At church this past weekend(I attend Crestwood Baptist Church in Oldham County Kentucky) Bob Russell, the soon to be retired senior pastor for Southeast Christian Church, delivered our message. As I have sat back and thought about it I thought this message was so simple yet so easy to miss that I just had to blog about it. The scripture passage is probably the shortest pariable in the bible.
"The Kingdom of heaven is like a tresure hidden in the field, which a man
found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he
has and buys that field"
Matthew 13:44
Bob Russell posed this in the context of our church but it is very life related as well. "Why do you serve, give, and particate in this church?" Now don't go reading in to this I am noty saying that you can earn your way in to heaven but what he did say was absolutly true. Because of the joy we recieved from Christ would you sell everything you own to see its advancement.
Let us put this in realms of Christ. Really easy to see that correlation. Jesus saw a tresure in his creation and thus "because of the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God".
I thought that thru such a simple pariable we could see the unequaled teachings of the bible. Hope this benefits someone out there.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Sunday, January 29, 2006
The Exorcism of Emily Rose
Crystal and I watched a pretty good scary movie the other day called "The Exorcism of Emily Rose." It is set in a court room because the priest, whom you learn more about later in this post, is on trial for negligent homicide of a freshman college girl who became possessed by demons and died. The reason he was on trial was because after lots of medical treatment Emily Rose and he decided that it would be best to forgo the medical treatments and try the route of exorcism. Now what you find out during the exorcism is that it is not just one demon that has possessed this girl but 6 and one of them is the devil himself Lucifer. Well the exorcism fails and at the end of the movie Emily says that "The Holy Mother", a catholic term for Mary the mother of Jesus, spoke to her and said that her suffering was all for the glory of God.
Now that was the very condensed version and you really should see the movie to understand better but at the end of the movie Crystal hit me with a question that I have never even thought about. Can demons possess people?
Now to start to figure this out we first must ask the question "Do demons exist?" Now I am the kind of person that likes to deal with facts and facts alone. But my facts are what I hope are biblically based so some who read this might not share my evidence but this is my post and my blog so deal with it! First I recognize the existence of God. Seeing that I believe in God then I also have to believe in his counter-positive Satan(aka "tha Devil"). I also believe that God has angels, Satan was an angel before his fall, and that satan took some of these angels with him and they became his minions(aka demons). So with this group of facts I guess I would say that I believe that demons are real so the first part of the question is answered Yes.
Now I also believe that Christ will not rule this earth until his second coming and I also believe that the Satan is "the Prince of this world" this he has some bearing on what is happening in this world. That is not to say that God isn't fully in control so you Baptist out there hold on to your pants. So the next question that was posed logically was, seeing that God is in ultimate control, would God allow someone to be possessed?
My first thought immediately was no! When I accepted Jesus Christ in my heart I was given the gift of the Holy Spirit(part of the holy trinity) to live in my heart and to be my helper in this world. With the Holy spirits presence in my life I couldn't be possessed because it would seem to be completely against the fact of the holy spirit living in me. Seemed pretty logical except two facts. One: God allowing thing to happen to his people so that the end result would be his glory. Two: What about people who don't have the gift of the Holy Spirit. This is where I am stuck and torn. If you have any insight in to this please respond because I am searching.
Now that was the very condensed version and you really should see the movie to understand better but at the end of the movie Crystal hit me with a question that I have never even thought about. Can demons possess people?
Now to start to figure this out we first must ask the question "Do demons exist?" Now I am the kind of person that likes to deal with facts and facts alone. But my facts are what I hope are biblically based so some who read this might not share my evidence but this is my post and my blog so deal with it! First I recognize the existence of God. Seeing that I believe in God then I also have to believe in his counter-positive Satan(aka "tha Devil"). I also believe that God has angels, Satan was an angel before his fall, and that satan took some of these angels with him and they became his minions(aka demons). So with this group of facts I guess I would say that I believe that demons are real so the first part of the question is answered Yes.
Now I also believe that Christ will not rule this earth until his second coming and I also believe that the Satan is "the Prince of this world" this he has some bearing on what is happening in this world. That is not to say that God isn't fully in control so you Baptist out there hold on to your pants. So the next question that was posed logically was, seeing that God is in ultimate control, would God allow someone to be possessed?
My first thought immediately was no! When I accepted Jesus Christ in my heart I was given the gift of the Holy Spirit(part of the holy trinity) to live in my heart and to be my helper in this world. With the Holy spirits presence in my life I couldn't be possessed because it would seem to be completely against the fact of the holy spirit living in me. Seemed pretty logical except two facts. One: God allowing thing to happen to his people so that the end result would be his glory. Two: What about people who don't have the gift of the Holy Spirit. This is where I am stuck and torn. If you have any insight in to this please respond because I am searching.
Saturday, January 28, 2006
What a strange winter
I know this may sound crazy but what about this weather. I played golf yesterday and then Crystal and I went for a long walk today. It is sunny, warm, and nice to be out of the house but it is WINTER! How crazy.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Sour Milk Shakes
"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone"
Hebrews 2:9
WOW!!! All I can say is wow and OUCH!. I mean that is wording that only our God could come up with to describe his own death. It was by grace that Jesus "taste death for everyone". If you have read any of my post you know I am a definition kind of guy and I really like the definition of grace my bible study uses.
Grace: This refers to God giving us something we do not deserve, cannot earn, and can never repay.
Now since Jesus was fully God he gave us this great gift but i want to flip it a little bit. Jesus was also fully human which means he gave himself something he didn't deserver, couldn't have earned, and will never be able to repay. If you don't know the answer is was HIS LIFE. So think about that last tasty milk shake you had from Steak and Shake and then think about it being made with Sour Milk and putting dirt in it. That is the shake that Jesus tasted and yet He still did it. He could have called the angels, whom which are subject to Him, but he didn't because of his love.
Hebrews 2:9
WOW!!! All I can say is wow and OUCH!. I mean that is wording that only our God could come up with to describe his own death. It was by grace that Jesus "taste death for everyone". If you have read any of my post you know I am a definition kind of guy and I really like the definition of grace my bible study uses.
Grace: This refers to God giving us something we do not deserve, cannot earn, and can never repay.
Now since Jesus was fully God he gave us this great gift but i want to flip it a little bit. Jesus was also fully human which means he gave himself something he didn't deserver, couldn't have earned, and will never be able to repay. If you don't know the answer is was HIS LIFE. So think about that last tasty milk shake you had from Steak and Shake and then think about it being made with Sour Milk and putting dirt in it. That is the shake that Jesus tasted and yet He still did it. He could have called the angels, whom which are subject to Him, but he didn't because of his love.
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Crazy Day in College B-Ball
What a crazy day in the world of college basketball. Who would have thought that all three undefeated teams would fall all in one day. Hey get this ESPN and AP, My Vols handed your # 2 team in the land a loss. That scrappy little team beat a team who surely would have been the #1 if they had won game. So if Tennessee isn't in the top 25 after this I don't know what it is going to take. Oo and on a side note....Who would have thought that Kentucky would learn how to shoot a basketball again. Seems like them boys couldn't have thrown it in the ocean if they had been standing on the beach but hey they finally got a few buckets to fall so it is time for everyone to jump back on the UK bandwagon and put them back in the top 25 right???? He He He.
Thursday, January 19, 2006
God's Grace
Well as a christian I have to post at least once on my blog about grace. Some might say talking about grace is over done but when you read God's love letter to us one could not help but see His grace painted all over it for us. Take this quote from my Life Application bible about verses 9 and 10 of Hebrews chapter 2
"God's grace to us led Christ to his death. Jesus did not come into the world to gain status or political power, but to suffer and die so that we could have eternal life("bring his many children into glory"). If it is difficult for us to identify with Christ's servant attitude, perhaps we need to evaluate our own motives. Are we more intrested in power and participation, domination or service, getting or giving"
This is one of those gut check quotes for all Christians. This goes all the way from SBC leadership and boards to the pastors of our local churches to the "walking to church up the hill both ways in 2 feet of snow on Sunday morning Christians". IF we have trouble identifing the pain Christ suffered when God turned his back him for us then we need that gut check.
As I close this post a little food for thought. At what point to you think Christ realized his purpose on this earth was to be the perfect lamb to be slain for a world that would still reject him?
"God's grace to us led Christ to his death. Jesus did not come into the world to gain status or political power, but to suffer and die so that we could have eternal life("bring his many children into glory"). If it is difficult for us to identify with Christ's servant attitude, perhaps we need to evaluate our own motives. Are we more intrested in power and participation, domination or service, getting or giving"
This is one of those gut check quotes for all Christians. This goes all the way from SBC leadership and boards to the pastors of our local churches to the "walking to church up the hill both ways in 2 feet of snow on Sunday morning Christians". IF we have trouble identifing the pain Christ suffered when God turned his back him for us then we need that gut check.
As I close this post a little food for thought. At what point to you think Christ realized his purpose on this earth was to be the perfect lamb to be slain for a world that would still reject him?
Monday, January 16, 2006
Just a bad year for sports
Man as I watched this weekend I have to say this has been a bad year in sports for me. Now some who know me know that i won my fantasy football league and my fantasy baseball league but other than that every team i pull for, excluding UT basketball, has fallen.
Let me list a few
1) UT football was in the toilet this year.
2) WKU football was #1 for 6 weeks then didn't make the playoffs
3) The SEC went 3-3 in bowl games
4) THE DANG COLTS LOST THIS WEEKEND!!!!!!!!ARGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!1
5) UofL lost to UofK
Now i could just post this and be done but I am not because there is a commen theme to all these. I actually watched more sports this year than I have in the past 5 years. It seems like every game I watch the team I want to win LOSES!. I am done with this. I can't win. It is a sad sad day when a Tennessee fans rest his hopes for a sports year on the basketball team! O well life in the world of sports. You win some, you lose some, and then there are those that just SUCK!
Let me list a few
1) UT football was in the toilet this year.
2) WKU football was #1 for 6 weeks then didn't make the playoffs
3) The SEC went 3-3 in bowl games
4) THE DANG COLTS LOST THIS WEEKEND!!!!!!!!ARGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!1
5) UofL lost to UofK
Now i could just post this and be done but I am not because there is a commen theme to all these. I actually watched more sports this year than I have in the past 5 years. It seems like every game I watch the team I want to win LOSES!. I am done with this. I can't win. It is a sad sad day when a Tennessee fans rest his hopes for a sports year on the basketball team! O well life in the world of sports. You win some, you lose some, and then there are those that just SUCK!
Friday, January 13, 2006
Cry out to Jesus
Hopefully this song will bless some others lives the way it has blessed mine. Thank you Third Day once again.
lyrics as follows
"To everyone who's lost someone they love
long before it's their time.
You feel like the days you had were not enough
when you said goodbye.
And to all of the people with burdens and pains
keepin' you back from your life.
You believe that there's nothing
and there is no one who can make it right.
There is hope for the helpless, rest for the weary,
and love for the broken hearts.
There is grace and forgiveness, mercy and healing
He'll meet you wherever you are.
Cry out to Jesus. Cry out to Jesus.
For the marriage that struggle just to hang on
have lost all of their faith in love.
and they've done all they can to make it right
again 'til it's not enough.
For those who can't break the addictions and chains
and try to give up but you come back again.
Just remember that you're not alone
in your shame and your suffering.
There is hope for the helpless, rest for the weary,
and love for the broken hearts.
There is grace and forgiveness, mercy and healing
that meets you wherever you are.
Cry out to Jesus.
When you're lonely and it feels like the whole world is falling on you
you just reach out, you just cry out to Jesus
Cry to Jesus.
To the widow who suffers from being alone,
wipin' the tears from her eyes.
For the children around the world without a home,
say a prayer tonight.
There is hope for the helpless, rest for the weary,
and love for the broken hearts.
There is grace and forgiveness, mercy and healing
that meets you wherever you are.
There is hope for the helpless, rest for the weary,
and love for the broken hearts.
There is grace and forgiveness, mercy and healing
that meets you wherever you are.
Cry out to Jesus. Cry out to Jesus.
Cry out to Jesus. Cry out to Jesus."
lyrics as follows
"To everyone who's lost someone they love
long before it's their time.
You feel like the days you had were not enough
when you said goodbye.
And to all of the people with burdens and pains
keepin' you back from your life.
You believe that there's nothing
and there is no one who can make it right.
There is hope for the helpless, rest for the weary,
and love for the broken hearts.
There is grace and forgiveness, mercy and healing
He'll meet you wherever you are.
Cry out to Jesus. Cry out to Jesus.
For the marriage that struggle just to hang on
have lost all of their faith in love.
and they've done all they can to make it right
again 'til it's not enough.
For those who can't break the addictions and chains
and try to give up but you come back again.
Just remember that you're not alone
in your shame and your suffering.
There is hope for the helpless, rest for the weary,
and love for the broken hearts.
There is grace and forgiveness, mercy and healing
that meets you wherever you are.
Cry out to Jesus.
When you're lonely and it feels like the whole world is falling on you
you just reach out, you just cry out to Jesus
Cry to Jesus.
To the widow who suffers from being alone,
wipin' the tears from her eyes.
For the children around the world without a home,
say a prayer tonight.
There is hope for the helpless, rest for the weary,
and love for the broken hearts.
There is grace and forgiveness, mercy and healing
that meets you wherever you are.
There is hope for the helpless, rest for the weary,
and love for the broken hearts.
There is grace and forgiveness, mercy and healing
that meets you wherever you are.
Cry out to Jesus. Cry out to Jesus.
Cry out to Jesus. Cry out to Jesus."
Monday, January 09, 2006
GO VOLS
Well just a quick post. My Vols are still rolling on and with on exception, a lose to Ok. State, are 10-1. How about ol Smokey stepping up on the basketball court in the absence of a football team this past year. Yet again I write this post and they are in the SEC, 10-1, victory over Texas, and the only 1 loss team in a power conference that I can think of that isn't in the top 25. COME ON people give me a break. Give the boys from the Vols a little love.
The Gamecocks get beat up on!
The Gamecocks get beat up on!
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Sharing in Chapel
If you do not know I am an employee of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. One of the greatest benefits of working there is the fact that I am able to worship the Lord freely. The best example of this is Wednesday morning prayer and worship. I went to this service for the first time since becoming a full time employee today and I must say i do not think I would have gone if it had not been for our executive director asking me to share what scripture I wrote on the floor of my office before the carpet went down.
After sharing this morning I got lots of feed back on the scripture I shared and that it had impacted so people so I thought I would put it out here with my notes and thought for who ever else reads think.
"With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." Psalms 119:10-11
Point 1:
Like the other that I work with when I enter the building everyday I am not going to a "job" I am going to a "ministry" and "service". So I placed this scripture reference as a reminder in the opening for my door on the entry to my office.
Point 2:
We all konw what sin did to Christ and we know what sin does to our lives with God. I will hide His word in my heart so that I don't continually drive that nail deeper in to Christ hands. I will remember this verse so that I am not just swipping my little grace credit card issued to me on the day I recieved the free gift of salvation.
Point 3:
This verse is very personal because I have a very hard time memorizing scriptures. It is very easy in our world to get down on ourselves because we are the "model" Christian. But just because I have a hard time doesn't mean I should quit trying. This verse is my uplifting verse when I get down because I am not being able to memorizing something.
After sharing this morning I got lots of feed back on the scripture I shared and that it had impacted so people so I thought I would put it out here with my notes and thought for who ever else reads think.
"With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." Psalms 119:10-11
Point 1:
Like the other that I work with when I enter the building everyday I am not going to a "job" I am going to a "ministry" and "service". So I placed this scripture reference as a reminder in the opening for my door on the entry to my office.
Point 2:
We all konw what sin did to Christ and we know what sin does to our lives with God. I will hide His word in my heart so that I don't continually drive that nail deeper in to Christ hands. I will remember this verse so that I am not just swipping my little grace credit card issued to me on the day I recieved the free gift of salvation.
Point 3:
This verse is very personal because I have a very hard time memorizing scriptures. It is very easy in our world to get down on ourselves because we are the "model" Christian. But just because I have a hard time doesn't mean I should quit trying. This verse is my uplifting verse when I get down because I am not being able to memorizing something.
SEC Disappoints once again
Well the bowl season is over once again for SEC football and yet again for I believe the fourth year we are either 500 or under 500 in wins. Georgia had everything going for them except that they forgot to show up to play. Auburn forgot how to play in the first quarter and Alabama tried to blow it as well. Why is it the most powerful conference in all of college football can't seem to win a decently hard game outside of the conference. If you have any ideas on this please comment. I love football but this is discouraging.
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