I am going to take a chance and assume that if you are reading this blog your interested in what is going on in our lives.
Well as many of you know after 7 years of being that pastor of Southside Baptist Church in Live Oak, Florida, I resigned. It was not because of any problem, as much as it was the conviction that the my gifts were better suited to a church planting ministry.
The Lord has provided a way for me to make a living by building websites. Joel and I along with two other Christian business men in our town, teamed up to form a new company called, InetMedia Marketing.
We have built many websites so for including sites for insurance agencies, many churches, as well as missionaries, and missions organizations. One of our most important websites has been the one for The Suwannee County Chamber of Commerce. Another website that we are working on is SuwanneeClassifieds.com
Recently, we have come to the conclusion that the Lord would have us to join Abundant Grace Community Church in Gainesville, Florida. Phil Courson, and Mike Gilland are the pastors of this church, and have been my good friends for almost 10 years. God has really used them in my life and the lives of my wife and children. Abundant Grace is part of a family of churches known as Sovereign Grace Ministries. We believe that ultimately the Lord would have us to help plant churches through that ministry.
We covet your prayers, as we need to sell our house so that we can move to Gainesville. I will be able to work from home there. Holly has applied for a job in the Alachua County Library System, and it would be wonderful if the Lord would see fit to give her that job. It is doing the same thing that she is doing here in Suwannee County, but it would be full time with benefits, and 2 dollar more on the hour than what she is making here.
We appreciate your continued prayers for us.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Friday, November 9, 2007
"Whoso is Wise, Let Him Attnd to these things"
Psa. 107:43 ¶ Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD.
I was going to write this morning on the things that God did for Israel for His name sake. Ezekiel 20:1-49 was the first passage in my Bible reading plan for today.
However, when I came to the Psalm for the day it was Psalm 107, which I must say is probably my favorite psalm in all of the Word of God. This psalm is really about the same thing as Ezekiel 20--God showing mercy to Israel because of His Name's sake.
If I am going to hope in God's mercy, I must look for the reason that God would be merciful to me in Him, and not me. There is absolutely no reason in me as to why God should be merciful to me. There is every reason in my as to why God should pour out His wrath, and cause me to suffer immeasurable. So I dare not argue for God's mercy because of who I am and what's in it for me. I must argue that God will be merciful to me because of what's in it for Him--namely His own Glory. He will be merciful to me solely on the merits of His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.
He will do good things for me, because He is good and merciful. He can be good and merciful to me because the Lord Jesus Christ has paid for my sin.
In Psalm 107 we find God in His mercy answering the cries of those who are in distress, and delivering them. Many of them if not all of them were in distress of their own making, because of their sin and their rebellion against God. Yet when they were humbled by affliction, and cried unto the Lord, He saved them!
Are you wise? If you are you will consider these things, and hope in the steadfast love and mercy of God.
I was going to write this morning on the things that God did for Israel for His name sake. Ezekiel 20:1-49 was the first passage in my Bible reading plan for today.
However, when I came to the Psalm for the day it was Psalm 107, which I must say is probably my favorite psalm in all of the Word of God. This psalm is really about the same thing as Ezekiel 20--God showing mercy to Israel because of His Name's sake.
If I am going to hope in God's mercy, I must look for the reason that God would be merciful to me in Him, and not me. There is absolutely no reason in me as to why God should be merciful to me. There is every reason in my as to why God should pour out His wrath, and cause me to suffer immeasurable. So I dare not argue for God's mercy because of who I am and what's in it for me. I must argue that God will be merciful to me because of what's in it for Him--namely His own Glory. He will be merciful to me solely on the merits of His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.
He will do good things for me, because He is good and merciful. He can be good and merciful to me because the Lord Jesus Christ has paid for my sin.
In Psalm 107 we find God in His mercy answering the cries of those who are in distress, and delivering them. Many of them if not all of them were in distress of their own making, because of their sin and their rebellion against God. Yet when they were humbled by affliction, and cried unto the Lord, He saved them!
Are you wise? If you are you will consider these things, and hope in the steadfast love and mercy of God.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Psa. 106:24 ¶ Then they despised the pleasant land, having no faith in his promise.
As I meditate upon this verse there are three things that I see.
“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” (Rom 15:13 KJVS)
As I meditate upon this verse there are three things that I see.
- They were in a pleasant land.
- They despised it.
- The reason that the despised it is because they had no faith in the promise of God.
“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” (Rom 15:13 KJVS)
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Of Righteousness and Judgement
“And the word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, when a land sins against me by acting faithlessly, and I stretch out my hand against it and break its supply* of bread and send famine upon it, and cut off from it man and beast, even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness, declares the Lord GOD.” (Ezek 14:12-14 ESV)
It is interesting that God calls sin "acting faithlessly" The New Testament says that whatsoever is not of faith is sin. That is the real issue. If we really trust God we will do what He says. It is our faith that actually produces obedience to God. When we sin against God it is because we think we know better than He does, and we trust us rather than trusting in Him.
Notice with me something further. Righteousness delivers from the judgment of God. Albeit, only the righteousness of the Son of God can deliver others from the judgment of God. As righteous as Noah, Daniel, and Job was their righteousness could only deliver them, and no one else.
One other thought is that famine in the land comes because of God's judgment upon sin. I fear that America is headed for this kind of judgment. O may God have mercy upon this land, and send repentance and revival!
It is interesting that God calls sin "acting faithlessly" The New Testament says that whatsoever is not of faith is sin. That is the real issue. If we really trust God we will do what He says. It is our faith that actually produces obedience to God. When we sin against God it is because we think we know better than He does, and we trust us rather than trusting in Him.
Notice with me something further. Righteousness delivers from the judgment of God. Albeit, only the righteousness of the Son of God can deliver others from the judgment of God. As righteous as Noah, Daniel, and Job was their righteousness could only deliver them, and no one else.
One other thought is that famine in the land comes because of God's judgment upon sin. I fear that America is headed for this kind of judgment. O may God have mercy upon this land, and send repentance and revival!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Are you Afraid of Dying?
“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” (Heb 2:14-15 ESV)
I must confess that I am not looking forward to death. I know that I am trusting the Lord Jesus Christ for my eternity. I am going to go to heaven when I die. But still I am not looking forward to dying.
I am also disturbed by the realization of just how short this life really is. I get a melancholy feeling when I think of my past, and realize how long ago some of it has been. It it keeps becoming longer and longer ago!
I believe to some degree, what I have described above is normal. However, when the fear of death becomes a life controlling fear, then life itself has become an idol. People who have no hope for life after this life are particularly prone to become enslaved to this idolatry.
The Lord Jesus Christ became one of us. He subjected Himself to the hardships of this life, and the pangs of an angonizing death. He rose again from the dead. Why? Well among other things to deliver us from the slavery of this life controlling fear of death.
How could the martyrs of the past, as well as those of the present lay down their lives rather than denounce their Christ? Answer: Through faith in Christ they have been delivered from the fear of death.
As followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we need not fear living or dying. We are the only ones who are truly free.
I must confess that I am not looking forward to death. I know that I am trusting the Lord Jesus Christ for my eternity. I am going to go to heaven when I die. But still I am not looking forward to dying.
I am also disturbed by the realization of just how short this life really is. I get a melancholy feeling when I think of my past, and realize how long ago some of it has been. It it keeps becoming longer and longer ago!
I believe to some degree, what I have described above is normal. However, when the fear of death becomes a life controlling fear, then life itself has become an idol. People who have no hope for life after this life are particularly prone to become enslaved to this idolatry.
The Lord Jesus Christ became one of us. He subjected Himself to the hardships of this life, and the pangs of an angonizing death. He rose again from the dead. Why? Well among other things to deliver us from the slavery of this life controlling fear of death.
How could the martyrs of the past, as well as those of the present lay down their lives rather than denounce their Christ? Answer: Through faith in Christ they have been delivered from the fear of death.
As followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we need not fear living or dying. We are the only ones who are truly free.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Remembering the Truths that Bring Hope
“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;* his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.” (Lam 3:21-26 ESV)
In the first part of this chapter, we find the prophet Jeremiah, really describing how desperate his situation is. He ascribes his bad fortune as coming from the hand of the Lord. Over and over again, he says things like: “I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of his wrath;” (Lam 3:1 ESV) “he has besieged and enveloped me with bitterness and tribulation; he has made me dwell in darkness like the dead of long ago. He has walled me about so that I cannot escape; he has made my chains heavy;” (Lam 3:5-7 ESV)
The very word "lamentations" expressions of regret or disappointment over things considered unsatisfactory, unreasonable, or unfair :
However right in the middle of all of these grieving and complaining, it seems as if Jeremiah remembers some things that bring him hope. He remembers who God is, and what God is like. God's love never ceases. His mercies are new every morning. He is faithful, He is good t those who wait or him, and the soul that seeks Him.
He concludes therefore, that it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of God.
How easily do we forget these things. How we need to remember them, and live in hope!
In the first part of this chapter, we find the prophet Jeremiah, really describing how desperate his situation is. He ascribes his bad fortune as coming from the hand of the Lord. Over and over again, he says things like: “I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of his wrath;” (Lam 3:1 ESV) “he has besieged and enveloped me with bitterness and tribulation; he has made me dwell in darkness like the dead of long ago. He has walled me about so that I cannot escape; he has made my chains heavy;” (Lam 3:5-7 ESV)
The very word "lamentations" expressions of regret or disappointment over things considered unsatisfactory, unreasonable, or unfair :
However right in the middle of all of these grieving and complaining, it seems as if Jeremiah remembers some things that bring him hope. He remembers who God is, and what God is like. God's love never ceases. His mercies are new every morning. He is faithful, He is good t those who wait or him, and the soul that seeks Him.
He concludes therefore, that it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of God.
How easily do we forget these things. How we need to remember them, and live in hope!
Monday, October 29, 2007
Mercy and Judgement-Something to Sing About
“I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O LORD, will I sing.” (Psa 101:1 KJV)
At first glance it seems that the two things about which the Psalmist said he would sing, seem to be direct opposites. And the truth is they are! Yet both reside within the perfections of our God.
Our God is a God of judgment, and yet He is also a God of mercy! He has never, nor will He ever exercise mercy at the expense of judgement. And every time that he has ever exercised His judgment, there has been at the same time a demonstration of His mercy.
When he exercised his justice by expelling Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, he demonstrated mercy, in that he kept them from eating of the tree of life, lest they eat and live forever in their fallen state.
When he exercised his justice in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, he demonstrated his mcrcy towards Lot, and his family.
The greatest example is of course the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. While pouring out His judgement upon His Son for the sins fo the world, He was demonstrating His mery for His people.
These are the things of which we should sing! We should be joyous in all of the perfections of our God, but these seem to be of greater significance to us.
May our hearts rejoice in both the mercy and the justice of our God.
At first glance it seems that the two things about which the Psalmist said he would sing, seem to be direct opposites. And the truth is they are! Yet both reside within the perfections of our God.
Our God is a God of judgment, and yet He is also a God of mercy! He has never, nor will He ever exercise mercy at the expense of judgement. And every time that he has ever exercised His judgment, there has been at the same time a demonstration of His mercy.
When he exercised his justice by expelling Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, he demonstrated mercy, in that he kept them from eating of the tree of life, lest they eat and live forever in their fallen state.
When he exercised his justice in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, he demonstrated his mcrcy towards Lot, and his family.
The greatest example is of course the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. While pouring out His judgement upon His Son for the sins fo the world, He was demonstrating His mery for His people.
These are the things of which we should sing! We should be joyous in all of the perfections of our God, but these seem to be of greater significance to us.
May our hearts rejoice in both the mercy and the justice of our God.
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