You Can Change...

It's time for an update, and I apologize for the delay.  This week is finals week and I'm trying to get prepared for a couple of tests.  I'm pretty sure I have ADD mixed with anxiousness for Christmas and to preach.  Lets put it this way...I am one big ball of nerves that is about to pop like a big zit!  Please pray for my last two tests, my theology test and Greek test, especially my Greek test.  I need all the prayer, and I know there are a couple others in my class that need prayer as well.  

On the original reason why I decided to post something tonight, I was listening to James MacDonald's sermon entitled "Self in the Dirt."  In that sermon he was preaching in regards to repentance, and he talked about how many people are ashamed of their past and are ashamed of things that they still do today in private.  What he said though is a good reminder to all of us.  We can begin clean.  We can start over.  It all comes down to one word:  REPENTANCE!  It is a serious issue and something that should not be taken lightly.  I know that I was stirred when I heard this message and immediately thought of things that I am not proud of in my life now or in my past.  But we can begin afresh with God, if we will come to Him with a heart of repentance.  I know that I need repentance.  Do you need repentance?

Colorado...I Feel Your Pain...Sorta

It's a balmy 29 degrees this morning in Dallas.  They say with the wind chill that it feels like 17 degrees.  It's like being at home...only not.  It's close I guess.  The weather channel website says the current temp in Yuma is 23, but it feels like 10 degrees.

Take heart, it only feels 7 degrees warmer in Texas right now.

What They Think of "Us"...

So I was reading the Rocky Mountain News online, and skimmed this story talking about the one year anniversary since the shootings last year at Youth With A Mission and New Life Church in Colorado Springs.  What I found most interesting though was not the story, but rather the comments left after the story.  You can click here if you would like to check it out.  It gives a good inside glimpse to what the "new atheism" looks like today.

Lay It Aside

Before I get to what I wanted to write down this morning, I have to say thank you to the Young's for letting me stop over and visit them this weekend on my way to Dallas.  I very much appreciate your support, encouragement, and good food!  Thank you so very much!

On my way to school this morning, I heard a verse on the radio that really hit home to me.  It is one of those things that you have felt for a while and then the verse speaks to that very issue.  The past two weeks have been somewhat difficult, I must admit.  Deep inside me I sense an unrest and uneasiness.  I have realizing more that this is the battle that is literally inside all of us.  It is a battle between God and the world.  It is the battle between following God or following the pleasures of the world.  

The verse on the radio this morning that hit me is Hebrews 12:1-2, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God" (ESV).  

We know the things that weigh us down.  We know the sins that we keep running back to, simply because they are familiar to us.  I urge you to cast off the sins that weigh you down, so that you may run the race that is set before you.

My prayer request today is that we would pray for one another, asking God for the strength, the will, and the desire to cast aside every weight.  Please pray for each other and for myself.

Prayer Request

Just a quick prayer request to throw out there.  I'm heading back to Texas in the morning, hopefully by 6 a.m.  I am a little nervous about heading back, as now I am the only member of my family there.  My brother and sister in law are now back in Colorado to stay.  It is a little unnerving as we spent a lot of time together while we were there.  

Please pray that I would not become homesick, something I do struggle with, or be upset by this change.  Please pray that I would find my strength in God and come to know Him even more through all of this.

Thank you for your prayers!

Thank You

Just a couple of quick things.  First, I want to say thank you to FSBC Yuma for allowing me the opportunity to preach when I have been home.  I truly appreciate your allowing me the opportunity.  Pastor Trent was the first person to let me preach there, and I thank him for challenging me to step up and preach, and I thank him for letting me fill in that first Sunday evening service.

Second, I thought that Pastor Greg Laurie's devotional today is very good.  Check it out by clicking here.  He talks about what it means to fall away from God and points out how we commonly think of those who commit a sin have fallen away from God, but we fail to think that there could be many in the pews who have fallen away from God.  They have fallen away from their first love.  I encourage you to check it out.  It got my attention.

Truly Global Society?

It appears that some people are already in the planning stages of creating a "truly global society."  Just thought I would pass along this little article, in regards to a speech that will be given by the Prime Minister of Britain, Gordon Brown.

Click Here to Read the Article

A Good Resource

Hey everyone, I wanted to pass along a website to you.  Ravi Zacharias is a Christian apologist who does an excellent job in presenting a logical argument and rational for faith in Jesus.  His weekly radio program in one of my favorites.  If you subscribe to any podcasts, be sure and subscribe to his.  It is free.  You can also check out his radio program, as well as many of the other Ravi Zacharias International Ministries resources at the following link:  http://www.rzim.org/USA/Resources/Listen/LetMyPeopleThink.aspx

Television

Pretty much everything on television today is garbage. Every night though, at least I think every night, you can still catch reruns of my favorite t.v. show. The Cosby Show is arguably one of the best t.v. shows created. I invite you to watch the clip below. I always laugh.  I found this video on YouTube.

Getting Closer To Christmas

There is a lot to be said for living in a warmer climate, such as Dallas. It is 4:06 pm and 74 degrees outside right now. It is nice, I must admit. Having lived in Colorado all of my life though, it is hard to acclimate to this type of fall weather. I am used to wearing a jacket and watching the leaves change. Here, I can wear shorts today and watch people who are still watering their lawns. When the sun goes down it does cool off, but still, it is not the same. My cousin Meagan took the photo below a while back, and it really summarizes what is cool about Colorado. There can be several inches of snow and clear blue skies. I totally miss the fall in Colorado.



Oh, and check out the cool shot she has of the 16th Street Mall at Christmas time. You just have to be there sometime to understand.

New Layout

So as I'm sure you have noticed, the blog has a new layout. I understand that the title of the blog is Straight Outta Dallas, but the image behind the title is not of Dallas. What can I say, I liked the layout. I did not make it, I just found it on a layout website and decided to put it to use. As I am sure several other people have.

Just to point out another new feature, notice the ESV verse of the day on the right hand side. I thought it was pretty cool. That and since I do not tend to post anything on a daily basis, this will at least post a new verse each day. If you click on the verse, it will take you to the ESV Bible's website, where you can look up any verse in the ESV Bible. I really like the ESV version as well, another reason for the addition of this widget.

Whom Do You Trust?

I must admit that if there is one thing I suffer from, it is homesickness.  This morning was absolutely miserable and I had to fire off a prayer request e-mail to my mom, asking her to intercede for me.  Thankfully she did just that, of which I am very appreciative.  Upset over the fact that I am so far from home, confused about a lot of other things, and not terribly excited about the future, this morning was just miserable.  If there is one thing that I have learned this morning though, it is that I do not trust God with everything in my life and really do not trust Him as much as I think I do.

A friend of mine pointed out these verses, 1 Timothy 2:1-4, "First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.  This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (NASB).  

Pray for our leaders, pray for their decisions and their future decisions, and pray that we all will trust in God and that we would KNOW in our HEARTS that HE IS IN CONTROL!  I am praying that I would trust and believe that with all of my heart.

You Must Apply It

Today we began studying the principle of application in our Bible Study Methods class.  Prof told us that it sounds simple yet is one of the most difficult sections of the course as it tends to bring about mounds of conviction.  I cannot disagree with him, as even on day one, conviction came about.  

Prof told us that one of the fundamental disconnects people make is they substitute Bible interpretation for application.  We study and study and study and we build up this information and knowledge about God and about the Scriptures, and we tell people what we know, but we fail to apply the principles of what we learned to our own lives.  We teach people the principles but we do not live the principles ourselves.  We are convicted by Scripture, but we fail to respond to the conviction.  We chalk up the interpretation and move on to learning the next thing.  

There were two groups of people in Scripture, famous for doing this very thing; the Scribes and Pharisees.  They knew the Scriptures inside and out and on the outside they looked good, but on the inside they were as dirty as sin.  They were guilty of superficial application.  Unfortunately our churches today are packed with people who are guilty of superficial application.  I myself am guilty of this very thing in certain areas of my life.  

My prayer is that we would all make sure that we apply the principles and apply what we learn from Scripture to our lives.  As prof pointed out to us today, the Bible was not given to us, merely to inform us.  Yes, the Bible was given to us to inform us, but more importantly, the Bible was given to us to TRANSFORM us.   Are you being transformed?  Are you different than you were a year ago?  How about six months ago?  If not, chances are there is a failure to apply what God has revealed to you.  I know that I have failed to properly apply God's word in areas of my life, because there are areas that have not been transformed because I have not made proper application.

This was just day one of the application section.  I am very excited to see where the next five weeks takes us!

Think About It

Today in our Bible Study Methods class, Dr. Bailey was discussing dispensationalism and explaining dispensationalism to us.  That is not what I am writing about here, so do not worry.  Maybe when I have had more time to study dispensationalism, as I know I will, I will post something in regards to the subject.  What I wanted to post for you think about is a comment that Dr. Bailey made at the end of class.  A comment that really should cause each one of us to take pause and reflect upon.

Dr. Bailey's comment, and I am paraphrasing, as I do not have this as a direct quote, went something as follows:  Just think, the angels that have been with God and Christ in heaven, from the beginning, still to this day have reason to fall on their face before Him and worship Him.

Think about that.  From the beginning, they have worshipped Him and to this day they worship Him and for all of eternity they will worship Him.  As John notes in Revelation 4:8, "And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, "HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME" (NASB).

Problems...We've All Got Them

I know that it has been a while since my last post regarding Dr. Lutzer's sermon.  I had meant to post details about each of his chapel sermons on here, and I meant to post something last week, but wouldn't you know it, school was really busy.  So I apologize for not posting anything recent.  That's why I'm here today.  

If there is one thing everyone has in common, it is problems.  They are kind of like opinions, everyone has one or some.  Just like opinions, problems carry different weights to them.  Generally, our own personal problems carry a heavier weight than our neighbors.  We put our problems at the front of the line and our neighbors on the back burner.  

As I was buying groceries a couple of days ago, I was standing in the Wal-Mart supermarket, having to decide what I needed to buy, and what was a comfort.  I felt pretty good about myself, I was being frugal and putting things back that I did not need to eat or buy.  That's when God let me know that I at least have a choice.  I can at least entertain the idea of buying that extra bag of potato chips or that gallon of ice cream.  I can entertain the idea of buying better quality cuts of meat or bags of candy to snack on.  I immediately stopped to give thanks to God right there for all that He has given to me and all that He has blessed me with, as there were many people there who cannot entertain the thought of buying ice cream or extra chips, because they do not have the means to do so.  

Be sure and give thanks to God for all He has blessed you with and given to you.  I know that what I consider to be major problems in my life are really miniscule in comparison to some of the other troubles I have seen.

Unanswered Prayer

This week should be an exciting week in chapel here at DTS.  Dr. Erwin Lutzer is speaking each day for the Nathan D. Maier Memorial Series in Bible Exposition.  Dr. Lutzer is the senior pastor of The Moody Church in Chicago, and this week his message series here is title "The Triupmh of Unanswered Prayer."

Initially I automatically say to myself that there is no such thing as unanswered prayer.  God either says yes, no, or wait, at least that is what I have always heard.  But today I just wanted to post a few things that Dr. Lutzer said that really stuck out to me. 

Preaching from Hebrews 11, Dr. Lutzer pointed out that in order for us to be faithful and pleasing to God, we must believe the future promises that God has made to us.  If we do not believe the future or that there is a real future coming, then how can we be faithful to God? 

Another point is that Abraham died in faith, not receiving all that God had promised him.  This speaks to the fact that there are future promises and rewards from God, and it also speaks against the name it and claim ideology that is becoming very prevalent on television.  As Dr. Lutzer pointed out, there are times where God does not answer prayers and you simply have to endure.  Some of the things that God has promised us may not come to fruition here on earth.  Some promises will not come until after death.  One last point on this is that when God does not answer our prayer, and we go through a time where we must endure, if God does not do what we think He should do, we must go on believing.

Lastly, going back to the name it and claim it, word of faith etc...televangelist ministries, Dr. Lutzer made this comment that is humorous and sad at the same time.  He said something to the effect of, "Isn't it too bad that some of God's sheep can't tell the difference between grass and astroturf?"  

Again, these are just some of the many excellent points that Dr. Lutzer made.  I hope to be able to post a few points from each chapel service this week, as this will no doubt be an excellent lecture series.  Let me know what you think.

Interesting Thought...

Thank you for the comments regarding the weeds that can choke out the seed that is sown and how we often neglect those seeds because it does take more time to "weed" the ground. Today we had a faculty forum here at school and one of our professors made an interesting point that I wanted to share.

Often times we view people who are not saved as "those people" the ones who are "dead" and so forth. Dr. Bock reminded us that "those" people, are just like you and I, created in the image of God. Fundamentally, the Gospel is about restoring people, who were created in the image of God, back to the state in which they were created, from which we have fallen.

We all are fallen human beings, but we are all created in the image of Christ. That is our common ground. I thought it was eye opening how we do label non-Christians as "those" people. What do you think?

Harvest Crusade

Hey, once again, there is a Harvest Crusade going on, this time in Philadelphia. Just wanted to post a note and link to it so that you can check out the webcast, if you so choose. Check it out!!!

Another Reflection...

So I keep going back into reflection mode and I completely understand if you find it annoying. I know that I probably would if I was a reader, but it helps me to remember what I have learned. Five weeks have passed here at DTS, which means 1/3 of this semester is in the books. It is funny to think that five weeks has come and gone. I can say though that these five weeks have been quite a learning experience. Within two days at Dallas Seminary, I was learning lessons that I need to learn and relearn on a regular basis.

Coming into school, I felt that I had a good grasp on the Scriptures and that for the most part, I had a solid understanding of the Bible. It did not take long for me to realize that I am not the Bible scholar I thought myself to be. Sure, I can make sense of some Scripture and tell you the meaning, but the vast majority of Scripture is foreign to me. It is a sad and depressing realization, yet it invites me to keep studying and to keep learning. The overall lesson is that it is so easy for us to get into a rut when it comes to Bible study. Rather than reading something new, we go back to the familiar passages that we have read a hundred times. We all know what John 3:16 says, at least I hope that everyone reading this does. But do you know what the book of Habakkuk says?

Do you know why Habakkuk becomes upset with God? Do you know the history of the Chaldeans? Did you know that their actions would make Hitler look like a nice guy? I had no clue, and it was not until I actually read the book of Habakkuk and discussed the historical background of the book.

There is so much in the Scripture that we do not know. There is so much to discover. I would challenge you to read a book in the Bible that you have never read, or maybe have only read once.

One last thing I want to share is that when you are studying Scripture, do not study Scripture flippantly. Always be aware that you are studying the very word of God. This is not something that is to be taken lightly. “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NASB). The study of and interpretation of scripture should never be taken lightly. We would not want our doctors to take their studies lightly, operating on us with only partial knowledge. So to, we must see to it that we are not delivering partial truths but the whole truth.

Who are You

If there is one thing that I can confidently say, it is that seminary causes a person to think. A good portion of that time will be spent contemplating ideas one has never delved into, for whatever reason. Another portion of that time will be spent in personal reflection. This period of time is almost worse than the time spent thinking on a new thought or idea, simply because you are forced to look at yourself. The more honest you are, the more difficult the reflection becomes.

Last night I was working on an assignment and we were looking at Mark 11:27-12:44. In these verses, Jesus encounters the Pharisees, Herodians and the Sadducees, each of which is messed up in their own right. For the assignment though, I needed a definition/description of each group. What caused me to pause was the definition of a Pharisee. A Pharisee was a Jewish religious leader that prided themself on keep the commandments/laws of God. As a quick side note, this meant more than the 10 Commandments, and today it means following 631 laws. Along with this though was another description that frightend me, as I saw myself being described.

The Pharisees, along with their religious practices, were known for casting a disparaging opinion on those who did not follow the law. Keep in mind, they looked like the most holy people to everyone else and they acted in such a manner. On the inside though, they were not clean. They were full of self-motivated ideas intentions. They were concerned about receiving honor from the people and being well-known and praised. They thought that God's will matched their list of wants and desires.

The more I read, the more I could replace Pharisee with Chris. It was a sad revelation but a good reminder that we all can become like the Pharisees. How easy is it for us to seek the praise of man? How easy is it for us to think that our wants and desires are God's will? How easy is it for us to cast a disparaging glare towards someone who does something we view as sin?

It's Been A While!!!

I apologize for the lack of updates. Seminary keeps you pretty busy and I'm not yet fluent in Greek, so I spend a lot of my time looking a flashcards with weird characters on them. Anyway, on a more serious note, it's time for a bit of reflection.

Prof Hendricks continuously emphasizes in his classroom that if you want to learn something you have to know how to read. You might laugh at that statement, and some of you may be saying, "That is the dumbest thing I've heard. I know how to read!" Do you? Do you really know how to read? I picked up a book that Prof recommended entitled How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading, by Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren. Let me tell you, I'm not even a fourth of the way through the book and I have learned that I do not know how to read a book. It's amazing how many things we overlook. Do you ever stop and think to read the inside cover of a book? How about the little blurbs in the back? How many of us read the table of contents before reading a book? Do you ask questions of the text as you read? Do you quiz the text? Do you ask yourself what you have learned while you are reading? The whole point is that we miss a lot in our reading because we simply do not know how to read.

You may be wondering how this relates to seminary or something of that nature. The relation is in that the same principles apply to Bible study. The Bible is a book, composed of several books, and in order to even scratch the surface of what the Bible has to offer, you need to know what you are looking for. Case in point, an example from class today: If someone asked you what the statement "In Christ" means, could you give them a sufficient, educated, intelligent answer? I will admit that I would immediately say yes. Most of us would. I quickly realized though that my answer would probably not be sufficient when Prof told us of someone who wrote their dissertation on the statement "In Christ." The dissertation is 370+ pages in length and Prof says it is one of the best books you could ever read on the subject.

I've been in class for about 3 weeks now, and one thing is quite clear. When it comes down to the bare bones truth, I really do not know or comprehend all that much. I may feel like I do, but I do not. There is so much to learn and so much that I do not know.

Lastly, before I go, this morning we had communion during chapel, and it was a great time of reflection. The more I sat there and thought about Jesus, the more I realized that I don't really know Him all that well. It sounds weird and it feels weird to say it, and trying to put it into words is difficult. He is so much more than our finite human minds and hearts can comprehend, and just when we think we really know Him or have Him figured out, we learn something new. A better way of saying this could be, I sat in wonder and amazement at how much more I could know Him and know of Him.

Think about this, God sent His Son, the Savior. Do you see the grace of God in this statement?

1 Week Down...A LOT To Go

This week was the first week of life in seminary, and I must say...Wow! I cannot begin to explain how amazing it is to have the opportunity to study the Bible with some of best Bible teachers in the world today. It is truly a privilege.

This week, Chuck Swindoll gave the message during Wednesday's chapel service, and he warned us that we are entering into one of the most dangerous periods of time in our lives and that we are in the most dangerous place, spiritually speaking. Every day we are open to spiritual attack, but the enemy seems to pay extra attention to seminary students. On Friday, Dr. Pentecost, yes that is his name, delivered the chapel message on Friday. At 93 years old, Dr. Pentecost still teaches and yesterday he taught us that we are to cast our nets where Christ tells us to cast our nets. Our task is not to bring the nets in or bring the "fish." We are to cast the net, God will bring the fish.

It was amazing! Simply amazing!

Thank you to everyone for your prayers!!!! Thank you everyone!

Check Out the Harvest Recap Video

Hey everyone,

So I had a quick break today and watched the Harvest Crusade recap video on Greg Laurie's blog. I suggest checking it out. It's a pretty good video with a great message. You can check it out at this link to Pastor Greg's blog
Just scroll down to the Southern California Harvest Recap video.

Let me know what you think.

Integrity

Today was orientation day at DTS. We had the opportunity to hear from different departments and the various offices on campus. It was your typical school orientation, so to speak. The only difference is that at seminary, whenever you meet, someone has a Word for you. Today, the Word came from Chaplain Bill Bryan.

Chaplain Bill is a man that you cannot really describe. He is 72 years old and more full of life and love for the Lord than most twenty-somethings. Today, Chaplain Bill spoke to us regarding integrity and blamelessness. Integrity is what you do when no one is look and blamelessness is not doing anything that can bring a charge against you. In other words, blamelessness means to talk the talk but you walk the walk.

The brief message came from Psalm 101:1-4,6. Picking up in the middle of verse 2 David writes, "I will walk within my house in the integrity of my heart. I will set no worthless thing before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not fasten its grip on me" (NASB). What Chaplain Bill showed us though is that integrity and blamelessness is a choice. Notice that David says "I will..." This notes him making a choice. He is choosing to be a man of integrity. He is choosing to do what's right and to be who he should be. But as Chaplain Bill also pointed out, that comes from deep within the soul. These choices are made and directed by the Holy Spirit and it is only by His strength that we are able to be victorious and live a life of integrity and blamelessness.

That was the really cool insight of the day, and this was only orientation day! But please pray for me and for everyone you know, that we would all live lives of integrity and blamelessness.

It Starts Soon...

I apologize for being slow on the updates. I have finally begun to get settled in to my new apartment. It's pretty nice, I must admit. My brother did a good job in picking out the place, seeing as how he saw it and told me to move there.

Today we got a lot of rain. It has rained quite a bit the past few days and when I say rain, I do not mean the typical Yuma shower that lasts for 15 minutes or so and then goes away. This past week, when it rains, it flat rains! Last night we got 3 inches of rain and today I bet we got another inch to two inches. It's been nuts.

The family and Kenny all loaded up and left today. It's definitely weird, having them here for a week and then they're gone. I told my mom that I felt bad that I was not all sad and upset over them leaving. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that my brother and Kayla are coming back on Sunday. I'm sure that I will feel differently after they move in November.

Tomorrow is the beginning of school, meaning orientation day. Yay! I'm excited to get started, but I am very nervous/scared as well. I will be honest that looking over the syllabus for some classes is flat terrifying. As weird as that may sound. Please pray for me that God will give me peace of mind and the ability to discern and understand what I am learning.

Lastly, before I sign off for the night, thank you again to everyone who is praying for me. I cannot tell you enough, how much you mean to me. Thank you for all of your support!

Quick Update

So I don't have the internet at my apartment yet, so I'm stealing my brothers. But I just wanted to say thank you again to everyone for your prayers and support. We have made it to Dallas and I am getting settled in. Dallas is pretty sweet. But I gotta run. I do want to put a plug in for the Harvest Crusade though that Greg Laurie does every year. If you get a chance, check it out online!!

Moving...Sooooo Much Fun!

So it has been a bit since my last post. I do apologize. Today I have been frantically, well, not frantically packing. More so excitedly, ready to leave town but I do not want to leave behind friends and family packing. If you would like to simplify this even more, I still have some packing to do and it is 11:12 pm as I currently type, and I am leaving tomorrow. Oh well.

Anyway, I do want to share with you a couple of photos from the going away party for Trent and Dana, and myself. It's so unsettling to know that, without trying, I look like I am going bald, even though I am not! I cannot help it that my hair parts weird. It is either that or my head is shaped funny. I would believe either.

I do want to wish Trent and Dana and their family all the best as they take this next step in following God where He leads. Thank you for all that you guys have done for me, all of the support and encouragement over the years, and for giving me the opportunity to preach. I cannot say thank you enough.

I told you I look like I'm losing my hair!!!
Good Friends to Have!!! (L to R Dana, Bev, Fred, Myself, Trent, My Mom)

One More Time...

So I'm sitting at the church right now, helping with worship practice for this Sunday. It's kind of weird. I feel myself becoming all sentimental, thinking about how we may practice one more night before I take off for Texas. I really felt as though this was several weeks away, but the time is drawing short.

In less than six days I will be heading south to Texas, moving away from home for the next four years. It's hard to imagine and I admit that I am nervous, although I am excited to begin the Masters program at DTS.

More to come later...I'm sure...

Just As I Am

"Just as I am, without one plea,
But that thy blood was shed for me,
And that thou bidd'st me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!"

Words, Charlotte Elliott, 1834. Tune WOODWORTH, William B. Bradbury, 1849.

You Gotta Go Deeper

So I have been trying to figure out how to put the Beth Moore simulcast into a blog post. The more I think about it, the more I realize that I am still processing a lot of what she said and taught. Usually I can come up with something to write or say fairly quickly. But this is different.

What God has shown me is that in order to live as a victorious Christian, we must be willing to go deeper in our relationship with Christ. We must move past salvation and press forward in growing our relationship with God. This weekend, Beth made the statement that you must dig down and have deep roots below if you want to produced good fruit above. By that she means that our roots must be planted in the soil of the God's Word and growing deeper in God's Word if we want to see a hundredfold harvest above.

Saturday evening, after the simulcast, I was going over my Sunday school lesson for today and the Holy Spirit really made John 6:53-58 stand out to me. Here Jesus is explaining to the Jews that He is the Bread of Life and that you must eat of His flesh and drink of His blood if you want to have life. As I was reading these verses, the Holy Spirit really hammered home the point that we must feed on Christ. By that I mean we must be in His Word daily. In John 6:57, Jesus said,"As the living Father sent ME, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me." If we want to have any life spiritually, we must feed on Christ. If we want out spiritual life to continue to grow, we must feed on Christ daily. We must seek Him and dig our roots deeper into the soil of Christ. The deeper our roots, the stronger our relationship with Christ. The more we feed on Christ, the stronger we become and more we grow spiritually.

I'm sure there is more that I will write later on, but for today, this is what has really stood out to me. I know that I can speak from personal experience that when we neglect daily Bible study, our spiritual life suffers and we give the devil an open door of attack.

What are your thoughts? Did you see the simulcast this weekend? What did God say to you? Let me know.

Beth Moore Simulcast!

Last night and today is the Beth Moore simulcast. She's an amazing teacher and I am looking forward to posting what God reveals through her. Until then, take a look at Luke 8:1-15.

Cool Song

So when we were down in New Orleans in July, the Youthworks leader taught us a worship song entitled "Wrap Me in Your Arms." I believe the song is by Michael Gungor. Anyway, below is a video that lacidar321 made on YouTube, using the song.

Discipline

"Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline by body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified." --1 Corinthians 9:26-27 (NASB)

Ah yes. Discipline. A favorite subject of many, but generally abhorred by most. Though the term is becoming antiquated today, discipline is still an expectation that God has set before us as Christians. In his letter to the church in Corinth, Paul explains that he is careful with his liberty in Christ and works to exercise discipline and self control as he strives toward the imperishable reward of heaven that is found in Jesus.

Yes we have liberty in Christ, and through Christ all of our sins are forgiven. However, this does not mean that we have a free ticket to continue in sin. "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from teh dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life." --Romans 5:1-4 (NASB)

Through Christ we receive a new life and are a new creation, given a testimony and witness to share with a lost and dying world. As Paul points out in his letter to the Corinthians though, we must discipline ourselves and our bodies so that we do not stumble in such a manner that we disqualify ourselves from ministry.

A few months ago this verse stuck out to me, and I have told a few people that this is going to be my seminary verse. It is a challenge to all seminary students but to all Christians as well. My prayer is that you will make this verse applicable in your life as well. And trust me when I say this, I have a lot of work to do! I am not condemning anyone or judging anyone in any way. I will admit that I have plenty of room to go. Will you go along as well and discipline yourself as a Christian? "...but I discipline by body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified." --1 Corinthians 9:27 (NASB)

Seminary

Straight Outta Dallas! I know it's not the most clever name, but then again I'm not much for naming things. The whole intent of this blog is to help keep my family and friends, and possibly complete strangers who stumble through, informed as to my life at Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS). Before you say anything, I do know that I have not yet moved to Dallas, but I will be shortly.

Last year, I really sensed that God was calling me into full-time ministry. In the exact capacity I am not sure, but it looks to either be in an education capacity or in pastoral ministries. Anyway, long story short, I will begin my seminary education this August, and hopefully will be able to find time to keep my blog up to date. Time shall tell.

In the mean time, check out these photos from the French Quarter in New Orleans. What an amazing trip!