-book is available here. I have always enjoyed writing, as shown by the numerous and sometimes lengthy blog posts here. So sometime last year I thought to myself, why not try a book? So I began writing about an issue that has been deeply important to me and I believe should be to all Christians. I have entitled my work God's Design for Men and Women. It is an attempt to work through some of the issues surrounding gender and our roles as Christians within those confines. It has been a lot of work, but I hope that it will be used by God to bless those who choose to read it. If so, then every minute put into working on it will have been thoroughly worth it.
I look forward to hearing feedback and engaging in discussions with those who do happen to read it. I pray that God would take away any man centered sections of my book and cause only His truth to shine forth for those who read it. The other day I was driving home from work and there was the most beautiful coloring in the sky. It was reflecting off of the still waters of the river that I was driving next to and caused my heart to soar with delight at the beautiful creation that God has given us. It made me want to proclaim His truths to anyone who would listen even more than usual. So, I hope that is what this book does. I hope that it shines forth God and His majesty alone. I want only to reflect God towards those who are seeking His face.
Stay tuned for more!!
Friday, January 15, 2016
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Suffering for Christ
There are so many places around the world that people suffer daily for their faith and belief that Jesus is the Christ and Ruler of all. People are killed, fired from their jobs, disowned by their families, and thrown into prison. These are just a few of the many ways that Christians around the world are forced to live and are used to display the glory of God in a way that most Americans have never experienced. This however, is going to and has already begun to change. The church in the USA needs to wake up and realize that the ways that God is planning to use them is about to change dramatically from the ways in which they are accustomed.
No longer is it the "cool" thing to do to claim that you are a Christian. If you proclaim the truth of Christianity you will be frowned upon and asked to be quiet. You will be asked to step down from your positions at work, to change your beliefs, and to keep your thoughts to yourself. This is something that Christians must realize and draw a line in the sand.
Truth does not change just because a culture has changed. Just because someone tells you to think a different way or to live a different way does not mean that that is what God has called you to do. For those Christians who have never experienced persecution, run to the scriptures. This is the only place where you can find solace and comfort in a time such as this. For those Christians who have experienced persecution before, stand strong in the faith. Lead by example and show those who follow what it truly means to give all for the cause of Christ. Just as the apostle Paul suffered and persevered, so also are we to suffer and look to Christ for our strength and courage.
Sin cannot win, it cannot conquer and it has already been defeated. Jesus bought our righteousness before the foundation of the earth and thereby defeated death, sin and the grave. This was manifest through His work on the cross for the salvation of those whom He chose for His glory before the world began.
Stand strong brothers and sisters. We do not fight alone and we do not serve a feeble God. We serve a mighty and wonderful God who has already won the battle. Though our flesh may be destroyed we will not. Suffering is coming and everyone who bears the name of Christ will experience it. It is not something to be feared, but rather something to expect to be used to shine forth more beauty and grace so that others may see and come to know the saving faith of our Lord.
No longer is it the "cool" thing to do to claim that you are a Christian. If you proclaim the truth of Christianity you will be frowned upon and asked to be quiet. You will be asked to step down from your positions at work, to change your beliefs, and to keep your thoughts to yourself. This is something that Christians must realize and draw a line in the sand.
Truth does not change just because a culture has changed. Just because someone tells you to think a different way or to live a different way does not mean that that is what God has called you to do. For those Christians who have never experienced persecution, run to the scriptures. This is the only place where you can find solace and comfort in a time such as this. For those Christians who have experienced persecution before, stand strong in the faith. Lead by example and show those who follow what it truly means to give all for the cause of Christ. Just as the apostle Paul suffered and persevered, so also are we to suffer and look to Christ for our strength and courage.
Sin cannot win, it cannot conquer and it has already been defeated. Jesus bought our righteousness before the foundation of the earth and thereby defeated death, sin and the grave. This was manifest through His work on the cross for the salvation of those whom He chose for His glory before the world began.
Stand strong brothers and sisters. We do not fight alone and we do not serve a feeble God. We serve a mighty and wonderful God who has already won the battle. Though our flesh may be destroyed we will not. Suffering is coming and everyone who bears the name of Christ will experience it. It is not something to be feared, but rather something to expect to be used to shine forth more beauty and grace so that others may see and come to know the saving faith of our Lord.
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Holiday Musings
There have been so many thoughts going through my head recently. Ranging from people's holiday decorations, people's perspectives on the world, the salvation of God's elect, and all the way to what it means to love and be loved. I could go on all day about these points, but I would like to just touch on each briefly in order to give a place for others to explore them as well.
First holiday decorations. I love decorating for Christmas, it gives me a chance to think about the many ways that my Lord has been gracious to me and has blessed me. However, there are so many people that don't understand anything about what it means to be saved by the grace of God. They put up lights of every color and design, some of them even putting up Christian themed lights without any clue or desire to understand what they mean and stand for. Let us use decorations to encourage, bless, and strengthen those we come in contact with.
Second, people are supposed to be "nicer" around the holidays. I have found this to be ludicrous. A person doesn't actually change for a certain time of the year. They are who they are all the time. They may attempt to act a certain way to be perceived by those around them as being a certain way, but if they aren't that way all year round, then that is not who they really are. There are so many people that don't even enjoy the holidays. Instead of enjoying their family and making memories together, they stress about gifts, shopping, cooking, cleaning, and decorating. Instead of worshiping the King of kings, they worry about how they look, are perceived, and whether or not they will offend someone. They think that if they can just do something right, it will bless someone else. This just isn't true, God blesses people, no matter what you do.
Third, this is the time of year that we most hear about the birth of our Savior and His plan for salvation. So many people take His plan and distort it into something that is hideously ugly and man centered. They tell those around them that they have the power over salvation and that they can control their own destiny. Someone recently asked how I could believe that God had already either condemned or elected for salvation every single human being ever. How I could believe that since I have children. The answer is simple. Do I believe that God is on His throne and is in control of my life and the life's of everyone else? Yes, I do. Do I believe that He does everything for His glory? Yes. Do I believe that He loves me in such a way that He does all things for my good? Yes. Then I must trust Him to redeem those whom He has providentially chosen before the foundation of the world. If God isn't the one who controls the salvation of people, then man does and that scares me. For man has never been able to do anything good, so what makes some people think that man would make good executioners of their own salvation? It is extreme folly to believe that God sits in heaven wringing His hands hoping that people choose Him over themselves. God knocks down the door to our heart and completely sacks every part of it, leaving nothing left. If God does not save fully, He does not save. I believe that God has chosen everyone before the foundation of the world which gives me comfort to know that neither age, smarts, or physical handicaps can keep any of my children from the grace of God, because there is nothing that they can do to receive it.
Fourth, I have been completely and utterly amazed by the beauty in Shane & Shane's song "So I Can Love". It seems to me to be one of the best presentations of the gospel and how we are to live it out that I have ever heard in song. In the song they proclaim that if we have breath in our lungs and blood in our veins, there must be a reason that we are alive. So many people think that there are so many reasons that they are alive. To care for family, to work, to teach, to give. However, in their song Shane & Shane make a profound statement. That the only reason we are alive is to love. At first listen this may sound odd and even overly simple to many people, leaving something to be desired. However, I want people to dig deeper. If we are alive to love what does it mean to love? The first thing that we should think of is that scripture tells us that God is love. Ok, so we have two things then. We are to love, but loving someone means that we bring God to them or show them God. If we are to God (love) others, shouldn't this mean that no matter the consequences or the cost, we show them what it means to be loved? For those who are apart from God have never experienced love.
First holiday decorations. I love decorating for Christmas, it gives me a chance to think about the many ways that my Lord has been gracious to me and has blessed me. However, there are so many people that don't understand anything about what it means to be saved by the grace of God. They put up lights of every color and design, some of them even putting up Christian themed lights without any clue or desire to understand what they mean and stand for. Let us use decorations to encourage, bless, and strengthen those we come in contact with.
Second, people are supposed to be "nicer" around the holidays. I have found this to be ludicrous. A person doesn't actually change for a certain time of the year. They are who they are all the time. They may attempt to act a certain way to be perceived by those around them as being a certain way, but if they aren't that way all year round, then that is not who they really are. There are so many people that don't even enjoy the holidays. Instead of enjoying their family and making memories together, they stress about gifts, shopping, cooking, cleaning, and decorating. Instead of worshiping the King of kings, they worry about how they look, are perceived, and whether or not they will offend someone. They think that if they can just do something right, it will bless someone else. This just isn't true, God blesses people, no matter what you do.
Third, this is the time of year that we most hear about the birth of our Savior and His plan for salvation. So many people take His plan and distort it into something that is hideously ugly and man centered. They tell those around them that they have the power over salvation and that they can control their own destiny. Someone recently asked how I could believe that God had already either condemned or elected for salvation every single human being ever. How I could believe that since I have children. The answer is simple. Do I believe that God is on His throne and is in control of my life and the life's of everyone else? Yes, I do. Do I believe that He does everything for His glory? Yes. Do I believe that He loves me in such a way that He does all things for my good? Yes. Then I must trust Him to redeem those whom He has providentially chosen before the foundation of the world. If God isn't the one who controls the salvation of people, then man does and that scares me. For man has never been able to do anything good, so what makes some people think that man would make good executioners of their own salvation? It is extreme folly to believe that God sits in heaven wringing His hands hoping that people choose Him over themselves. God knocks down the door to our heart and completely sacks every part of it, leaving nothing left. If God does not save fully, He does not save. I believe that God has chosen everyone before the foundation of the world which gives me comfort to know that neither age, smarts, or physical handicaps can keep any of my children from the grace of God, because there is nothing that they can do to receive it.
Fourth, I have been completely and utterly amazed by the beauty in Shane & Shane's song "So I Can Love". It seems to me to be one of the best presentations of the gospel and how we are to live it out that I have ever heard in song. In the song they proclaim that if we have breath in our lungs and blood in our veins, there must be a reason that we are alive. So many people think that there are so many reasons that they are alive. To care for family, to work, to teach, to give. However, in their song Shane & Shane make a profound statement. That the only reason we are alive is to love. At first listen this may sound odd and even overly simple to many people, leaving something to be desired. However, I want people to dig deeper. If we are alive to love what does it mean to love? The first thing that we should think of is that scripture tells us that God is love. Ok, so we have two things then. We are to love, but loving someone means that we bring God to them or show them God. If we are to God (love) others, shouldn't this mean that no matter the consequences or the cost, we show them what it means to be loved? For those who are apart from God have never experienced love.
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Who Are You??
Over the past several days I have heard some of the most two sided discussions about the Syrian crisis and it's refugees. On the one hand you have people proclaiming that we need to protect ourselves and that it isn't safe to bring over these refugees. The other side says that we shouldn't just let them in, because there is a vetting process so that takes care of how they come to the USA. I would like to point out several things within this discussion and several key issues when trying to understand it's proponents.
First is the question of who we are. Not who we are as Americans, for that is merely the place where we reside. But who we are as people. God created us in such a way as to be able to have unique differences in our personalities, skin color, height, and so on. However, there is one thing that rings true for every single person that God has created. That is the simple fact that He has created them.
So our first response should be that we are God's creations and that those of us who proclaim a saving knowledge of God should know this more than anyone. Secondly, we must then ask; what is the difference between these Syrians and myself? Some may answer and say that they are evil, terrorists, and hate Americans. While this may be true of some of them, could this not have been said about you before Christ's light broke into your heart? You may not have hated Americans or been a terrorist in the sense that you attempted to kill other human beings, but the truth of the matter is that you were a terrorist and you were evil. The only difference was that your evil and terror were aimed at a Holy God rather than mere man.
Who are we as Christians to even begin to say that we know the reason for what goes on in the world. However, I think that this article by David Crabb lends a beautiful picture to one reason why it could be happening. In his article Crabb mentions the idea that maybe God is bringing all of these Syrians to our country is so that God's will for their salvation might be brought to fruition. What an amazing thought that this is! It fits directly with what scripture tells us, that others can mean things for evil and yet God uses them for the good of His people. What if in order to reach those whom He has elected and chosen He is bringing them directly to us?!
So many Americans want to live in fear and concern about their own safety and they forget Who actually keeps them safe. It isn't the government, law enforcement, or weapons. It is God Almighty who keeps us safe in our beds at night, as we work, as we travel, as we pretend to make our own security decisions. Without God's blessing, none of those things would work. They would all fall apart and fail to do what we have designed them to.
My question then is this. Are you a Christian that believes in a sovereign God who controls all things and cares for those who He has called unto Himself? Are you frightened of mere man and the damage that he may cause or do you rest that your God is in control of your safety? Are you worried that your selfish desires and wants may be taken away? Are you concerned first and foremost about the spreading of the gospel to the lost and dying? Are you too proud and arrogant to stand for those who cannot defend themselves? Are you willing, as Christians throughout the ages have done, to lay down your life for the gospel? Are you willing to place your trust in the only One who can truly protect you and your family? Who are you truly?
Being a Christian isn't easy, and yet God calls us to be holy for He is Holy. Please join me in praying for the salvation of those seeking refuge and searching for some comfort in their time of need.
First is the question of who we are. Not who we are as Americans, for that is merely the place where we reside. But who we are as people. God created us in such a way as to be able to have unique differences in our personalities, skin color, height, and so on. However, there is one thing that rings true for every single person that God has created. That is the simple fact that He has created them.
So our first response should be that we are God's creations and that those of us who proclaim a saving knowledge of God should know this more than anyone. Secondly, we must then ask; what is the difference between these Syrians and myself? Some may answer and say that they are evil, terrorists, and hate Americans. While this may be true of some of them, could this not have been said about you before Christ's light broke into your heart? You may not have hated Americans or been a terrorist in the sense that you attempted to kill other human beings, but the truth of the matter is that you were a terrorist and you were evil. The only difference was that your evil and terror were aimed at a Holy God rather than mere man.
Who are we as Christians to even begin to say that we know the reason for what goes on in the world. However, I think that this article by David Crabb lends a beautiful picture to one reason why it could be happening. In his article Crabb mentions the idea that maybe God is bringing all of these Syrians to our country is so that God's will for their salvation might be brought to fruition. What an amazing thought that this is! It fits directly with what scripture tells us, that others can mean things for evil and yet God uses them for the good of His people. What if in order to reach those whom He has elected and chosen He is bringing them directly to us?!
So many Americans want to live in fear and concern about their own safety and they forget Who actually keeps them safe. It isn't the government, law enforcement, or weapons. It is God Almighty who keeps us safe in our beds at night, as we work, as we travel, as we pretend to make our own security decisions. Without God's blessing, none of those things would work. They would all fall apart and fail to do what we have designed them to.
My question then is this. Are you a Christian that believes in a sovereign God who controls all things and cares for those who He has called unto Himself? Are you frightened of mere man and the damage that he may cause or do you rest that your God is in control of your safety? Are you worried that your selfish desires and wants may be taken away? Are you concerned first and foremost about the spreading of the gospel to the lost and dying? Are you too proud and arrogant to stand for those who cannot defend themselves? Are you willing, as Christians throughout the ages have done, to lay down your life for the gospel? Are you willing to place your trust in the only One who can truly protect you and your family? Who are you truly?
Being a Christian isn't easy, and yet God calls us to be holy for He is Holy. Please join me in praying for the salvation of those seeking refuge and searching for some comfort in their time of need.
Monday, November 2, 2015
The Fog Lifting
Recently I have seen a lot of fog coming off of the river that I drive alongside as I travel to work. Each time, I struggle to see the road, the other cars on it, and to make sure that I am driving safely. I am amazed at how easily the sun breaks through and causes the fog to dissipate in an instant. It reminded me today about the way that God breaks through to us when He reaches into our hearts and minds and creates something beautiful.
Before God makes us new, we live as though we see the world through a fog. We see glimpses of beauty, sunshine, joy, and wonder. Yet, we just can't see enough to cause us to be truly amazed and awed. When God removes the veil from before our eyes, it is just like watching the sun destroy the morning fog. It runs away and cannot hide. It pulls back to reveal such beauties that we could never have imagined to exist in the world.
God does the same thing to our minds and hearts. We were unable to understand, see, or believe. Then God does something that we have nothing to do with in order to give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and minds to understand. The fog is lifted and we cannot contain the joy and the grace that we have been shown abounds more than we could ever imagine.
As we approach the holidays, may we all be grateful most of all for the work that Jesus did, both through His life and His death, for those whom He has chosen even before the creation of the world. We can be thankful for the many worldly blessings that we have, but if we do not realize the most important thing to be thankful for, then we have missed the entire point. The early things do not matter, but the things of God remain forever! May you be the tool used to remove the fog from someone's eyes, or to lift it from their minds. May you shine forth the rays of God's truth to the ends of the earth in order to proclaim His goodness and mercy towards those whom He has chosen.
Thursday, October 29, 2015
True Beauty
What does it mean to truly appreciate and learn from creation? This is something that constantly causes me to ponder about the beauties that God has placed within our lives. We see so many things in life that are truly of the glorious in splendor and majesty, and yet we completely neglect to thank God for them and the pleasure that they bring to us.
For instance, yesterday was quite a gloomy rainy day. There wasn't much going on that would draw the eye to the splendor of God's beauty. His sustaining mercy and power, sure, but not much towards His beauty. However, this morning began with a gloriously bright sun shining through the crimson, orange, and yellow foliage draping the surrounding hillsides and forests. There was a peace ringing through the air, as if to proclaim that everything had been washed clean and that all was new again. The clouds in the sky were sparse and the ones that were there looked like an inviting cool pillow on a hot summer's day.
My mind was drawn to this beauty as I was driving to work. It caused me to wonder at the extreme majesty of a creator that holds everything in His power and sustains the very creation that we often ignore. I was reminded of a song by Warren Barfield. In it he proclaims the message that if we do not experience certain things in life, that we will not understand or know the true value and worth of others. This was ringing loud and true in my ears as I gazed upon the majestic. If we did not experience rain and darkness, would we really appreciate the light and beauty of the sun and it's warmth? If we did not experience the depression of the clouds and their darkness, would we ever understand what the gospel ever does to a person's darkened heart when the Light of Truth breaks into and shines with such brilliance that all you can do is stand in awe?
Not everything that we see will cause us to be amazed and astounded. Some things will cause us to be sorrowful and depressed. However, we serve a God who is all powerful and cares deeply for those whom He has called unto Himself. So take heart on the days when the rain falls, the clouds rolls in, and darkness descends, for there is one thing that will always remain true and will always stand. That is the simple fact that God is in control, and nothing can contain His beauty. It will always shine through and will always follow times of darkness in the lives of those who love Him.
So be encouraged and take heart. Take some time to reflect on the beauty of God and to embrace the majesty shown forth through His creations.
For instance, yesterday was quite a gloomy rainy day. There wasn't much going on that would draw the eye to the splendor of God's beauty. His sustaining mercy and power, sure, but not much towards His beauty. However, this morning began with a gloriously bright sun shining through the crimson, orange, and yellow foliage draping the surrounding hillsides and forests. There was a peace ringing through the air, as if to proclaim that everything had been washed clean and that all was new again. The clouds in the sky were sparse and the ones that were there looked like an inviting cool pillow on a hot summer's day.
My mind was drawn to this beauty as I was driving to work. It caused me to wonder at the extreme majesty of a creator that holds everything in His power and sustains the very creation that we often ignore. I was reminded of a song by Warren Barfield. In it he proclaims the message that if we do not experience certain things in life, that we will not understand or know the true value and worth of others. This was ringing loud and true in my ears as I gazed upon the majestic. If we did not experience rain and darkness, would we really appreciate the light and beauty of the sun and it's warmth? If we did not experience the depression of the clouds and their darkness, would we ever understand what the gospel ever does to a person's darkened heart when the Light of Truth breaks into and shines with such brilliance that all you can do is stand in awe?
Not everything that we see will cause us to be amazed and astounded. Some things will cause us to be sorrowful and depressed. However, we serve a God who is all powerful and cares deeply for those whom He has called unto Himself. So take heart on the days when the rain falls, the clouds rolls in, and darkness descends, for there is one thing that will always remain true and will always stand. That is the simple fact that God is in control, and nothing can contain His beauty. It will always shine through and will always follow times of darkness in the lives of those who love Him.
So be encouraged and take heart. Take some time to reflect on the beauty of God and to embrace the majesty shown forth through His creations.
Friday, October 2, 2015
Where Does Your Hope Lie?
This morning I am reminded of my Lord's sovereignty and mercy. I am reminded of this in a way that most people would think is callous or cruel. This morning I saw the news about the shooting that took place out in Oregon yesterday. Once again, the persecution that was guaranteed to us as Christians was poured out upon the individuals involved in this shooting. The gunman was specifically looking to shoot Christians. This isn't the first time that this has happened, and it won't be the last. It is something that we have been promised to receive by Jesus.
While I am saying that this is something that was promised, I am also saying that we need to mourn with the families of those who have been taken from this world. We need to grieve for our brothers and sisters that have lost loved ones and now must deal with the results of what happened. However there should be much pride and comfort found by those same families, if the individuals families are also Christians.
Pride in knowing that when push came to shove, their loved one stood for the only thing that really matters and paid the ultimate price for it. Their Savior died for their sins, and they in turn gave their life to proclaim that He is in fact God and Lord of all. They should take comfort in knowing that God is sovereign and therefore has each and every one of our days numbered. We cannot live longer than He has planned and we will not die by any means that He has not ordained. Therefore those who proclaimed Jesus as Lord and were killed went to be home with Him. To ease all their pain and to rejoice in His beauty for all eternity.
There have been people who throughout history have lived this to the fullest and proven to lead in such a way as to give strength to the weary and wisdom to those in need. One man who stands out to me is Stonewall Jackson. He received his nickname through the example he led with on the battlefield. He proclaimed to his soldiers that God knew his time and that he could not die before then, so he felt just as safe standing in the midst of bullets as he did lying in his own bed. Oh to have a faith and strength to believe like Jackson's.
While this event is a horrific event and one filled by the sinful actions of one person. It is also filled with the glorious testimony of all those who stood to proclaim Christ's love towards a man who wished them dead because of their faith. They did not stand for their own benefit, for it led to their death or injury, but rather they stood in order to proclaim that Jesus lives, rose from the dead, and is coming again for His bride.
While this event is extremely difficult to deal with for those involved and for their loved ones. We must proclaim to the world that our God is in control, that He does all things for the good of those who love Him, and that His glory is His goal. If we cannot attest to these things, then we cannot affirm the Christian faith. While it may sound callous to those who are not of God, it is in fact the truth. If God is not in control then He is not God. If He does not do all things for the good of those who love Him, then He is a liar and not God. If everything is not for His glory, then He is not God because He would desire something more than Himself.
Join with me then in praying for the families of those in need of our love and support through this time. At the same time, rejoice with those brothers and sisters that have now gone to be with our King, and sing His praises for all to hear.
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