Preparing for 2 Corinthians

I am preparing for my next series in 2 Corinthians around the theme "Maintaining Healthy Relationships." My teachers are Scott Hafeman (2 Cor. - NIV Application Commentary), Kent Hughes (2 Cor. - Power in Weakness), John MacArthur (The MacArthur NT Comentary 2 Cor), Aida Spencer (Daily Bible Commentary: A Guide for Reflection and Prayer), Charles Hodge (Commentary on 2 Cor - this commentary belonged - I love to read it because I can see the parts that dad highlighted and underlined) Ray Stedman (Exposition of 2 Cor: Power Out of Weakness) and John Piper (who has several online manuscripts on 2 Cor). I just recieved my commentaries in the mail today. It's like opening up boxes of candy. It's exciting for me. I have been reading and re-reading 2 Corinthians and now I get to enroll in six courses on 2 Corinthians. Jesus and his Spirit will feed me with the text, the profs will help me go deeper, and through prayer and refection and meditation and living and talking and getting stuck and unstuck - I will fill myself up with the word of God so that I can preach. I have to live with it first. I learn far more than I ever share. I learn from the best teachers (that I know) and when I'm full, I can preach Jesus with passion. But I cannot feed others until I am fed. I love what I do! I love to study God's word, Lord help me apply it to my own life first. I love to prepare to preach - to wrestle with the sermon manuscripts and the presentation. I love searching for illustrations and stories. I talk to others, learn from everyday events, search for multimedia on ignitor video and blue fish. Jeanie helps me so much with this whole process. So, I'm excited now and ready to begin my preparation. I've taught 2 Corinthians in Bible classes, but I've never preached through 2 Corinthians. God help me preach Jesus and bless me and the church as we learn from this series of teachings. Help me make it encouraging and uplifting and simple and practical and clear and strengthen our faith in Jesus so that we can build and maintain healthy relationships.

The New Earth

How could I have missed it? As many times as I have read passages about a new heaven and a new earth - how could I have missed it? It's right in the middle of the song we sing every Christmas - "Joy to the World". Remember the phrase - No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow, far as the curse is found. Jesus not only redeemed humanity by the cross, he will one day reclaim the earth. Isaiah, Peter and John spoke of a new heaven and a new earth. They were talking about this old earth being made new. That's right! The earth you're sitting on will one day be reconciled to Jesus Christ. The Bible speaks of the renewal of all things (Matthew 19:28), the restoration of all things (Acts 3:21), the liberation of creation (Romans 8:21), and the reconciliation of all things (Colossians 1:19). One day Jesus will make all things new. All things includes not only people, but the visible universe. The prophets were never concerned about some far-off immaterial realm where ghosts live. The prophets talked about the land, the inheritance, the city of Jerusalem, and the earth they walked on. This is where we will live because heaven and earth will be one.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas is here. Kim, the girls and I are headed tO Jeanie's for Christmas Eve dinner. We will celebrate Christmas tonight and tomorrow here at our house and then it's off to Carl and Sharon's for another Christmas meal. We are so grateful for all of God's blessings, especially gift of his one and only Son Jesus Christ. God bless you and your family this holiday. Merry Christmas to all!

His Name is Wonderful (100 Biblical Names and Titles for Jesus)

Advocate (1 John 2:1) Almighty (Rev. 1:8; Mt. 28:18) Alpha and Omega (Rev. 1:8; 22:13) Amen (Rev. 3:14) Apostle of our Profession (Heb. 3:1) Atoning Sacrifice for our Sins (1 John 2:2) Author of Life (Acts 3:15) Author and Perfecter of our Faith (Heb. 12:2) Author of Salvation (Heb. 2:10) Beginning and End (Rev. 22:13) Blessed and only Ruler (1 Tim. 6:15) Bread of God (John 6:33) Bread of Life (John 6:35; 6:48) Bridegroom (Mt. 9:15) Capstone (Acts 4:11; 1 Pet. 2:7) Chief Cornerstone (Eph. 2:20) Chief Shepherd (1 Pet. 5:4) Christ (1 John 2:22) Creator (John 1:3) Deliverer (Rom. 11:26) Eternal Life (1 John 1:2; 5:20) Gate (John 10:9) Faithful and True (Rev. 19:11) Faithful Witness (Rev. 1:5) Faithful and True Witness (Rev. 3:14) First and Last (Rev. 1:17; 2:8; 22:13) Firstborn From the Dead (Rev. 1:5) Firstborn over all creation (Col. 1:15) Gate (John 10:9) God (John 1:1; 20:28; Heb. 1:8; Rom. 9:5; 2 Pet. 1:1;1 John 5:20; etc.) Good Shepherd (John 10:11,14) Great Shepherd (Heb. 13:20) Great High Priest (Heb. 4:14) Head of the Church (Eph. 1:22; 4:15; 5:23) Heir of all things (Heb. 1:2) High Priest (Heb. 2:17) Holy and True (Rev. 3:7) Holy One (Acts 3:14) Hope (1 Tim. 1:1) Hope of Glory (Col. 1:27) Horn of Salvation (Luke 1:69) I Am (John 8:58) Image of God (2 Cor. 4:4) Immanuel (Mt. 1:23) Judge of the living and the dead (Acts 10:42) King Eternal (1 Tim. 1:17) King of Israel (John 1:49) King of the Jews (Mt. 27:11) King of kings (1 Tim 6:15; Rev. 19:16) King of the Ages (Rev. 15:3) Lamb (Rev. 13:8) Lamb of God (John 1:29) Lamb Without Blemish (1 Pet. 1:19) Last Adam (1 Cor. 15:45) Life (John 14:6; Col. 3:4) Light of the World (John 8:12) Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5) Living One (Rev. 1:18) Living Stone (1 Pet. 2:4) Lord (2 Pet. 2:20) Lord of All (Acts 10:36) Lord of Glory (1 Cor. 2:8) Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16) Man from Heaven (1 Cor. 15:48) Mediator of the New Covenant (Heb. 9:15) Mighty God (Isa. 9:6) Morning Star (Rev. 22:16) Offspring of David (Rev. 22:16) Only Begotten Son of God (John 1:18; 1 John 4:9) Our Great God and Savior (Titus 2:13) Our Holiness (1 Cor. 1:30) Our Husband (2 Cor. 11:2) Our Protection (2 Thess. 3:3) Our Redemption (1 Cor. 1:30) Our Righteousness (1 Cor. 1:30) Our Sacrificed Passover Lamb (1 Cor. 5:7) Power of God (1 Cor. 1:24) Precious Cornerstone (1 Pet. 2:6) Prophet (Acts 3:22) Rabbi (Mt. 26:25) Resurrection and Life (John 11:25) Righteous Branch (Jer. 23:5) Righteous One (Acts 7:52; 1 John 2:1) Rock (1 Cor. 10:4) Root of David (Rev. 5:5; 22:16) Ruler of God’s Creation (Rev. 3:14) Ruler of the Kings of the Earth (Rev. 1:5) Savior (Eph. 5:23; Titus 1:4; 3:6; 2 Pet. 2:20) Son of David (Lk. 18:39) Son of God (John 1:49; Heb. 4:14) Son of Man (Mt. 8:20) Son of the Most High God (Lk. 1:32) Source of Eternal Salvation for all who obey him (Heb. 5:9) The One Mediator (1 Tim. 2:5) The Stone the builders rejected (Acts 4:11) True Bread (John 6:32) True Light (John 1:9) True Vine (John 15:1) Truth (John 1:14; 14:6) Way (John 14:6) Wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24) Word (John 1:1) Word of God (Rev. 19:13)

Justification and Sanctification

Justification is God's saving action where he declares a sinner righteous by faith in Christ alone. Sanctification is the process of being made holy i.e., living out the righteousness that God has reckoned to our account. God imputes his own righteousness to you but he will never impute your own sin against you. Faith in Christ alone is the means of salvation. We are not saved because we keep laws, rules, and rituals. We are saved because we believe that Jesus died for our sins and was raised for our justification. Then we are transformed into the image of Christ by the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. By one sacrifice God has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. The perfecting and being made holy are at the same time a finished and an ongoing work. By the blood of Jesus God has made us perfect forever and at the same time he's working to change our hearts and minds and behavior so that we look like his one perfect Son Jesus and reflect his glory. But your salvation does not depend on your behavior. You can grieve God by misbehaving and he will discipline you but you are still his child and a part of his body. Since you are in him you cannot be condemned and you will not be disowned - he can't disown himself. This security is great motivation to live like Jesus. Knowing your salvation rests on the cross does not make you want to sin, it makes you want to obey him because he loves you.

Heaven is tangible

Heaven is not a misty fog bank where ghost float around. The Bible says heaven has light, water, a rainbow, trees and fruit. Heaven contains animals like lions, lambs, and enough horses for the armies of heaven to ride. The capital city is the New Jerusalem. There will be music and instruments such as harps and trumpets (and I imagine every other type of instrument - I can't imagine spending eternity without a guitar. I want to learn to play like Jimi and Eddy and Stevie). Heaven as a tangible reality.

An impression without an expression leads to depression

An impression without an expression leads to depression. Buried feelings don’t die, they struggle for life and come forth in uglier ways. Where did men ever get the idea that it’s not masculine to express emotion? I love the passion of King David. Read the Psalms and see for yourself. David express exuberance, deep sorrow, grief, anger, wrath, bewilderment, fear, triumph, elation, ecstasy, sorrow, grief, hopelessness, and remorse. One time David cried so much that he drenched his couch in tears. Paul expressed joy, contentment, despair, healthy pride, and exhaustion. And Jesus expressed joy, peace, righteous indignation, heartache and in agony he cried tears with loud cries and prayers and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Men, the next time you try to hold it in and stuff it, remember David, Paul and Jesus. Don’t suppress it, express it.

My Friend Mike Shepherd

I met Mike Shepherd a couple of years ago. We hit it off great the first time we met. We started talking about Jesus and our friendship took off from there. I enjoy talking and spending time with Mike. He loves the Lord and his family. Mike just loves people and he is full of Jesus. He's got a shepherd's heart. He leads our Care Caller Ministry and always taking care of the flock. This year Mike invited me to hunt with him and Terry (his brother) and Stewart and Paul. I had a great time. His son Travis killed a nice eight point on another day. Mike is an amazing marksman. He shoots skeet professionally and wins huge tournaments competing against shooters from all over the world. No kidding! Some matches involve hundreds of shooters and Mike often wins. He's awesome! He averages 98/100. I cannot imagine shooting like he does. The first picture (above) is of Mike and the 13 point buck he killed this year. The second picture (below) is of Mike and his friends after a successful day of hunting pheasants. I thank God for Mike and I know we will be friends for the rest of our lives. Mike's going to take me rabbit hunting soon. I can't wait!

Our Small Group

We have a great small group. We meet every Sunday night at 6pm. Last Sunday we went to the Marshall Hall of Fame Cafe and ate a meal together. Karen (in the first pic) is our small group leader and she is doing a fantastic job leading our group. We had a great time last Sunday.