scripture highlights

1 samuel 15:22b
"Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams"
Help us to obey, Lord. Do not leave us to our own devices, but bring us into alignment with your will, that we obey your commands and show ourselves to be believers.
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Jeremiah 10:13c
"He makes lightning for the rain, and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses."
The greatness of our God in His sovereign control of nature. The song rings true "Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go?..."

from owen

hear a snippet of owen:
"Put, then, this to the venture: exercise your thoughts upon this very thing, the eternal, free, and fruitful love of the Father, and see if your hearts be not wrought upon to delight in him"

-joe

honoring the fallen

the funeral parade just passed by the church only a few minutes ago for Nick Patterson. I never knew him very well, even though he was a grade above me in school. Still, though, it is hard not to cry for those who have given their lives to preserve ours. The patriot riders who came, probably more than 50, made tears well up. To think that some would think it ok to protest the war at such a time is unbelievable to me.

There have been two from Rochester in just over a year that have given their lives in Iraq. May God be glorified somehow. May he show us the power of his mighty.

My heart goes to all those who have lost someone in battle.

-joe

adoption

here's an interview with Thabiti Anyabwile that addresses the topic of transracial adoption.
If you, or someone you know, is interested in adoption, consider adopting through this agency: Carolina Hope.

-joe

dating

i just read an extremely poignant and, at the same time, amusing blog on the idea of dating someone who is not a Christian (if in fact you place your faith in Christ). I think this gives reason to those who don't believe as to why a Christian would reject a date with them and challenge those who do believe to consider the consequences of the choice.

-joe

the risen Lord

ahh...today I have remembered. it is a day to celebrate the great resurrection of Jesus from the grave. If He hadn't been raised through the power of the Holy Spirit then the crucifixion and death would mean nothing. Let us ponder the great Holy Lord walking for 40 days on this earth after raising and defeating death and the grave.

-joe

tuesday

Man, how quickly we forget. I mean, how quickly i forget.
I gave a sermon on Sunday where I challenged the congregation to do something, and here it is, two days out and I have nearly forgotten.
Today was supposed to be spent reveling in the death of Jesus. His burial. His suffering even unto death. Thank Him for grace and mercy. Without His death, no victory would be won. No darkness defeated. Amen, and amen.

-joe

scripture highlights

psalm 10:14-15, 17-18
"But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation,
that you may take it into your hands;
to you the helpless commits himself;
you have been the helper of the fatherless.
Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer;
call his wickedness to account till you find none.
O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted;
you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear
to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more."
God, find the broken. Heal them. Give us hearts to reach out. Give me strength to love. Do justice for them.
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Romans 1:13
"that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine."
I spent two hours with my pastor today. It was a great time of encouragement for me. I hope it was the same for him. Fellowship of believers is so vital.
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Jeremiah 8:11
"They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, 'Peace, peace,' when there is no peace."
I see this being played out today, folks claiming peace in the world. But, to me it seems that peace is not here, nor will it be until the end. What is peace? Is it not the great rest we shall find in the love of God?

-joe

the latest from Owen

in chapter three of communion, Owen says that God, the Father's, love towards us is in abundance. Overflowing.
Our love toward him is a matter of four things: taking rest in Him, finding delight in Him, revering Him and being obedient to Him.

how I fail to do these things. I've been pretty good on those first three, but man. That last one is a toughy.

-joe

nicaragua

please be in prayer for the central american countries after hurricane felix. my sister (who is a missionary in honduras) just talked to a friend of hers in nicaragua. read about it here

may God redeem many

more from postmodern

justin taylor also had a little something to say about the new book on postmodernism. D.A. Carson penetrates to the heart of everything being beneficial and not permissible and the idea of Christianity as a stagnant set of rules to follow.

-joe

shame

i've posted a few things on social justice in the last couple of weeks and i've talked about it with a few people as well. today, through a wide circle of reading i came upon this verse in Ezekiel while doing a topical verse on something completely different.
Ezekiel 3:18-21
"If I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But ifyou warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul. Again, if a righteous person turns from his righteousness and commits injustice, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die. Because you have not warned him, he shall die for his sin, and his righteous deeds that he has done shall not be remembered, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the righteous person not to sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning, and you will have delivered your soul."

there is so much in these verses that puts me to shame, makes me realize the weight i have on my shoulders of not telling people of their wickedness and God's righteousness. thanks be to God that I have forgiveness in Christ, otherwise surely the weight would pull me under.

the blood of them is on our hands if we do not warn them, and how can we warn them unless we speak the truth of the Gospel to them? let us continually put Christ on our lips so that they have the chance to repent and so that we glorify God by doing His work here on the earth.

-joe

desiring God

check out the latest blog on desiring God
it is a pre-preview of the coming book by Piper, Carson, Driscoll, Wells, Bauchman, Taylor and Keller called "The Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World. mmm...can't wait.

-joe

scripture highlights

1 Samuel 12:20-24 (various parts of these verses)
"...Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart...because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself...Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart."
my sin is heavy. but, by the grace of God, i serve Him faithfully. I fear Him. Lord, help me to continue.
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Jeremiah 7:23 "Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you."
i remember a camp song of this, the king james version of the verse, but it has stuck all these years. 12 or more years and it still sits there, a golden piece of Scripture tucked into my heart.
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Psalm 25:7b "according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord."
remember me this day God. I remember you, your love on the cross. Displayed for the world. remember the love displayed, God. Be gracious to me.

-joe