Thursday, August 21, 2008

MY FAVORITE SONG OF ALL TIME!!

This song is taken from the very familiar awesome story of the prodigal son in Luke's gospel.
Luke 15:10 -35 "Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." 11 Then He said: "A certain man had two sons. 12 "And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.' So he divided to them his livelihood. 13 "And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. 14 "But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. 15 "Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 "And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. 17 "But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 'I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 "and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants." ' 20 "And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. 21 "And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.' 22 "But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 23 'And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; 24 'for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry. 25 "Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 "So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 "And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.' 28 "But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 "So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. 30 'But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.' 31 "And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. 32 'It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.' "
The theme of this song picks up on the greatest act of mercy ever to have taken place. The very God who created this world, who is the great I Am would come down to earth and Literally give his life, so that rotten Hell deserving sinners could have everlasting life! Not only was God found in appearance as a man, the narrative that Luke paints for us is a profound picture of God's love and mercy, that completely boggles the human mind. This is the definition of what true grace is! Not only does God delight in saving sinners but, when one who repents and turns to God trusting solely in the merits of His beloved Son "GOD RUNS TO THEM".
This has to be what the apostle was thinking when he broke out in joy in
Romans 10:12-13, For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved." This is the only mentioning of God running in the scriptures and we find Him running to those who are is very enemies.
May portions of the scriptures like these break our hearts, especially from the fleeting pleasures of this world, and work within us a deeper love and longing to be truly known of Him. Wow! what love and mercy!!

Saturday, August 16, 2008

HOMESCHOOL-- PRIVATE SCHOOL EDUCATION FOR YOUR CHILDREN OR NOT?

We live in a day when compromise and ignorance abounds! On what foundation do parents make there decisions when it comes to the education of their children? I’m afraid to many of us including myself are sucked into culturally accepting the norm because this is the way it always been.
C.S. LEWIS ONCE OBSERVED- “That God is not so much offended that we want too much as by the fact that we are satisfied with so little. Though He offers us the highest of adventures in our Christian life, we settle for the stale mediocrity of our lukewarm religious routines. The parental counterpart to this idea is that most mothers and fathers actually want too little for their children - they settle for success in this world's terms. But God would have us aim higher, not like an ambitious stage mother pushing her mildly talented children into the spotlight, but like a fine jeweler making the best possible use of each bit of gold, silver, and precious stone he has. My children are priceless treasures, and I want God's highest and best for them”.

Check out this article by Greg Harris, http://www.hofcc.org/content/view/13/30/

Me and Chris Tomlin 2007 Nc State Fair!


Tuesday, August 12, 2008

May this fire which burned in the heart of Charles Haddon Spurgeon run through modern evangelicalism with unrelenting force!

I do not come into this pulpit hoping that perhaps somebody will of his own free will return to Christ. My hope lies in another quarter. I hope that my Master will lay hold of some of them and say, "You are mine, and you shall be mine. I claim you for myself." My hope arises from the freeness of grace, and not from the freedom of the will. "Charles Haddon Spurgeon"

CHECK OUT THIS SERMON BY MR. SPURGEON! http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0060.htm

O.T. Exam # 2

Wow! What a great course. What a blessing to be under such solid biblical theology! The Reformed Baptist Seminary is a tremondous blessing to those with familes! Here is the website to RBS. http://www.rbseminary.org/index.php