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My blog is moving

2010-07-20T14:20:00.000-07:00

I know it is a hassle, but I am moving my blog over to wordpress. It is just a lot easier to do certain things over there like linking to multimedia, etc. Anyway, Starting July 1, 2010 all my posting will occur at the new blog http://hopeinchristchurch.wordpress.com/ . I hope this doesn't totally inconvenience you. I imported the whole site over there so if you want to find anything you can

Where's Jesus? The Building of the Ark (Genesis 6)

2010-07-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

In Genesis 6, the sinfulness of humanity has reached a zenith. God is angry at this blatant sin and is intent on bringing judgment to bear. While we don't think of it this way very often, God's judgment is an expression of his love for the chosen people. It is his way of ensuring their safety and continued propagation in the world without fear of sin becoming rampant. As I have reflected on

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q34

2010-07-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

Q.34. Why do you call him “our Lord”? A. Because – not with gold or silver, but with his precious blood – he has set us free from sin and from the tyranny of the devil, and has bought us, body and soul, to be his very own.MondayLord is a title used to address someone of power and authority. In the Middle Ages it was used to address barons and some knights. A lord is

Where's Jesus? Genealogy to Noah (Genesis 5)

2010-07-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

In one of my previous posts, I wrote about my struggle with genealogies, and here I am again in Genesis 5:1-32. This time looking at a list of names that begins with God, proceeds to Adam and concludes with Noah and his three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. Along the way, these 32 verses catalog 11 generations and 13 individuals and nestled right in the middle at number seven is Enoch the man who

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q33

2010-07-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

Q.33. Why is he called God’s “only Son” when we also are God’s children? A. Because Christ alone is the eternal, natural Son of God. We, however, are adopted children of God – adopted by grace through Christ.MondayWhile a man can adopt many children in addition to his biological child, the biological child is unique among them all. This child carries his DNA and is literally like him. This

Who gave us partial birth abortion?

2010-06-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

For those following the Kagan interviews for Supreme Court. Here is an interesting piece on her role in crafting language for Partial birth abortion that went against the American College Obstetrics and Gynecologies original recommendations. Read about it here.

Where's Jesus? Cain, Abel and others (Genesis 4)

2010-06-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

Murder is bad, and fratricide is a horrific form of murder for it reveals so many ugly things about a family - disfunction, hatred, poor parenting, bad relationships, jealousy, etc. All these are part of what leads a person to kill his or her brother. The sheer violence recorded in the Bible is amazing, after only 3 chapters, God's Word tells us of the murder of Abel by his brother Cain and

The Reformer's Hermeneutic (Way of Interpretation)

2010-06-29T14:36:00.001-07:00

Here is a great 3 page article on why we should read the Bible with an eye to see Jesus in all the stories of the Old Testament.

The Replay of 6/27/2010

2010-06-29T13:04:00.001-07:00

It's Tuesday and here is a replay of the service on Sunday. We had an hour dedicated to praying 6 locations around the world. Here is an overview of the 6: Tunisia (Africa) - a former Christian stronghold in the 1-3 century, now this area is predominantly Muslim. Pray for God to bring the Gospel back to this country and its neighbors and to strengthen the few believers here with boldness and

Christian groups and the future of the campus

2010-06-29T10:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday an interesting Supreme court ruling occurred. You can read about it here. In the ruling, the court determined that public schools can deny funding to groups who aren't open to anyone with any ideology or persuasion as members or office bearers. Sounds great right? Maybe and maybe not. Essentially what the court just did is to say that the religion of America is secular pluralism

Scripture Memorization Songs

2010-06-28T10:55:00.000-07:00

Mark Ruiter sent me these websites he found. It is great. There is one site related to Memorizing sections of Galatians and Ephesians. At another, there are 4 free songs to download but they give you a feel for the kind of work that can be done with music and the actual text of the Bible. The singer/songwriter uses the ESV version. I love this. I bought one of the CD's. I hope you will

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q32

2010-06-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

Q.32. But why are you called a Christian? A. Because by faith I am a member of Christ and so I share in his anointing. I am anointed to confess his name, to present myself to him as a living sacrifice of thanks, to strive with a good conscience against sin and the devil in this life, and afterward to reign with Christ over all creation for all eternity.MondayLast week we learned that Christ

How the love of stuff destroyed America

2010-06-24T08:34:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine at the church sent this article over on the economy and particularly how we got to where we are. It traces the roots of the generations through the 60's, 70's, 80's and into the present to show how one bad decision after another has snowballed because greed and the love of money, or as Augustine translated in his City of God, the love of acquisitiveness is the root of all evil.

Where's Jesus? The Fall of Man (Genesis 3)

2010-06-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

A fruit tree, bad choices, and talking serpents are what most of us remember from Genesis 3, but there is so much more to this passage than just the surface details. These 24 verses contain wonderful references to Christ which we must never forget. I once told a student of mine, "If you understand the first 3 chapters of Genesis and the last 3 chapters of Revelation then you will have

The Replay

2010-06-22T09:44:00.000-07:00

Welcome to a new weekly post (I hope) related to Sunday's message. As a quick way of getting us to keep thinking on God's word as it was delivered in Sunday's sermon. Here is a recap of our sermon on Galatians 5:22-23: We live in a world that exhibits and uplifts anger, rage, abuse, etc. Where do you see these kinds of actions at work around you and in your life? God promises to bear the

Good Books to Read

2010-06-21T13:24:00.000-07:00

I finally found the list of great books that I have been working through. You can find the full booklet here and print it off as I have, it has a short paragraph or two on each entry to inform the reader about what the book covers. Or you can see the TOC below. Many of these books can be found for free online at a variety of sites, but the Christian Classics Ethereal Library has proved

Patience, Kindness and Goodness (Galatians 5:22-23 Part III)

2010-06-20T15:34:00.000-07:00

In a world of road rage, sexual abuse, animal cruelty and other dark and evil things; in a world that thrives on knowing about the latest tragedies and has an insatiable appetite for other “news worthy” things that show human misery and suffering; in a world that has lost the basic civil understandings of respect and service, what do patience, kindness and goodness have to say? We must remember

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q31

2010-06-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

Q.31. Why is he called “Christ,” meaning anointed? A. Because he has been ordained by God the Father and has been anointed with the Holy Spirit to be our chief prophet and teacher who perfectly reveals to us the secret counsel and will of God for our deliverance; our only high priest who has set us free by the one sacrifice of his body, and who continually pleads our cause

Motives for managing our families well

2010-06-19T10:17:00.000-07:00

Here are more notes from Richard Baxter on what should motivate us to manage our families well and train them up in Christ. 1. When we govern our families well, this is a major part of God's government of the world. If families are controlled, reverent and trained in godliness, then we are participating in God's plan for the world. 2. An ungoverned, ungodly family is a powerful means to the

Family prayer Times

2010-06-18T13:56:00.000-07:00

Should families pray together? Of course, we answer, but why? Simply stated, because all churches ought to pray to God and praise him and a Christian family is a church...a society of Christians gathered for the worshipping and serving of God (Baxter. p83).This is the call of the family, to gather and worship and serve God in life by discipling new and young believers, modeling Christian living

Cultivating Love, Joy and Peace in a world that manufactures Markets, desire and tolerance (Galatians 5:22 Part 2)

2010-06-17T15:36:00.000-07:00

We live in consumer-oriented world. Business to Business, Business to Consumer, Consumer to Consumer. All we need to do is look at the world to realize that everything is a commodity that can be bought or sold or traded. And that means that everyone is trying to create a desire in everyone else to buy his or her product. Whether it is eBay, or television, the circular ad or the Internet

Is American Education going the way of Nazi Germany?

2010-06-17T10:16:00.000-07:00

I have been reflecting on my elementary education recently, particularly my vastly inadequate understanding of American History and why our public school system failed to teach me the truth. For example, I was taught that the Founders of the United States of America were not Christians but deists. As I look back, no proof was ever given for such statements, but then again neither were the

Where's Jesus? The Creation Story (Genesis 1-2)

2010-06-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

How many battles have been fought over the opening chapters of Genesis. Creation, evolution, intelligent design, the nature of "days"- each of these and countless others have been battled over in culture and in the church. I do not want to downplay these arguments, for there are many things at stake on both sides of the debates, but I would like to refocus our eyes today, by asking the same

Old Books to Read

2010-06-15T08:17:00.000-07:00

Today at church I was asked to list off some of the old books I would recommend for Christians to read. So here is my list of great old and older books: Augustine's Confessions Luther's 95 Theses John Owen's The Death of Death Richard Baxter's The Godly Home Dietrich Bonhoeffer The Cost of Discipleship John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress Francis de Sales Introduction to the Devout Life (

On Managing Your Family

2010-06-14T17:15:00.000-07:00

Men, here are some words of advice from an 18th century preacher: Teach your family that your fatherly authority comes from God and that God establishes all authorities both in the home and in society. Fear God greatly and allow that fear and reverence to affect every action and instruction you give. Do not lose your authority by failing to use your authority. Study God's word to learn how to

On missionary dating

2010-06-14T13:49:00.000-07:00

We have all heard this before: I know they will be converted. God can call them if he will; if i just love them and share God with them we can marry and he or she will become a believer later. Listen to Richard Baxter's response over 300 years ago, "First, then, it seems because you love an ungodly person, you will be easily turned to be ungodly. If so, you are not much better already. If

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q30

2010-06-13T08:05:00.000-07:00

Q.30. Do those who look for their salvation and security in saints, in themselves, or elsewhere really believe in the only savior Jesus? A. No. Although they boast of being his, by their deeds they deny the only savior and deliverer, Jesus. Either Jesus is not a perfect savior, or those who in true faith accept this savior have in him all they need for their salvation.MondayHave you ever been

On Choosing a Spouse

2010-06-10T13:35:00.000-07:00

I promised to share more gems from Baxter's The Godly Family. Here is one for all the singles to consider, and for the parents to pass on to their children: If you fear God, your chief end in marriage will be to have one who will be a helper to your soul and further you in the way to heaven. p42Going on Baxter gives some advice in evaluating potential prospects, "Judge them by their love...If

Where's Jesus? Joseph reassures his brothers (Genesis 50:15-28)

2010-06-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

As we come to the last of Genesis, we encounter the final conversation between Joseph and his brothers now that death has taken jacob from them. I can imagine their fear must have been high. "Dad is dead, now what is Joseph going to do to us for selling him?" Words like this must have plagued their minds, they plague mine when I know I have wronged someone and the stop I see holding back the

Reflections on Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning

2010-06-08T15:46:00.000-07:00

I completed Wilson's Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning a few moments ago. By and large, I enjoyed the book however I don't agree with everything Wilson wrote. Then again, I don't agree with everything anyone writes, I guess that makes me human and an induvidualist - a true product of the American West. And that is one of Wilson's main arguments in the book, education has duped us in to

Grief or Repentance

2010-06-07T17:30:00.000-07:00

There is an eternal difference between regret and repentance. Regret feels bad about past sins. Repentance turns away from past sins. Most of us are content with regret. We just want to feel bad for awhile, have a good cry, enjoy the cathartic experience, bewail our sin and how selfish/stupid/sorry we are. But we don’t really want to change. We don’t really want to live different than we

What do you want? (Gal. 5:22-23 Part 1 of 4)

2010-06-06T12:03:00.000-07:00

Gal. 5:22-23 Part I: What do you want? In his book Fruit of the Spirit, Stephen Winward reminds his readers of a question Jesus once asked a blind man: What do you want me to do for you? (Mk 10:51). This question is a powerful question to reflect on so I thought all of us would be wise to contemplate this morning. Please take your bulletin and with a pen or pencil

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q29

2010-06-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

Q.29. Why is the Son of God called “Jesus” meaning “savior”? A. Because he saves us from our sins. Salvation cannot be found in anyone else; it is futile to look for any salvation elsewhere.MondayHow many dogs have you known named “Spot” or cats named “Socks? We can probably all think of at many, and frequently these animals received their names because of some

What awaits us after death?

2010-06-04T13:07:00.000-07:00

I received this from a friend. A sick man turned to his doctor as he was preparing to Leave the examination room and said, 'Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side.' Very quietly, the doctor said, 'I don't know.' 'You don't know? You're, a Christian man, And don't know what's on the other side?' The doctor was holding the handle of the door; On the other side came a

Requirements for Baby sitters exceed that of teachers?

2010-06-03T08:49:00.000-07:00

"One of the great ironies among modern evangelicals is the fact that many have higher and stricter standards for their children's baby-sitter than they do for their children's teachers. Is a baby-sitter needed? She should be a Christian, and a reliable one. She should be known to the family, or highly recommended by someone who is. And for what task? To keep Johnny safe and dry until bedtime

Christian Education and Parenting

2010-06-02T15:48:00.000-07:00

"Just being around godly people is insufficient...some of the most tragic stories in the Bible concern parental failure." (Wilson, Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning, pg. 72)These words, present a challenging view to most modern parenting and most Christian approaches to education. Somehow we took the epitaph, "Bad company corrupts good people" and inverted it to say, "Good company creates

Where's Jesus? Jacob's Death (Genesis 49:29-50:14)

2010-06-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

The death of Jacob and the subsequent funeral procession recorded in Genesis 49:29-50:14 make for an interesting story. There are three phases to the pericope. First Jacob gives some final instructions before leaving this world (Genesis 49:29-33), second Joseph begins the mourning process which takes 40 and 70 days respectively, and third, Jacob's sons obey their father's final instructions.

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q28

2010-05-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

Q.28. How does the knowledge of God’s creation and providence help us? A. We can be patient when things go against us, thankful when things go well, and for the future we can have good confidence in our faithful God and Father that nothing will separate us from his love. All creatures are so completely in his hand that without his will they can neither move nor be

Free to Love and Serve - Galatians 5:13-26

2010-05-26T14:22:00.000-07:00

Imagine with me a Palm tree. The tall trunk wrapped in diamond scales. The top bulging like a growth out of which shoots out the fronds, waving in the breeze. Nestled between the leaves like a baby in her mother’s arms are the green coconuts. They lie there invitingly calling to passers-by come drink my milk, and eat my flesh. Let them nourish you and sustain you. Now

Where's Jesus? Jacob blesses his sons (Genesis 49:1-28)

2010-05-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

After blessing his grandsons, Jacob moves on to blessing his sons. He takes them in order from Reuben to Benjamin. Along the way he recounts the sins of his first three sons and essentially excludes them from leadership in the covenant people for self-exaltation and violence, but then he comes to Judah and this is where we get a glimpse of Jesus. He is the one Jacob prophesies, "The scepter

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q27

2010-05-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

Q. What do you understand by the providence of God? A. Providence is the almighty and ever present power of God by which he upholds, as with his hand, heaven and earth and all creatures, and so rules them that leaf and blade, rain and drought, fruitful and lean years, food and drink, health and sickness, prosperity and poverty - all things, in fact, come to us not by chance but from his

Supreme Court says America practices "ceremonial Deism"

2010-05-20T13:00:00.000-07:00

Ever wondered how "in God we trust" stays on our money or "one nation, under God" stays in the pledge of allegiance. Well, Lincoln Steed, editor of Liberty Magazine has a great editorial on this and it turns out the Supreme Court considers it "ceremonial Deism". Basically they are saying "dead religion"so it has no bearing on where we are or where we are going. It is neutered. How do you like

How do we conceive of Worship?

2010-05-19T14:29:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading an article by J.I. Packer entitled, The Puritan Approach to Worship. It sparked a number of thoughts and questions in my mind that I want to share for your reflection and edification: There are two approaches to worship in the Christian church: Liturgical study and "the lifting of one's eyes from man and his mistakes to contemplate God and his glory. Are these two

Where's Jesus? The blessing of Manasseh and Ephraim (Genesis 48)

2010-05-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

As Jacob is dying, a remarkable thing happens, he blesses Joseph's children and considers them his own. As we will see next week, Jacob continues this blessing to his own children and then he dies. So, in his days on the earth, as he stood at death's doorstep, Jacob passed on the blessing of God to others. These are sweet words, "Your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here

McLaren and Liberation Theology

2010-05-17T08:36:00.000-07:00

A friend pointed me to this article. it is a great article on the dangers that some in the emergent church are propagating, with specific reference to Brian McLaren. If you are interested in some of the current trajectories of the emergent church, you may enjoy this article alot. Find it here.

Christ has set us free (Galatians 5;1-12)

2010-05-16T12:00:00.000-07:00

When a man finishes his obligation to society and is released from jail. He walks out a free man. Arguably he was living within the bounds of the law when he was in jail. He may have lived a very moral life, more moral than many people on the outside – free from drugs, alcohol; free from the ability to harm others or be harmed. But was he free? No, external constraints upon a person don’t

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q26

2010-05-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

Q.26. What do you believe when you say, “I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth”? A. That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who out of nothing created heaven and earth and everything in them, who still upholds and rules them by his eternal counsel and providence, is my god and Father because of Christ his Son. I trust him so much

What the Death of Christ accomplished

2010-05-13T09:38:00.000-07:00

When Christ died, "The Father and his Son intended by the death of Christ to redeem, purge, sanctify, purify, deliver from death, Satan, the curse of the law, to quit of all sin, to make righteousness in Chrst, to bring nigh unto God, all those for whom he died...therefore, Christ died for all and only those in and towards whom all these things recounted are effected..." (The Death of Death, pg

Where's Jesus? The Land belongs to Pharaoh and the Priests are free (Genesis 47:13-31)

2010-05-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

As we come to the last few chapters of Genesis we are beginning to see the conclusion to the Joseph stories and Jesus continues to remain a central figure in these narratives as we have seen him portrayed in the others stories as well. For those new to this series of posts, my basic understanding is that all Scripture points to Christ and testifies to who he is and what he will do for his people

On Theological illiteracy

2010-05-11T09:37:00.000-07:00

"Our theological currency has been debased. Our minds have been conditioned to think of the Cross as a redemption which does less than redeem, and of Christ as a Saviour who does less than save, and of God's love as a weak affection which cannot keep anyone from hell without help, and of faith as the human help which God needs for this purpose. As a result, we are no longer free either to

Are the prophetic books relevant today?

2010-05-10T11:40:00.000-07:00

Frequently we pass over the prophetic books in search of more uplifting messages. This is even more true of the prophecies contained in the minor prophets, but while preparing for a sermon series later this year on Micah, I ran across this quotation that I wanted to share, "prophecy is the Eternal's word and so continues to endure and live forever...our Lord Jesus Christ and his apostles often

A story of Pairs: Galatians 4:21-31

2010-05-09T13:19:00.000-07:00

Pairs, not pears the fruit, but pairs or couples. The animals went to the ark in pairs, two by two (Genesis 7:8). Let’s talk about some pairs this morning. When I say Abbott, you say “Costello”. When I say Adam, you say “Eve”. When I say Moses, you say “Aaron”. When I say Simon, you say “Garfunkel”. Pairs, duos. Our minds have a wonderful way of remembering pairs, whether they are people,

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q25

2010-05-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

Q.25. Since there is but one God, why do you speak of three: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? A Because that is how God has revealed himself in his Word: these three distinct persons are one, true, eternal God.MondayThis weeks question addresses the doctrine of the Trinity. The word trinity is a word that means tri-unity or three in one. It is not a simple concept to

Should you get married?

2010-05-05T15:44:00.000-07:00

I started reading "The Godly Home" today by Richard Baxter. Baxter was a 1700's puritan pastor in England and he wrote a tome on Christian living which is being republished in 4 parts. I have read the volume on being a pastor, and when I saw this I had to read it. Today I learned about the first direction that he gives to families and potential families. 1. Before rushing into marriage, each

Where's Jesus? Jacob reunited to Joseph (Genesis 46:1-47:12)

2010-05-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

A father and son reunited after many years. A family relocated from the dust bowl to the fertile plains. A son able to provide abundantly for the family in terms of land and food, when previously they have been living in great need. This sounds like the synopsis to a great novel, and it is. It is the synopsis to the greatest story ever told in human history. The story of God's love for

Restating the Gospel - Galatians 4:8-20

2010-05-02T13:00:00.000-07:00

Who has ever used “Cliff’s Notes”? I remember using Cliff’s Notes to get through my high school English class, particularly the sections on Shakespeare. You have to understand that I hated reading books. I was a numbers guy. I could work math problems over and over and over. I could read dictionaries or encyclopedias and never get bored, but I just couldn’t make it through a novel, much less

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q24

2010-05-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

Q.24. How are these articles divided?A. Into three parts: God the Father and our creation; God the Son and our deliverance; God the Holy Spirit and our sanctification.MondayHave you ever tried to memorize a series of facts? It can be difficult, but if you can arrange them into some sequence that makes sense, and points you to the next item, it is much easier. So it is with the Apostles’ Creed.

Where's Jesus? Joseph reveals himself (Genesis 45)

2010-04-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

After all the family struggles, the revealing of past sins, and the effort expended to make a life, Joseph's brothers are shocked at the behavior of Pharaoh's second in command. It is easy to imagine that such actions from a dignitary could be viewed as eccentric, even crazy. But the great turning point for the family comes when Joseph recites these words, "I am your brother Joseph, the one

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q23

2010-04-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

Q.23. What are these articles? A. I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,  who was conceived by the Holy Spirit  and born of the virgin Mary.  He suffered under Pontius Pilate,  was crucified, died, and was buried;  he descended to hell.  The third day he rose again

Thoughts on Goodness

2010-04-23T14:27:00.000-07:00

Goodness: Again, the reader should be aware that this is the third post in a series related to the Fruit of the Spirit written by Stephen Winward."The holy God, who is perfect goodness, requires his people to be holy; 'You shall be holy, for I am holy' (1 Pet. 1:16). It is in order that we may meet this requirement that he gives to us the Holy Spirit, who produces in us the goodness of Christ.

The girls baptism

2010-04-23T12:00:00.000-07:00

Our daughters were baptized on Sunday. In the reformed tradition, we believe that God's promises are for us and our children, and that baptism is a sign that he will be at work in their lives calling them into covenant relationship with him, even before they realize it. Well enough of the theological, lets get to the personal. As a pastor, I had the privilege of baptizing my new daughters.

Thoughts on Kindness

2010-04-22T14:26:00.000-07:00

Kindness: This first thing to catch my interest in this chapter of Winward's Fruit of the Spirit was a quote from Quaker Stephen Grellet,"I expect to pas through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow-creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again."(pg. 136)The words show a great

Thoughts on Patience

2010-04-21T14:26:00.000-07:00

I promised more comments on Winward's Fruit of the Spirit. Here they are. Overall the book is excellent, a wonderful source for devotional reading and reflection on my life. I have been reading through the 3 chapters on patience, kindness and goodness this week. Each of them contained a wonderful nugget worth pondering. I will post something from each chapter over the next 3 days. Patience:

Where's Jesus? Joseph's beg for Benjamin's Life (Genesis 44)

2010-04-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

The Joseph stories are fascinating looks into human relationships and the emotional responses that are born out of these interactions. But even more than that, they place before us a picture of God and Christ. This week, Joseph's brothers return after being "framed"for theft. They return to plead for the life of their youngest brother Benjamin. As readers and Christians, we must ask, "Where is

Thrilled with Butter Beans

2010-04-20T20:46:00.000-07:00

Have you ever thought you struck it rich when you found a....butter bean in your soup bowl? Tonight, both our Ethiopian girls were thrilled with their multi-bean soup. They were eating away, until suddenly they stopped and gave giggles of excitement. I looked over at each of them to see their eyes as wide as they could open and then staring at it saying "Daddieee, Daddieee." They goggled it

Baptism and Adoption Liturgy

2010-04-18T14:00:00.000-07:00

Mark Ruiter modified this liturgy from the CRC Grey Psalter Hymnal to relate baptism and adoption together. We used this liturgy on April 18, 2010 to baptize Amariah Ruiter and GraceLynn and FaithAnne Roberts. Feel free to use it or modify it. Hear the words of Jesus: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all

Who’s your Father? (Galatians 3:26-4:7)

2010-04-18T13:00:00.000-07:00

“Whose your father?” he asked. The child responded, “I am not sure.” “But surely you live with a man in your hut. What’s his name?” the missionary asked. “His name is Masapi, but I am not sure if he is my father.” Perplexed, the missionary took the child to Masapi’s hut and that evening he asked his language helper the meaning of the child’s words. “Oh, no one is sure who their father is. In

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q22

2010-04-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

Q.22. What then must a Christian believe? A. Everything God promises us in the gospel. That gospel is summarized for us in the articles of our Christian faith – a creed beyond doubt, and confessed throughout the world.MondayLast week we explored what faith is. Now we ask, what must we believe? Last week we found that faith involves what God has revealed in his Word. This week we find that

Baptized for the Dead? 1 Corinthians 15:29

2010-04-15T14:17:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine from Colorado wrote this. I would love to hear your comments and thoughts on it. You can find more of his work at www.livinggodministries.net When we begin to mature in our faith in Christ Jesus, our life becomes an adventure of discovery. One way we begin to discover what we now have, is by reading the Bible. When reading the Bible we often discover what our God has said and

Great Skit

2010-04-14T09:42:00.000-07:00

here is a great skit on being formed into Christ, on Godly discipline, on self-worth... Enjoy the 9 minutes here

Where's Jesus? Joseph's brothers return to Egypt (Genesis 43)

2010-04-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

After returning to Canaan with food, Jacob and his sons enjoy their bounty until it begins to run out. Then they are sent again to Egypt to ask for more food, they go with their youngest brother, as requested and the chapter ends with these words, "So they feasted and drank freely with him." There are three themes which arise from today's reading. First, the setting of the pericope: Famine

The Law Leads to Christ (Galatians 3:19-25)

2010-04-11T13:00:00.000-07:00

What is Law? Many believe that laws exist to protect us? The law against murdering protects someone, generally speaking, from being murdered. The same is true of theft, libel, slander, violence and such. But that truly isn’t the purpose of laws. Laws exist in order to punish those who transgress, or break them. Frederick Bastiat, a French political philosopher in the 1850’s wrote, “When law

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q21

2010-04-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

Q.21. What is true faith?A. True faith is not only a knowledge and conviction that everything God reveals in his Word is true; it is also a deep-rooted assurance, created in me by the Holy Spirit through the gospel that, out of sheer grace earned for us by Christ, not only others, but I too, have had my sins forgiven, have been made forever right with God, and have been

How quickly our focus can shift (personal reflections on 1 Samuel 12)

2010-04-08T12:34:00.000-07:00

For the past few months I have been involved in a mock futures trading simulation. It started out as a way to get the mind on something other than theology. It was wonderful. I was reading books on economics and markets, learning new things, etc. About 3 weeks ago, I moved from the 20 minute delayed simulator I was using to a real time simulator through a futures broker. My intent was to take

Christian Parenting - Simplicity

2010-04-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

Today will be my last post in this category, Christian Parenting, for a little while. So I thought that Simplicity would be a great discipline to end with. What is simplicity? It is different for everybody but is grounded in contentment and joy. Contentment with one's situation and Joy in one's circumstances, without both of these realities, one will never be able to embrace simplicity. The

Ever Wanted to Cut up your Bible?

2010-04-07T10:04:00.001-07:00

If you have ever wanted to cut up your Bible, this just might be a site for you to visit. Tony explores what happens when you cut up a Bible and rebind it with extra pages for notes. Kind of like a modern day Mishnah. I find the idea very intriguing...

Does Science undercut Belief in God?

2010-04-07T09:41:00.000-07:00

Last night I went to a lecture by Dr. Collins of Messiah College. The lecture was entitled "The Fine Tuning Design Argument"and it was hosted by the WWU Philosophy Dept. Having done a bit of reading on Intelligent Design, I am somewhat familiar with contours of the argument but I always seem to forget the specifics when it comes to discussions with those who are opposed to I.D. Dr. Collins

Where's Jesus? Joseph Brothers go to Egypt (Genesis 42)

2010-04-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

In our story this week, Joseph is ruling Egypt under Pharaoh and the famine promised 7 years earlier has arrived. All of the Mediterranean basin is struggling under these conditions. Even Jacob in Canaan, the one blessed by God, and his family are not immune to the conditions. So what happens, Jacob sends his sons to Egypt in order to find sustenance. At that time, the truth is only one man in

Completed Brand's The First American

2010-04-06T14:31:00.000-07:00

I finished HW Brands The First American on the life of Benjamin Franklin. What a wonderful book on a singularly amazing persona of the American Independence Movement. Brands gives a wonderful sketch of Franklin's life from childhood through his death, taken year by year. Full of stories, wit, autobiographical input as well as other first person accounts of interactions, the book gives

Benajamin Franklin on Life

2010-04-05T13:15:00.001-07:00

"Life is a kind of chess in which we have often points to gain, and competitors and adversaries to contend with, and in which there is a vast variety of good and evil events that are, in some degree, the effects of prudence or the want of it." from The Morals of Chess, by Benjamin Franklin

Excited over the little things

2010-04-04T14:53:00.000-07:00

Today is Easter Sunday. this morning my new girls came into our room after getting dressed. They were excited about their new dress. They showed everything - the sweater, the shoes, the bow, it was all so exciting and they wanted us to see it all and to tell them that it was beautiful. Which we did. This little interaction got me thinking? Why do we as people lose our excitement over the

Belief or unbelief: That is the question - (Galatians 3:6-18)

2010-04-04T12:00:00.000-07:00

William Herschel was a young boy who grew up in Hanover Germany in the mid 1700’s. He loved music and followed his father into the military as a member of the band. Unprepared for war, he deserted when the 7-years war began in 1756 as France invaded Germany. He didn’t like battle and wasn’t up for it. He fled to England, and hid for a while. Did I mention, the penalty for desertion is death.

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional

2010-04-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

Due to Easter this week and Good Friday service, there will be no catechism devotional this week. Look for one next week. Sorry for any inconvenience.

Book Recommendation

2010-04-02T08:33:00.000-07:00

The fruit which a person bears, whether good or bad, is of three main kinds. Jesus said that the words of a man are the fruit of what that person is. (Matthew 12:33-35). Jesus also taught that deeds are fruit. (Matthew 7:15-23). ...But fruit is more than words or deeds; it includes the qualities of character from which those words and deeds issue, 'for the fruit of light is found in all that

William Temple on Worship

2010-04-01T10:06:00.000-07:00

"All forms of Christian worship, all forms of Christian discipline, have this [Abide in Christ] as their object. Whatever leads to this is good; whatever hinders this is bad; whatever does not bear on this is futile." William Temple, Readings in St. Johns Gospel, pg. 253

What is my hope? New song lyrics

2010-04-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine shared these song lyrics with me yesterday. I loved them and wanted to share them with you too: What is my Hope? Lyrics by Elliott Villareal (C)2010 Bellingham, WA What is my hope? What is my dream?What gets me up in the morning?What helps me to fall asleep? I hope when I die, I wake up and crybecause I see my Lord Jesus justify me I hope that when I die I see Jesus justify

Christian Parenting - Love casts out all fear

2010-04-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

During the past two weeks, my newly adopted daughters have adapted marvelously, but more than that, I can see that I am changing. For those who know me, this may come as no surprise: I can be a very difficult personality to get along with and I can fail to show love all the time. But the word says, Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs. (Proverbs 10:12)Love is patient,

Review of Ryken's Galatians

2010-03-31T13:36:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading Philip Ryken's Galatians. What a wonderfully uplifting book. It is a series of sermons through Paul's great letter. Ryken is a wonderful exegete and very easy to read. Here is my favorite quote from the book: Referring to Galatians 2:19-20 he writes, At least four things were nailed to the cross of calvary. The most obvious, of course, was Jesus himself, through his

Teaching Kids about money

2010-03-31T08:45:00.000-07:00

Here's a post from the Wall Street Journal about teaching children about finances. http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgetingk/article/109200/the-15-money-rules-kids-should-learn?mod=bb-budgeting

Where's Jesus? Joseph Interprets Pharaoh's Dreams (Genesis 41)

2010-03-31T08:00:00.000-07:00

Both of Pharaoh's dreams are one and the same in meaning: bountiful years followed by famine. Most often we focus on the dreams (we seem to be hopelessly enamored with the spectacular), but verse 38 contains the key for seeing Christ in the story. In this verse Pharaoh asks, Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God? (Genesis 41:38)The answer is, "No." There is only one

Justified Forever (Galatians 3:1-5)

2010-03-28T13:00:00.000-07:00

Plato, in Timeaus, makes the statement that there are 2 kinds of fools: One lacking instruction and the other due to madness. What he is saying is that fools exist because they haven’t been taught, have been taught incompletely OR because they are insane. The first is correctable, the second isn’t. Let me illustrate, the definition of insanity has often been reported as being, “doing the same

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q20

2010-03-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

Q.20. Are all saved through Christ just as all were lost through Adam? A. No. Only those are saved who by true faith are grafted into Christ and accept all his blessings.MondayThis question has caused many debates and disagreements in Christian history. For that reason some Christians would rather avoid the question all together. But to avoid the question is to ignore the elephant in the room.

Lalibela pictures

2010-03-27T11:22:00.000-07:00

Here is a slide show of some of our pictures from Lalibela. You can view it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSJ8vvckmdU

The Ethiopian Church

2010-03-26T11:16:00.000-07:00

An Ethiopian Eunuch, the Queen of Sheba, Cush, and other references are plentiful in the Scriptures. Ethiopia is a land rich in Bible history and Christian history and that is what we found as we traveled through the country last month. Our first stop was in the Coptic orthodox churches of Lalibela. A word about the Coptic orthodox first. They trace themselves to the early church. The

Our first time meeting the Girls

2010-03-26T09:12:00.001-07:00

This is my first shot at doing my own video. This is from the first few moments of meeting our girls. I will upload a few other videos of our travels in the coming day. you can view the file directly on youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3xx4pEb8VE

Yemrehanna Kristos church, Bilbilla

2010-03-25T21:29:00.000-07:00

While in Ethiopia we saw some really cool churches. This one was built under an overhang. It is an example of Ethiopian Cave Churches. The exterior block wall in the first picture was added in the past few years for security purposes. Behind the wall is this beautiful olive wood and marble church which floats on top of the marshy ground. The rock details in the windows are wonderfully

How did God do that?

2010-03-25T11:15:00.000-07:00

How did God do that? I found myself asking that question over and over again on our trip. One such occasion was in Awassa. Jen and I received the opportunity of meeting with our daughters’ birth mother. For 20 minutes we were allowed to ask her questions and she to ask us questions. (Everything through a translator.) The time was wonderful, we got to take pictures

Christian Parenting - Meeting their Needs

2010-03-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

Last night my wife told me about an interview she heard with a Christian psychologist. In it the woman claimed that we need to meet the needs of our children in creative ways. The example,An adopted girls from Russia asks her mom for a Powerbar (c). Dinner is on the stove, it is 10 minutes from being ready.How would you respond? If you are like me, you would say, "Honey, dinner is in ten

Where's Jesus? Joseph the Interpreter of 2 Dreams (Genesis 40)

2010-03-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

The cupbearer and the baker - 2 dreams, 2 interpretations. Most often we stop here, but let me add another, to our list. Do not the cupbearer and the baker represent 2 kinds of people? If we are to find Christ in this passage, then I believe we must see these 2 men as representing two kinds of people in the world: the condemned and the saved, the self-righteous and those who abide in the vine.

The Case of Peter: Negating the Gospel by our life - Galatians 2:11-21

2010-03-21T13:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had a friend that you liked, but you were ashamed to be around? I have heard stories of people who really thought the school geek was fun and enjoyable to be around, but who ignored this person when the popular kids came around. Or who denied their friendship in public when others talked bad about the “nerd.” You are not alone. Politicians are famous for doing this kind of