Bible Reading

I'm really grateful for Bible reading plan I'm currently using. Besides the benefit of reading through the Bible in one year, I'm also enjoying the ability to read and absorb passages of Scripture that I would normally be unlikely to study. I'm grateful for the plan because it enables me to grasp the big picture of Scripture. It allows me to grow in my understanding of how it all fits together.

The plan assists in the discipline of reading the unfamiliar and the familiar parts of Scripture. Personally, I know that without a plan or at least a determination, I would be more likely to revisit my favorite Scripture passages over and over and neglect others. The plan helps me to stay balanced in my Bible intake.

I am all for revisiting our favorite Scriptures and especially the ones that God has spoken to us through. I think that is an essential part of the discipline of Scripture meditation. I also know that sometimes I can tend to dismiss some passages because they are more immediately relevant than others. While that is true, it doesn't justify ignoring those passages. After all "All Scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for teaching, correcting, rebuking, and training in righteousness" (2 Tim 3:16). And who knows, sometimes God speaks to us out of passages that we would least expect him to.

I'm grateful to be able to glean so much from the more unfamiliar portions of Scripture. I'd encourage you to go for it too!

Future AG Blog

Some of you may have heard that the General Superintendent of our fellowship of churches, Thomas Trask is resigning this year and we will be electing a new Gen Sup at this year's General Council in Indianapolis. This is a new blog facilitating a discussion about the election. It is very insightful if you are interested in this kind of thing. You can also see the results of a poll on votes for possible candidates.

The Reluctant Prophet

This is the first message in our Jonah series. Through this study we will be looking at what this book has to say about the prophet Jonah and more importantly what it teaches us about God.

Good Friends

Jess and I had a great time this weekend hanging out with good friends Bobby Hawk and Nick Poole. We all go way back to college. Never thought I'd be saying that... Must be getting old! Bobby is a Senior Pastor in Pontiac, Michigan and Nick is on staff at Allison Park Church. Great guys!

Jonah Series

I'm getting very excited about our upcoming series on Jonah. We will be taking a fresh look at this familiar story and the insights it gives us into God. I've been finding so much richness in my study and preparation this week. I'd rather have God put one word in my heart than share a thousand of my own thoughts.

Friendships Part 2

I'll never forget what one of my mentors in the past would always say: Show me your friends and I'll show you your future. That truth has always stuck with me.

I remember when I was in 4th grade. I was a really quiet kid that wasn't able to make very many friends except with some of the bad kids. I never really quite fit in with that group though, but I remember how powerful their influence was on me. One friend in particular invited me one time to go throw rocks at a neighbors house. Not one of my best moments:)

I have since learned the importance of having the right friends. While having the wrong friends can drag you down, having the right friends can lift you up. In college I was drawn to with people who had a similar passion in their heart for God. I typically avoid churchy phrases, but for the sake of discussion I made friends with people who I found to be a "kindred spirit". That's not to say that I didn't have any other friends, but my primary friendships, the ones I allowed to influence me, were with people who were serious about God.

Proverbs 13:20 says, "Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm."

All of us are influencers, in one way or another. We are constantly influencing others and allowing others to influence us. I believe that this Scripture teaches us that surrounding ourselves with wise friends and counselors has a profound effect on the shaping of our lives. The people that we align ourselves with, identify ourselves with, and allow to influence us, will have an undeniable effect on our development.

Friendships are critical and vital, and the deepest friendships are truly a gift from God. Even more important than having friends is the quality of the friends we choose. I'm so thankful for the many wise friends whom God has sent into my life.

Reading

Here's a good article I came across on the Desiring God blog about the importance of reading. Enjoy!

Friendships Part 1

Yesterday I got a call from a college friend that I have not talked to in a really long time. It was so refreshing to reconnect with someone who had been a huge blessing to my life in college. It got me thinking about the importance of friendships.

As humans, we are created with a need and desire for friendship and relationship. When God created man in the garden he said that it was not good for the man to be alone. If he said that before sin entered the picture how much more important is it that we be connected with one another in healthy relationships.

One of the most dangerous traps that a Christian, or anybody for that matter, can fall into is isolation. Isolation is a subtle, yet deadly pattern.

Isolation is dangerous for at least 3 reasons:

We are more susceptible to discouragment and depression
See Ecclesiastes 4:9-10. When we have close knit friendships we can lift one another up in the midst of failure or suffering.

We are more vulnerable to temptation
See James 1:14. This is true because the more isolated we become, the less accountable we are to anyone.

The power of sin is in its secrecy
See James 5:16. We can't be truly healed without confession. We need people with whom we can make our struggles known so that they may pray for us and stand with us for victory.

We need friends who can speak into our lives and we need friends whose lives we can speak into. When we are connected with one another in true friendship we will be there to support one another in moments of greatest need. We need to be surrounded by those people who can lift us up when we are down and strengthen us when we are weak. We need to look for those that we can invest in and inspire to go higher.

We were not created to live in isolation. We were made for relationship with God and with one another. Regardless of how introverted or extroverted we are, we cannot afford to live in isolation from other people. We would be wise to follow the counsel of 1 John 1:7:

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin."

Comments?

Sidewalk Sunday School

Sidewalk SS is right around the corner. We'll be having these children's outreach events Monday, July 23, 30, and August 6. Each of these days there will be activities at 4:30pm at the P.J. Caul Gazebo on 11th St. and at 7pm at Crestview Village. So many lives have been impacted by this ministry through the years.

Coba

As promised, here are a couple of shots from the Mayan city of Coba in the eastern Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. I love visiting places like this.

Sounds of Joy

I shared a verse with our worship team that I read this morning. Let it be an encouragement to anyone in worship or music ministry.

1 Chronicles 15:16

"David also commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brothers as the singers who should play loudly on musical instruments, on harps and lyres and cymbals, to raise sounds of joy."

Let's raise sounds of joy!

Home Sweet Home!

It was good to be away, but its great to be back! Jess and I had a wonderful time in Mexico. We originally thought our resort was in Cancun, but it ended up being in Riviera Maya, about 45 minutes south of Cancun along the coast. I think I was able to use every bit of Spanish that I know!

The weather was beautiful, the water was great, and the food was amazing. I'm glad to have rediscovered my love for one of the greatest food combinations in the world: chopped white onions, chopped tomatoes, and fresh cilantro (i.e. pico de gallo). Love that stuff! They definitely know how to do Mexican food down there.

We were also able to visit the archaelogical site of Coba, an ancient Mayan city. Though not as large as some of the other ancient cities I've visited, Coba is largely unexcavated. Our guide told us that they have only uncovered about 1% of the city. I'll post some pictures of it later on.

Also got to finish the classic book Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. More on that for another time.

It's great to be back and I'm looking forward to what God has for us this summer at ACC!

I'm An Adventurer (somewhat)

Even though I was influenced somewhat by Indiana Jones, God has given me a love of adventure. I really enjoy visiting archaeological sites. I have visited several ruins of the ancient Maya civilizations.

The first time I was in Mexico, I visited Chichen Itza, which is probably best known for its 75' tall pyramid in excellent condition.

A couple of years ago I had the privilege of visiting the ancient Mayan city of Tikal in Guatemala. Tikal was one of the major cultural and population centers of the Maya civilization. There are a few ruins there that were used as a backdrop for a couple of scenes in Star Wars Episode IV.

As Jess and I are about to leave for our vacation now we are planning on visiting the Mayan city of Coba in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Coba is one of the most unexcavated of all Mayan archaelogical sites. Looking forward to it.

With that, I'll be checking out of the blogosphere. Peace out!