The Sweetest Frame

Life is different when your name gets changed. Whether it's a wedding day, or wrestling with God, or putting your new name on your Bengals jersey , a name change is a huge thing. This is also the power of God. He changes your name by changing you. They will go from being called " Forsaken " to " My Delight ." Isaiah 62:4 You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate, but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. Have you ever had your name changed? Thank you Lord, for re-making us.

From today's reading... Isaiah 25:9 It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us . This is the Lord ; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” So what are we waiting for? What is this salvation? 6 On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food , a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. 7 And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. 8 He will swallow up death forever ; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. 1. Food. :) 2. The end of tears. 3. The death of death. Ok. I think I can wait for that. Lord, Thank you in advance for Your rescue that is coming.

The way that John writes this, it's almost like it's no big deal. Which I guess it's really not a big deal for Christ who is all-powerful. I'm still amazed at the thought of sitting down to dinner with a guy who not too long ago was wrapped up and in a tomb. John 12:1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table Lord, thank you for showing your amazing power.

Kenny spoke on one of my favorite topics yesterday - Desperation. He spoke of the woman with the issue of blood, and Jairus Daughter. Two people whose lives were vastly different, but both came to Jesus with reckless abandon, because they were desperate for help. And he helped them. Today I read Psalm 107 - if you're ever feeling desperate, this is the Psalm for you. 107:1 Oh give thanks to the Lord , for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! 2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble 3 and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. 4 Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in; 5 hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them. 6 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 7 He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in. 8 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his...

Psalm 102:18 Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord : His words were recorded - and we are praising. Hallelujah!

From today's reading ... Psalm 97:10 O you who love the Lord , hate evil! He preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

I'm from 1971. Maybe you're from 1949 or 1996. Where is God from? Psalm 93:2 Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting. Still have a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that God has no beginning and no end. That is incredible.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Now No Condemnation. This is a message worthy of spreading. Shout it from the rooftops and in the ball stadiums and over the internet. Now No Condemnation. There is a catch - You must be in Christ. Lord, Thank you for providing freedom in Your Son.

The psalmist was envious of the wicked, upset that though he tried to live a righteous life, he was not prospering as the wicked man was. He was having difficulty understanding the prosperity of the wicked until he went into the sanctuary... Psalm 73:16 But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, 17 until I went into the sanctuary of God ; then I discerned their end. We need quiet time with God for many reasons, but this is one of them - to discern truth about life. Spending time with God helps me remember why I'm here and what this life is all about. In case we forget - the Psalmist reminds us at the end of this song... 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever . Lord, our flesh will fail. Be our strength and our portion.

I don't remember reading this Psalm this way before... Psalm 69:6 Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me, O Lord God of hosts; let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me, O God of Israel. Lord, don't let me be the weak link.

Sometimes I forget this truth from Romans 3 19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. The whole world is held accountable to God. Every person will be judged by their creator. And the simple truth here in the beginning of Romans 3 is that we are all sinners. Not good people who've made some mistakes. Or people with psychological issues - though I'm sure I have my share of those - the truth is this, we are ALL sinners who will stand before our Creator and we need someone to rescue us. Lord, help me to not forget why you came. And help me to go and share the great news that salvation for sinners has come.

We don't talk this way, but I still think the point is very clear. It's not those who hear the word who will be justified. It is those who do it. I've been troubled lately with similar thoughts, but this passage pinpoints my thinking. Romans 2:13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. I know that no one is justified without the blood of Christ. But a justified person is a person of action and obedience . Not just a person who hears the scriptures or the preacher. Lord, please help my practice to match my preaching and my hearing. I need you.

There's something about an imprecatory Psalm. But some of the lyrics seem a little too harsh to sing in church: Psalm 58:10 The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance; he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked. Any of you found a place for the use of Imprecatory Psalms in corporate worship?

Hoops in Hoosierland... We had a lot of fun at the Hamilton County Sports Complex this week. If you want to read more about it check out The Heights Blog . If you'd like to see some higher res pictures head over to pennsweb .

We had a good conversation at the Penn house tonight. Lot's of questions, not many answers - normal for any Penn house. :) Just ask my brothers. As we set out on this adventure, we want to invite, share, and proclaim. So is there a difference between inviting and soliciting in reference to the Gospel? Is there a difference between proclaiming and promoting (marketing)? Just out of curiousity I checked out Webster's definitions... Solicit: 1 a : to make petition to : entreat b : to approach with a request or plea 2 : to urge (as one's cause) strongly Marketing: 1 a : the act or process of selling or purchasing in a market b : the process or technique of promoting, selling, and distributing a product or service I'm afraid that the gospel lends itself to solicitation. We make petition and entreat. We plead with people that they would seek God in Christ. When you are speaking about life and death - urgency is natural. As far as marketing is concern...

I probably shouldn't write things like this, but sometimes transparency can be good eh? Making the move to Noblesville has been tougher than I thought. The kids are doing well, and I love helping to plan out the worship services. I've made a few new friends, and the Lord has been taking good care of us. But some days you just want to go back to safe. Safe is a place where you are already known . Where you have already made friends and already have places and spaces that you belong. Safe is sleeping in and then having coffee with Chris or going to a Rocket ballgame or spending 3 hours on a Wednesday morning looking into God's word with friends. But I know God sent me to this place, to teach me all about being a missionary. Don't get me wrong here, I'm not pretending to be Carlisle Hanna or even Wallace Malone. But slowly I'm starting to get it. Being a missionary is a lifestyle, not a location . And it makes you desperate. I need God's help to make ...

Alexander's on the Square I've been running a little low on time lately - who hasn't? So instead of posting pics in two places, I'll be posting some pics of Noblesville hopefully once a week over @ the Heights blog . This week we're introducing you to one of our favorite new places called Alexander's .

Why aren't the captives being set free? John needs some confirmation. 18 The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, 19 calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 20 And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” 21 In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. 22 And he answered them, “ Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them . In Luke 4 Jesus says this... “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to ...

Some different members of our church team are posting articles on our new Church Blog . If you are interested you can check it out at www.theheightschurch.us/wp

My brother's Church is doing a new project called Project Serve . Project serve is a service project our church began last Sunday, where each individual received an envelope with either a $5, $10, $20, $50, or $100. They are to use this money to serve someone with this week. I love reading these stories of people showing kindness. It's amazing how a small gift can prompt us to look for ways to encourage someone else.

I cannot express how grateful I am for praying friends and family. Many have asked how they might encourage us during this time. Some have even said it - "What else can we do besides pray?" What more could you want than for godly people to speak on your behalf to the Creator and Sustainer of life? I love this from Daniel Chapter 2 17 Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, 18 and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel and the boys were desperate for their very lives. They sought the One, True God and he answered in a mighty way. Lord, thank you so much for praying friends and answered prayers.

You've been there. Sometimes you just really need to hear from God. And then he speaks so clearly. It's amazing. It's happened about 4 times this week. And here's another example. Psalm 25:1 To you, O Lord , I lift up my soul. 2 O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. 3 Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous... 12 Who is the man who fears the Lord ? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose. 13 His soul shall abide in well-being, and his offspring shall inherit the land... 21 May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.

I'm sure I've heard this passage read well over a thousand times, but I don't know if I ever needed hearing it more than I needed it tonight... 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

The world rejects Christ thinking that He is a waste of time, a crutch, something for the weak. To the beloved, He is marvelous. 10 Have you not read this Scripture: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; 11 this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?” Lord, You are marvelous.

I marvel at God and His works, but what makes God marvel? Mark 6:4 And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” 5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And he marveled because of their unbelief. Our unbelief. God can't believe that we can't believe. When I marvel at His handiwork, I too can't believe that we can't believe. Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.

Sometimes you hear a song for the very first time and you just know it's right. Cannons from Phil Wickham is just such a song. It's a cry to the Holy God that He deserves to hear from us every day. I bet we'll be singing this one at The Heights very soon. You can get the video from youtube or just watch it below. Update: You can go to Wickham's website www.philwickham.com and if you sign up you can download the singalong album for free! I like the "singalong" version better than the "polished" one from the new album. Here's the songlist for August 8th, 2009 at the Heights. Meet with Me There is None Like You The Love of God Speak O Lord

God's promises are as sure as day and night... 19 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 20 “Thus says the Lord : If you can break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night , so that day and night will not come at their appointed time, 21 then also my covenant with David my servant may be broken, so that he shall not have a son to reign on his throne, and my covenant with the Levitical priests my ministers. 22 As the host of heaven cannot be numbered and the sands of the sea cannot be measured, so I will multiply the offspring of David my servant, and the Levitical priests who minister to me.” 23 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 24 “Have you not observed that these people are saying, ‘The Lord has rejected the two clans that he chose’? Thus they have despised my people so that they are no longer a nation in their sight. 25 Thus says the Lord : If I have not established my covenant with day and night and the fixed order of heaven and earth, 26 then I will r...

Random thought from my reading today... 5 And the Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites. And when any of the fugitives of Ephraim said, “Let me go over,” the men of Gilead said to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” When he said, “No,” 6 they said to him, “ Then say Shibboleth,” and he said, “Sibboleth,” for he could not pronounce it right . Then they seized him and slaughtered him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time 42,000 of the Ephraimites fell. I grew up in Decatur, and you could recognize people from that area by asking them to say the word "wash." People from Decatur usually say "worsh." What words give you away? Do you "cut" on the lights? Do you light a "fire" or a "far?"

Today I was tremendously blessed by two different speakers at Calvary. The Lord spoke loud and clear to me. Lesson 1: Don't serve out of guilt or even duty. Pray to be motivated by love. Ephesians 5: 1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Lesson 2: Follow Me. John 21: 22 Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me." Thanks to Jim and Luke for delivering God's word.

I heard the phrase "sharpen your axe" used a lot in seminary - I didn't know it had biblical roots. Ecclesiastes 10:10 If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed.

Jeremiah 9:23 Thus says the Lord : “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me , that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord .”

Solomon had such promise, but his faithfulness was lacking. In words like these throughout Ecclesiastes, I think I can hear the sadness in his voice... Ecclesiastes 9: 9 Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun , because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun . 10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going. As Shane and Shane would say, " Get OVER the sun !"

Sometimes I'm a little slow. I didn't realize how many references there are to stones in the book of Joshua. There's the 12 stone Memorial after crossing the Jordan, The stones piled on Achan and his family (see yesterday's post ) The stones piled on the king of Ai The stones set by the Cave after the killing of the 5 kings The stones of the wall of Jericho Any others that you know of?

Do you have any monuments to remind you of your past failures and God's judgement of those failures? Usually when I think of monuments, I think of successes - something left as a tribute to great people. In Joshua 7 there is a monument left to remind people of great sin and God's judgment on that sin. 22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was hidden in his tent with the silver underneath. 23 And they took them out of the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the people of Israel. And they laid them down before the Lord . 24 And Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver and the cloak and the bar of gold, and his sons and daughters and his oxen and donkeys and sheep and his tent and all that he had. And they brought them up to the Valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua said, “Why did you bring trouble on us? The Lord brings trouble on you today.” And all Israel stoned him with stones. They burned them with fire and...

Kevin (our team leader) is blogging about the vision of The Heights Church . You can check out his blog at www.wakebeforedawn.com A BIG Thank you to everyone who has been praying. Please continue to pray, God has been answering in a big way. We both now have jobs, we have an apartment, and we hope to close on our house at the end of the month.

John the Baptist was considered a fanatical fundamentalist, because of his ascetic ways and his harsh message. Jesus was a flaming liberal because he drank and ate with the sinners. Matthew 11:18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.” The religious couldn't stand John, because he was too holy, and couldn't stand Jesus because he wasn't holy enough. Sound familiar? When will the church stop bickering over methodologies? Never. But notice that last part... " Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.” So whether your ultra conservative, fundamental, libertarian, post-modern, ortho-praxis oriented, seeker friendly, attractional, missional, Christians or Christ followers, let's be sure of this--wisdom is justified by her deeds. Lord, I want you to make a diffe...

From today's reading ... Deuteronomy 34:7 Moses was 120 years old when he died. His eye was undimmed, and his vigor unabated. How I would love this to be said of me if I live to a good old age.

From my reading today... Proverbs 31:30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. This phrase really sticks in my head thanks to a Kim Hill song of the late 80's. But I guess you didn't need to know that. So on to the question... Is it right to celebrate beauty in our wives and daughters? Can you defend this biblically? The other day my wife was bragging on the beauty of our daughter. Though I'm sure we are prejudiced, she is a pretty girl. If I want her to strive to be godly, am I sending conflicting messages by praising her beauty instead of praising her character? Our culture has elevated the value of image so high and Photoshop has not helped. Beauty is defined and redefined time and again. How do we raise our young girls in this image-crazed society to focus on their character instead of their hair?

Squirrel Feeder (Click on the image to see a higher resolution picture) My son built a bird feeder, but it has become a terrific squirrel feeder. At times there are 3 squirrels around the feeder all at once. This guy doesn't mind us getting close. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. Any captions for this one?

Music Tuesday at 2 am on a Sunday Morning. No more coffee for me on Saturday nights! This song is pretty awesome - it's a pouring out of the heart. Probably not something that the congregation sings easily, but the chorus could be something special in a corporate setting. Wow, I especially love right at the end of verse 2 (about 3:48) "I don't have time to think about regrets when I think about the way...He loves us...O how he loves us!" I know this setting was highly charged with emotion, but it's hard to get past the simple truth that He loves us . Video clip here . Lyrics and chords here .

Some scriptures encourage. Some empower. Some enlighten. And then there are some that just tear into me... 2 Timothy 3:2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. Am I one of these that should be avoided? I feel like I'm part of a generation of "Christians" who love pleasure more than we love God. Sometimes I think I've caved. I know more about Illini Basketball than I know about the Word. I care more about feeding my face, than feeding those who are hungry or thirsty. I am more interested in the next tech toy, than I am in loving people who are hurting all around me. What's my deal? And that's not even the scarie...

From my reading today I was reminded that the Lord is God and there is no other . Just out of curiosity, I looked up this phrase in the ESV to see where it occurs, and you can see the results below. Pay close attention to the last reference, I'm sure it's no coincidence. Deuteronomy 4:35 To you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord is God; there is no other besides him. Deuteronomy 4:39 know there fore today, and lay it to your heart, that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other . 1 Kings 8:60 that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no other . Ecclesiastes 4:8 one person who has no other , either son or brother, yet there is no end to all h is toil, and h is eyes are never sat is fied with riches, so that he never asks, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” Th is also is vanity and an unhappy business. Isaiah 45:5 I am the Lord , and there is no o...

I couldn't believe what I heard at our Bible study tonight. Our Wednesday class has been working through the series "God is Closer than You Think." Tonight we got into a discussion about judging other churches' ministry methods and practices. We were discussing how some churches have been experiencing some pretty incredible growth stories, and how others seem to enjoy criticizing their "success." One of the "older" ladies in our church made the observation that this significant growth seemed to be happening in churches with younger congregations. Then she said something that I thought was profound. She said that the older folks resisting change and holding to their traditions were getting in the way of the growth of the church. It's one thing for a teenager to say this, and another for a young pastor at a church plant to say this, but for an "older" person to point this out made me ask... Why am I leaving a church with amazing pe...

Shout it from the roof tops! Death has been destroyed. (I think the word "abolished" is fine, but I like the NIV a little better on this one.) 2 Timothy 1:10b our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel What a King. He has destroyed the thing that is feared the most. Not only has he finished death, but he has brought life, and not just life, but immortality - through the gospel. People have been searching for immortality since the fall. Jesus has secured it through His cross. Thank you Lord for taking the sting away from death.

I love those verses that remind us that God is near, but this one tonight comes with a condition. God isn't near to all. Look closely... Psalm 145: 18 The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth . God is near to all who call on him in truth. There is a condition. You must come to God on His terms. Lord, help us as we call, to call in truth.

I'm sure there are many reasons why Jesus came, but one has stood out to me lately - He came to save. 1 Timothy 1:15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners , of whom I am the foremost. Lord, my life may be about a lot of things, but please let it be about helping others to find salvation.

Sorry it's been so quiet here lately. But I'm listening and the Lord is speaking. If you don't mind...say a prayer for me. If you'd like for me to pray for you, just leave a comment.

Actually it's not so much a job as it is a calling. Calvary Free Will Baptist Church in Salem, Illinois is officially searching for a new pastor. If you, or someone you know might be interested in leading a great group of people, please have them contact me or one of the deacons at our church. For contact information and other details, you can check out our Church Resume . We are trying to get the word out to as many as possible. We'd appreciate all the help we can get. I'm confident that God has the right person for the job, we're just trying to find them. ;) We'd also covet your prayers for the transition. Thanks for your help.

Thankfully, I don't have any "bad news" to share right now, but these verses stood out to me this morning... Psalm 112:7 He is not afraid of bad news ; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord . 8 His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries. Lord, please help me to be the righteous person that is spoken of in this passage through the power of Christ.

Psalm 103: 14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. Lord, forgive me when I forget that you are the only frame worth leaning on.

Singing with Stacey (Click the thumbnail for a larger picture) We had a really great time on Thursday night. We went to Moweaqua to give my cousin Stacey her own private "concert." Her son Trevor is a good guitar player and he picked out some of his mom's favorite songs. The rest of the family showed up and surprised Stacey and sang and played for a while. It was an evening I won't soon forget. Stacey has been such a blessing to me. She has reminded me about how to live. She has been through a lot and has faced her cancer head on. I know there has been sadness and questioning along the way, but Stacey has constantly reminded all of us to keep the faith. The Lord's name has been hallowed because of her. She has made such a difference in my life. I'll try to put up a small gallery later on, but for now you can check out Kellie Penn's blog . (Thanks for taking the pictures Kellie.)

It's been about 13 years, but my wife and I are moving again. This time we're taking along a couple of kids that we picked up in that last 13. There are tons of emotions, lots to do and very little time to accomplish it all. (Sorry, but the blog has to suffer - it's just not that high on the priority list right now) We are headed to Noblesville, Indiana . We are going to help start a new Free Will Baptist Church on the North East corner of Indianapolis. The name of the church is The Heights . We are so excited about the promise of this new beginning. We are being joined by 3 other families. Kevin and Debbie Scott: Kevin and Debbie went to FWBBC with me and Wendy. They have 3 kids, and are hosting the initial church services in their home. Their hospitality is amazing. Kenny and Anna Panduku: We just met Kenny and Anna for the first time this past week. They opened up their home to us, and Isaiah was thrilled to watch the NCAA championship on Kenny's "fa...

I'm sure many of you've already heard this , but just in case...

Today was one of the hardest days that I've had in a long time. Today we told our church family that we are moving to Indiana this summer. I'm very excited about what the Lord has in store, but it is also very hard to think about leaving so many close friends. God has been so good to us while we have lived here . How do you tell people that you love that you are leaving? I couldn't find an easy way to do it. We have spent over 13 years with our church family laughing, and singing, and ministering together. And lots of eating too! And every now and then there was some crying and lots of praying. When you go through so many events with your church family, it brings you close. And yet, when God is calling, we must follow . In my heart I know that staying when God said to move, would only bring difficulty. And I also know that this move isn't just about our family serving in a new place, but also someone new serving here. I know that God has great things in store ...

Two years ago the Lord changed how I pray after we studied the Lord's prayer at Church. Every prayer ultimately should end with the goal of Hallowing the Father's name. Read Piper's take .

How often do you take a break? Exodus 31:17 It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed .’” You've heard it often - "Even God has to take a break once in a while." We are built to work and to rest and we need to be about both of these things. I've neglected the latter at times, and it usually comes back to get me. A friend sent me a book by Wayne Cordeiro entitled Leading On Empty. I've been a little "extra" stressed lately, but I don't think I'm near to the point of stress that is displayed in some of the stories in this book. And yet, I've found some preventive things in this book that I think will be a huge help in ministry. So if your feeling a little stressed, here's some things to consider: 1. Solitude is a healthy and prescriptive discipline; Isolation is a symptom of emotional depletion. Intentionally getting aw...

I know it has been a while since my last post. We were working intensely on hosting this year's Illinois State Association Meeting at our church and it's finally over. During Dr. Garnett Reid's message on Saturday , one verse that he referenced struck right at my heart. This same verse was also in my devotions for yesterday. 1 Corinthians 1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. There are two things that stick out to me from reading this verse. 1. I don't have to save, baptize or convert. That's not my job. My job is to witness, to preach and to herald. I don't need to feel guilty about not converting someone or saving someone. I must preach the gospel. 2. I can empty the cross of its power. This is a scary verse to me. Somewhere along the way words can become "eloquent wisdom." Paul didn't have a projector, or a creative...

My Father I pray that this would be the cry of my heart... Psalm 73:25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Whenever I hear the words "Precious Blood," I usually think about Jesus. But this verse in Psalm 72 reminds me that our blood is precious too! 13 He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. 14 From oppression and violence he redeems their life, and precious is their blood in his sight. Lord, help us to value others, even as you value us.

I've been working on a new website for the Illinois State Association of Free Will Baptists. It has been a lot of work, but a lot of fun too. This has been my first "real" venture with Wordpress, and I must say I'm impressed. Hopefully in the next few weeks, I can put together a series of posts on fwbmedia.com about the process. I think I'm going to do my next project in Wordpress. I couldn't believe all of the features that the widgets provide and how easy it is to add pictures. I think that's one of the things that has been lacking in the couple other Content Management Systems that I have tried. If you have some time, leave some comments on the Introducing ILFWB.org post. I'd like to see how the comment feature is going to work.

I've found myself in a few spots like this one recently - knowing that I must go forward, but so unsure of how to get across... 15 The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. 16 Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground. 17 And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord , when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.” Basically, God is saying "stop crying and start moving." This is the big leap of faith. It's Noah building the ark, when he hasn't seen rain...It's David against Goliath against all the odds...It's the old saying "Watch out for the first step, it's a doozy." It's the huge leap where faith and ...

Here's a reminder that God does have a limit to His patience... 2 Chronicles 36: 15 The Lord , the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. 16 But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose against his people, until there was no remedy. Lord, keep us close to Your grace, and far from Your wrath.

Would you listen to this man? 1. He built places of worship dedicated to false gods 2. He worshiped the stars and the hosts of heaven 3. He desecrated the house of God 4. He burned his sons and offered them as sacrifices 5. He was involved in witchcraft and sorcery. 6. He led others away from God. 7. He killed so many innocent people, their blood filled the city. His name is Manasseh and and you can find his story in 2 Chronicles 33 and 2 Kings 21. And by the way, God did listen to him. 2 Chronicles 33:12 And when he was in distress, he entreated the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. 13 He prayed to him, and God was moved by his entreaty and heard his plea and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God. Man, I wish I could have heard that prayer. Lord, Your grace is truly amazing.

The ESV translation of Exodus 2:24 caught my eye... 23 During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 God saw the people of Israel— and God knew. We usually use the phrase "only God knows" as way of saying that no one knows what's going to happen. "God knows who will show up today." But what this passage reminds me is that God DOES know. He knows and cares and has compassion. He heard the cry of His people and He was about to answer in a mighty way. What's going to happen next in life? Only God knows. I'm so glad He does.

2 Chronicles 31: 20 Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. 21 And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart , and prospered. Lord, thank you for good examples. Help me to seek you with all of my heart.

I bet Pharaoh was one intimidating guy. Wealthy, wise and powerful. I'm sure he could probably end your life with a word if he so chose. All the more reason I'm impressed with the Hebrew midwives... Exodus 1:15 Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, 16 “When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.” 17 But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them , but let the male children live. It's natural to be afraid of Pharaoh - but it's wise to be more afraid of God. Lord, give us the boldness of the Hebrew midwives. Help us stand up for the life of the unborn.

I think we've found some insider jargon for our morning study group. The next time we hear anyone complaining or arguing we' re going to holler at them "214." I wonder what kind of reaction we'll get? Philippians 2:14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, Wanna join the fun? Start using 214 whenever you hear complaining and arguing and see what happens. This may be the beginnings of a movement. :)

Passing along this thought provoking post from Jared at the Gospel Driven Church... We want to go to a place with ample parking that hands us a latte for free as we enter the doors. We want to sit in a comfortable chair that vibrates. We want a poppin' band. We want to see fog. And a laser light that draws the shape of a cross in the fog. We want a good singer to sing comforting things to us as we listen admiringly. Then we want an energetic speaker to alleviate our fear of the bad economy and inspire us in no more than 20 to 22 minutes. Then we want to leave without being bothered, have our retinas scanned to pick up our kids, and watch them slide down the slide out of the Kidz Playz having heard a lesson from no less than SpongeBob SquarePants himself on obeying parents and not lying. And if we feel like it, we want all that all over again in a week. That's evangelicalism. Read the rest here ...

It's been a rough couple of weeks for some of my friends and family. I've been down, because they have been down. But today's reading brings a sense of hope... Psalm 55: 22 Cast your burden on the Lord , and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. Lord, I'm so thankful for your invitation to throw our little burdens into your huge hands. Thank you for sustaining us in the midst of any circumstance. You truly are our Rock.

Most of us are familiar with the phrasing from Isaiah 6 that says... 1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. The Lord is high and exalted in Isaiah's vision. But something that I never paid attention to before showed up in 2 Chronicles 26 where Uzziah is in the temple to burn incense: 16 But when he (Uzziah) was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction. For he was unfaithful to the Lord his God and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense... 19 Then Uzziah was angry. Now he had a censer in his hand to burn incense, and when he became angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead in the presence of the priests in the house of the Lord , by the altar of incense. 20 And Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and behold, he was leprous in his forehead! And they rushed him out quickly, and he himself hurried to go out, becaus...

Who in their right mind would ever abandon eternal life? Well it appears some of the Jews did (obviously not with a godly mind, but a blind, carnal one) Acts 13: 44 The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him. 46 And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life , behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. Lord, give us wisdom as we witness.

How should we credit God when bad things happen? Hit a homerun? Score a Touchdown? Escape a bad wreck? Just miss being involved in an accident? God seems to often get praise for these things. Make an error at second base? Fumble? Break your leg in an accident? Lose a loved one? Where's God in these events? This CNN article had quotes from two passengers who were supposed to be on the flight 3407. Here's one of the quotes... "I'm still in shock, really," said the 49-year-old Becony, a Catholic. "God was looking over me." Sometimes I'm too cynical, but my first thought was - what about the other 49 people? Was God not looking over them? How can we thank God when he is gracious to us, and still recognize His sovereignty when terrible things come our way? We don't want to come across as blaming God, but in some ways, if he gets the credit, shouldn't he get the blame? If you had one of the victim's families in your church as well ...