Sondra and I have finally settled down at a church (I think). We've been so torn the past two years (can't believe it's been that long) looking for a church family that we really love. We started out this journey wanting to plant a church in this area, but those efforts got stuffed after about 6 months or so. We've bounced around so much leading worship different places that it was difficult to really get plugged in any where. We have landed at Hope Community Church in Olive Branch. We love the pastor and the people and are excited to be in a community where we know that we can serve and be plugged in.
We are still living at my in-laws house. We put in an offer on a foreclosed house in Olive Branch this past week and we should hear something about this offer soon. We've decided to go the foreclosure route instead of building a house because there are so many incredible deals out there in that market.
Jay is doing really well in Kindergarten. He's learning to read write really quickly and he seems to be the smartest little boy that I know. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Josie is almost 2 (dec 7th). She is talking up a storm and boy can she pitch a fit... She takes that after her mother;) Ironically enough, she's also the smartest two year old girl on the planet.
My business is a little slow right now, but we are surviving. God always seems to provide a little more than we need a little before we need it.
We are headed down to the coast for Thanksgiving at my grandfather's house. I'm excited about getting to see the family down there. The older I get, the more I love the holidays.
Peace!
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Is God's love the only one of His attributes we should attempt to show?
I was reading a friends blog last night and she was posting about a ministry that she participates in to Strip clubs in Baton Rouge, LA. I enjoyed the post very much and this is in no way a challenge or rebuttal to that post.
The post really made me think. I hear a lot in Christian circles about showing the love of God to our world and this is certainly a commanded thing to do and it's an activity that many of us fall woefully short in doing, but is God's love the only of His attributes that we should attempt to communicate and model to the world? I haven't had the time yet to dive into Scripture to research this point, but I'm looking forward to doing so.
I believe that God's chief defining attribute is His Holiness. Everything about Him is something other than what we are. I believe that Scripture would back up by direct and indirect emphasis that Love is perhaps the second most important of His attributes for us to know and understand about Him.
Is God's Love the most important thing that needs to be communicated to our world, or is it His Holiness? Now, I'm not talking about sinlessness when I say His Holiness, even though that is certainly an aspect of His Holiness. I'm talking about His being and His essence being the most incomprehensible and wonderful beauty that even the most pure and sharp minds can't even begin to grasp. He's Awesome!
Holiness, Love, Justice, Grace, Goodness, Mercy, Kindess.... How do we show all that He is? To what extent are we responsible for showing all that He is?
I certainly believe that Love is a good place to start, but as in all things, there is a great danger in trying to encapsulate God into one of His attributes. I'm not suggesting that we should all set out next week to start dispensing Justice, but shouldn't it come into play sometimes? It certainly does if we are parents. If we don't find a careful balance, we may find ourselves loving things that perhaps God hates...
The post really made me think. I hear a lot in Christian circles about showing the love of God to our world and this is certainly a commanded thing to do and it's an activity that many of us fall woefully short in doing, but is God's love the only of His attributes that we should attempt to communicate and model to the world? I haven't had the time yet to dive into Scripture to research this point, but I'm looking forward to doing so.
I believe that God's chief defining attribute is His Holiness. Everything about Him is something other than what we are. I believe that Scripture would back up by direct and indirect emphasis that Love is perhaps the second most important of His attributes for us to know and understand about Him.
Is God's Love the most important thing that needs to be communicated to our world, or is it His Holiness? Now, I'm not talking about sinlessness when I say His Holiness, even though that is certainly an aspect of His Holiness. I'm talking about His being and His essence being the most incomprehensible and wonderful beauty that even the most pure and sharp minds can't even begin to grasp. He's Awesome!
Holiness, Love, Justice, Grace, Goodness, Mercy, Kindess.... How do we show all that He is? To what extent are we responsible for showing all that He is?
I certainly believe that Love is a good place to start, but as in all things, there is a great danger in trying to encapsulate God into one of His attributes. I'm not suggesting that we should all set out next week to start dispensing Justice, but shouldn't it come into play sometimes? It certainly does if we are parents. If we don't find a careful balance, we may find ourselves loving things that perhaps God hates...
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
My thoughts on the election and the state of our nation
OK, Nathan... Here they are.
I'm somewhat saddened, but certainly not dismayed, discouraged, or depressed by the outcome of the election. I KNOW beyond ANY doubt that God is in control of what happened yesterday and He is in control of what will happen tomorrow. There is no reason to fear as a believer. God holds the heart of the king and he turns it which ever way he chooses for His own glory and his own purposes. I wouldn't begin to start to speculate what His purposes may be in any specifics. At least not in print anyway;)
I'm saddened for the unborn because this election result will go a long way in furthering the slaughter. I'm saddened for the homosexual community because what the secular world calls progress related to homosexual issues, the Scriptures calls debauchery. I'm saddened for the poor because further entitlement and handouts is not the solution and will only serve to worsen the problem in the long run. I'm saddened for the rich because they have been stereotyped as the source of most evil in our culture by the left and they will be punished for much hard work and good accomplishments so that the entitlement can continue.
I rejoice for the church though because I know that a much needed purging will most likely result from these election results eventually. There will likely be a polarization of sorts that takes place in the next few years. We need a good dose of persecution and it will come.
The state of our nation? If by "Our", you mean Christians, then we must all be reminded that our citizenship is in heaven. Our nation is eternal. It's intact, unshakable, and it's builder and maker is Jehovah God. If by "Our", you mean Americans, then I think it's an awful mess. All of our problems exist at a grass roots level and the political climate seeks to fix it from the tree tops. It can't be fixed from Washington, but it can be worsened from there. The country is sick with a terminal case of greed and materialism. There is a sizable percentage of the poor that are lazy and sick with entitlement. Wanting something for nothing is one of the worst types of greed. There is a sizable percentage of the wealthy that are riddled with greed as well. They work hard for their money, but only to serve themselves. Greed! All of our economic problems would be solved in this country if greed and materialism were fixed.
Sadly, I fear that the church has a good dose of these diseases too. Christians are greedy and materialistic with the rest of them. We need to repent!! Perhaps, that is one of God's purposes for the hard times that we are facing. Judgment begins with the Church.
What we need to do as Christians in light of these election results is what we should be doing every day of our lives regardless of who is sleeping in the white house. We should pray for our rulers and those in authority over us. We should submit our lives for the Glory of God in humility and all will be well with us even though we perish.
Peace!
I'm somewhat saddened, but certainly not dismayed, discouraged, or depressed by the outcome of the election. I KNOW beyond ANY doubt that God is in control of what happened yesterday and He is in control of what will happen tomorrow. There is no reason to fear as a believer. God holds the heart of the king and he turns it which ever way he chooses for His own glory and his own purposes. I wouldn't begin to start to speculate what His purposes may be in any specifics. At least not in print anyway;)
I'm saddened for the unborn because this election result will go a long way in furthering the slaughter. I'm saddened for the homosexual community because what the secular world calls progress related to homosexual issues, the Scriptures calls debauchery. I'm saddened for the poor because further entitlement and handouts is not the solution and will only serve to worsen the problem in the long run. I'm saddened for the rich because they have been stereotyped as the source of most evil in our culture by the left and they will be punished for much hard work and good accomplishments so that the entitlement can continue.
I rejoice for the church though because I know that a much needed purging will most likely result from these election results eventually. There will likely be a polarization of sorts that takes place in the next few years. We need a good dose of persecution and it will come.
The state of our nation? If by "Our", you mean Christians, then we must all be reminded that our citizenship is in heaven. Our nation is eternal. It's intact, unshakable, and it's builder and maker is Jehovah God. If by "Our", you mean Americans, then I think it's an awful mess. All of our problems exist at a grass roots level and the political climate seeks to fix it from the tree tops. It can't be fixed from Washington, but it can be worsened from there. The country is sick with a terminal case of greed and materialism. There is a sizable percentage of the poor that are lazy and sick with entitlement. Wanting something for nothing is one of the worst types of greed. There is a sizable percentage of the wealthy that are riddled with greed as well. They work hard for their money, but only to serve themselves. Greed! All of our economic problems would be solved in this country if greed and materialism were fixed.
Sadly, I fear that the church has a good dose of these diseases too. Christians are greedy and materialistic with the rest of them. We need to repent!! Perhaps, that is one of God's purposes for the hard times that we are facing. Judgment begins with the Church.
What we need to do as Christians in light of these election results is what we should be doing every day of our lives regardless of who is sleeping in the white house. We should pray for our rulers and those in authority over us. We should submit our lives for the Glory of God in humility and all will be well with us even though we perish.
Peace!
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