Spring Cleaning

From an email I got this week...

Spring cleaning is a time when we clean out the mess, open the windows and let the warmth and light shine in. Here are seven ways to spring clean your life:

Clean out Pride and replace it with Humility. “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6) He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. (Psalm 25:9)

Clean out Anger and replace it with Self Control. An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered one commits many sins. (Psalm 22:9)

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Gal. 5:22-23)

Clean out Unbelief and replace it with Faith. See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. (Hebrews 3:12-13) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Clean out Revenge, and replace it with Forgiveness. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”says the Lord. (Romans 12:17-19)

Clean out Complaining and replace it with Praise. Do everything without complaining or arguing. (Philippians 2:14)

Clean out Wicked Thoughts and replace them with Pure Thoughts. Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)

Clean out Gossip and replace it with Encouragement. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Eph. 4:29-32)

"You Don't Have To Hate Your Life"

I wanted share an exert from a blog by Pastor Perry Noble. You can check out his blog at www.perrynoble.com.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO HATE YOUR LIFE!

Jesus Christ did not die on a cross, reconcile us to God, give us His Word and fill us with His Spirit so that we could live mediocre lives!

He is ALIVE…and those who follow Him should be as well!

Our dreams should be bigger!

Our passion should run deeper!

Our potential is greater!

We are called!

We are gifted!

We are commissioned!

WE ARE VICTORIOUS!

We should BEG Him for HIS direction…and understand that He wants to direct our steps WAY more than most of us want Him to!

We are not called to try to sell Him on our agenda but rather completely sell out to His!

You don’t have to hate your life…His call us for us is to live a full and complete one (John 10:10!)

So…let’s stop existing and start living…

The world does not need “more informed Christians” but rather more ignited, passionate, sincere followers of Jesus!

And when we LIVE in HIM…and the WORLD sees HIM…THAT is when He can use us to make the biggest difference!

Webliography

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

Hebrews 4:12 (NLT)

Webliography...

In previous blogs I have shared with you some of my favorite books, today I would like to share some of my favorite websites. Each of these sites relate to God and His Word. My hope is that they bless you as much as they have blessed me. And, as always, send me your favorite websites. I would love to see them.

www.thebricktestament.com

This website tells the story of Scripture exclusively through the use of LEGOS. At first, I thought this site would fun for the boys but the more I read the more fascinated I became. If you have trouble simply reading the Bible you need to check this out. It’ll be fun and you may end up reading more of the Bible than ever before. Due to the nature of some Bible stories, please check the ratings provided for each story before sharing them with your children.

www.mergedgospels.com

This site not only has merged Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John it provides helps to prove that the Gospels are 100% historically accurate. This is a fantastic website with great research and tremendous video presentations.

www.youversion.com & www.biblegateway.com

These are my personal favorite online Bible study sites. I love having the Bible just a click away. Let me know what your favorite Bible sites are.

The Resurrection

It truly was a happy Easter! God blessed us at the Ascension Convention (thanks to everyone for your help… you guys are awesome!) and Sunday we got to celebrate our risen Lord and Savior!

The resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of the Christian faith. Some may ask what is the historical evidence that Jesus actually rose from the dead? Christian apologist Josh McDowell provides six facts that prove the resurrection of Jesus Christ in history.

Fact 1 – The broken Roman seal

Fact 2 – The empty tomb

Fact 3 – The large stone removed

Fact 4 – The Roman guard goes AWOL

Fact 5 – The graveclothes

Fact 6 – The appearances of Jesus after His resurrection

I don’t have room to go into all of the powerful details of each of these facts, but if you’re serious about looking into this evidence or know someone who is, take please visit www.josh.org and click Evidence for the Resurrection to get the whole story.

The Cross

From the book, A Physician Looks at the Crucifixion by Mitchell Peter Pries M.D

The cross is placed on the ground and the exhausted man is quickly thrown backwards with his shoulders against the wood. The legionnaire feels for the depression at the front of the wrist. He drives a heavy, square wrought iron nail through the wrist deep into the wood. Quickly, he moves to the other side and repeats the action, being careful not to pull the arms too tightly, but to allow some flex and movement.

The cross is then lifted into place. The left foot is pressed backward against the right foot, and with both feet extended, toes down, a nail is driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees flexed. The victim is now crucified. As he slowly sags down with more weight on the nails in the wrists, excruciating fiery pain shoots along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain - the nails in the wrists are putting pressure on the median nerves. As he pushes himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, he places the full weight on the nail through his feet. Again he feels the searing agony of the nail tearing through the nerves between the bones of his feet. As the arms fatigue, cramps sweep through his muscles, knotting them in deep relentless, throbbing pain.

With these cramps comes the inability to push himself upward to breathe. Air can be drawn into the lungs but not exhaled. He fights to raise himself in order to get even one small breath. Finally, carbon dioxide builds up in the lungs and in the blood stream, and the cramps partially subside. Spasmodically, he is able to push himself upward to exhale and bring in life-giving oxygen. Hours of limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint wrenching cramps, intermittent partial asphyxiation, searing pain as tissue is torn from his lacerated back as he moves up and down against rough timber.

Then another agony begins: a deep, crushing pain deep in the chest as the pericardium slowly fills with serum and begins to compress the heart. It is now almost over. The loss of tissue fluids has reached a critical level-the compressed heart is struggling to pump heavy, thick, sluggish blood into the tissues and the tortured lungs are making frantic effort to gasp in small gulps of air. He can feel the chill of death creeping through his tissues. Finally, he can allow his body to die.

Goals

The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.

Psalm 37:23 (NLT)

Leslie and I are amazed at how fast the boys are growing. Each new season brings new growth in their lives. Time is flying by. We are sensing now more than ever before the need for setting goals for the parenting of our boys. God gave Leslie and me the stewardship of the young lives of Luke, Matthew, and Mark. Our responsibility is to train them in the way of the Lord and equip them for adulthood. For a life that glorifies God.

So how do we do it? Especially with the uniqueness of personality and variety of giftings our children have? It will require a set of goals, a plan of action, and quality time investing in their lives.

Goals and plans are important. They provide a sense of direction and purpose. They help us track our progress. They allow us to look ahead to a better future. They motivate us to action.

Do you have goals for your parenting? What about some personal goals? It is important to know where we are headed and where we are taking our children. Take time this spring to set some life goals that glorify God. Remember, that’s why each of us were created.

In closing, let me say a big thank you to all of those in our church who are volunteering to help out at this year’s Ascension Convention (www.theascensionconvention.com) this coming Easter weekend, April 1-3. There is no doubt that your involvement is making the difference in the lives of many teenagers lives. There is still time to sign up to help. I can’t wait to see what God has in store!

Start Here by Alex and Brett Harris

My Book Shelf – Start Here by Alex and Brett Harris

Every now and then in my blog to our church I like to share with you the books that I’m reading that really help, challenge, and inspire me. My hope is that these books do the same for you.

A few weeks ago I shared with the congregation that Leslie and I are now parents of a teenager. I know these teenage years are going to fly by so I want to make them count. I had a pastor friend tell me about a book by Alex and Brett Harris called Do Hard Things. He said it transformed his son and their relationship, so I knew when my boys got older I would take the journey with them to “do hard things.”

The twin Harris’ have a brand new book called Start Here: Doing Hard Things Right Where You Are. As I started to read this new book I realized that it speaks to me as much as it will to my children. I want to “do hard things” for God and I believe you do as well. Here is a summary of the book that will help us and our children in the process.

At the age of eighteen, Alex and Brett Harris wrote Do Hard Things—and launched a movement that would change a generation. Young people around the world were ready to be inspired, ready to move beyond complacency, ready to rebel against society’s low expectations.

Now the highly anticipated companion book, Start Here, answers the questions Alex and Brett have received from thousands of teens on their worldwide conference tour and popular online community: How do I get started? What hard things does God want me to do? How do I keep from getting discouraged or burned out? What is the best way to inspire others?

Filled with stories and insights from Alex, Brett, and other real-life rebelutionaries, Start Here is a powerful and practical guide for young people who are ready to take the next step and blast past apathy. Let the rebelution continue.

Baptism - Identification

But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"

Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented.

Matthew 3:14-15 (NIV)

John’s Baptism was a baptism of repentance. Jesus requested a baptism of repentance. But why? Jesus was perfect. He knew no sin. 2 Corinthians 5:21 testifies, “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” Jesus is baptized with a baptism of repentance so that he could identify with us as the sacrifice for our sins.

Fast forward to Christian Baptism. In Christian Baptism we are identifying ourselves with Christ, His death, burial and resurrection as we go down into the water and then come up again. Romans 6:4 teaches us, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

Just as Jesus identified Himself with our sinfulness, we identify ourselves with the abundant life He gives us through the victory He won for us on the cross. He identifies with our weakness and we identify with His strength. What a wonderful picture of God’s love and power shown to us in baptism.

Baptism is an important step in our Christian walk. It is a requirement for the obedient disciple. Acts 2:38, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” 1 Peter 3:21, “this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also--not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God.” We celebrate with those obedient to God following Him in water baptism!

Valentine's Day

...the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13 (NLT)

According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated one billion valentine cards were sent each year, making Valentine's Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.) Beyond all the cards imagine all the gifts, candy, and flowers. Why all the fuss? All because of LOVE!

Of the three great Christian virtues faith, hope, and love, the Bible teaches us that love is the greatest. 1 John 4:16 tells us that God is love. Love is the ultimate test of our Christian faith (1 John 4:20). The ultimate act of obedient discipleship is to love God first and foremost and then love others as yourself (Mark 12:30). The Bible is clear, we are nothing without love (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).

But what is love? It is pretty clear that our culture doesn’t understand what true love is. So we go back to the Bible, our guide for life, to understand what true love is. This Valentine’s Day discover the characteristics of love. Read, meditate on, and then apply what you learn about love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7...

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Love & War by John and Stasi Eldredge

From My Book Shelf... Love and War by John and Stasi Eldredge

Every now and then in my blog to our church I like to share with you the books that I’m reading that really help, challenge, and inspire me. My hope is that these books do the same for you.

What the Eldredge bestsellers Wild at Heart did for men, and Captivating did for women, LOVE & WAR will do for married couples everywhere. John and Stasi Eldredge have contributed the quintessential works on Christian spirituality through the experience of men and the experience of women and now they turn their focus to the incredible dynamic between those two forces. 



With refreshing openness that will grab readers from the first page, the Eldredges candidly discuss their own marriage and the insights they’ve gained from the challenges they faced. Each talks independently to the reader about what they’ve learned, giving their guidance personal immediacy and a balance between the male and female perspectives that has been absent from all previous books on this topic. They begin LOVE & WAR with an obvious but necessary acknowledgement: Marriage is fabulously hard. They advise that the sooner we get the shame and confusion off our backs, the sooner we'll find our way through. 



LOVE & WAR shows couples how to fight for their love and happiness, calling men and women to step into the great adventure God has waiting for them together. Walking alongside John and Stasi Eldredge, every couple can discover how their individual journeys are growing into a story of meaning much greater than anything they could do or be on their own.

Prayer

We need to believe that God will answer us when we pray. Look at a few verses from a conversation Jesus has with His disciples during the Last Supper.

I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!

John 14:12-14 (NLT)

But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!

John 15:7 (NLT)

You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.

John 15:16 (NLT)

You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.

John 16:24 (NLT)

What do you think Jesus was trying to get across to his disciples? I want to see God answer our prayers. But it’s not just a blank check from heaven. Look again at John 15:7, “...if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!" The key to answered prayer is remaining in Christ and His Word. IF we remain in Christ and abide in Him we can expect God to answer our prayers. This week pray, abide in Christ (John 15:5-8), and watch what God will do.

Worship & Prayer

For my people have done two evil things: They have abandoned me— the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all!

Jeremiah 2:13 (NLT)

Worship and prayer are essential. They connect us to God. Without worship and prayer in our life we are on our own. We will try our hardest, maybe do our best, but it won’t be enough. We are broken people. On your own, you will never be able to be the person you were created to be. For me, in order to be the disciple, husband, father, pastor, teacher, neighbor, friend I am called to be, I need to be connected to God who mends my brokenness with his grace and love and then fills me with His living water! We must walk in God’s wisdom, strength, courage, new life, victory, etc. and not our own.

This week worship and pray and meditate on what Jesus tells you and me in John 15:5-8...

“...I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. “

Worship

Worshipping God is our highest calling and nothing pleases God more. The Westminster Shorter Catechism asks “What is our chief end?” It's “to glorify God and enjoy him forever.” Here are a few Bible passages about worship for you to meditate on this week.

• 
Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. 1 Chronicles 16:9
• 
Sing to the LORD, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day. 1 Chronicles 16:23
• 
I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will show forth all thy marvelous works. Psalm 9:1
• 
Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name. Psalm 30:4
• 
You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy. Psalm 30:11
• 
But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. Psalm 59:16
• Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker. Psalm 95:6
• We will bless the Lord from this time on and forevermore. Praise the Lord! Psalm 114:1
• 
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Romans 12:1
• 
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!" Revelation 5:13

New Year's Resoluiton

It’s that time again... Time for your New Year’s Resolution! What’s your resolution this year? Does it have to do with your physical health? Finances? Perhaps a spiritual goal?

If history is any judge you probably won’t keep your New Year’s resolution this year. In fact, many who are reading this now may have already broken their resolution. Resolutions have to be more than just words and good intentions. Making a resolution is easy. Getting results, well, that’s difficult. Results requires action and that’s where we fail most of the time.

I want to share a verse with you for 2010. I believe God has given this verse to you and our church for this year.

You crown the year with Your goodness, And Your paths drip with abundance.

Psalm 65:11

Hold on to this verse. Remember John 10:10 and the abundant life God has promised you. I love the promises of God! The Bible is full of them, and remember, they are there for YOU!

What I love about the promises of God is that they are true and will come to pass. Unlike many of our New Year’s resolutions, God puts action behind His promises. Never forget that God is faithful and true and what He promises is yes and amen. Hold on to the promises of God this year. Don’t let anybody or anything rob you of the hope you have in God! Happy New Year and may God crown your year with His goodness and may your paths drip with abundance.

2010

You crown the year with Your goodness, And Your paths drip with abundance.

Psalm 65:11

The end of a year is always a strange time. We have one foot in the old year while ready to take the first step into the new. We pause to reflect on the past as we anticipate a brighter tomorrow. It’s important to be thankful for God’s blessings thus far but also to remember that His work in your life is not yet compete (Philippians 1:6).

It’s hard to believe that the year 2010 is right around the corner. Not only are we about to begin a new year, we are about to begin a new decade. It’s difficult to believe that ten years ago right now we were wondering about Y2K.

It’s amazing how time flies. It seems like yesterday we were welcoming the new millennium and today we’re already a decade into the new era. When you reflect on the past decade was a time of blessing or trial in your life? No doubt a lot happened in that short amount of time.

The question I would like you to ponder now is how are you going to spend the next decade of your life? This last ten years seemed to fly by and yet so much happened. What’s your plan for the next ten years? Think about your life, your purpose, your family, your relationship with God, etc. Spend time with God and pray about what He has in store for you.

I can honestly say I have never been so excited about the future. I can’t wait to see what Christ has in store for you and His church as He establishes His Kingdom and prepares for His return.

Why is Christmas so important?

Why is Christmas so important?

If you were to ask the average person today to tell you what they thought about Jesus they would probably respond... He was a great teacher, or He was a miracle worker, or even He was a good man. All of these answers would be true, but these are not the reason He came to earth. There are four verses, one from each Gospel, that we call the purpose verses for Jesus’ life.

And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.

Matthew 1:21 (NLT)

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Mark 10:45 (NLT)

For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.

Luke 19:10 (NLT)

Jesus replied, “Now the time has come...I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives... this is the very reason I came!

John 12:23, 24, 27 (NLT)

Jesus was a great teacher, a miracle worker, and a perfect man but the reason Jesus came was to be our Savior. We were all are dead in our trespasses and sins. Our ultimate need is for a Savior that would come, take the penalty for our sins, and restore us into a right relationship with God. Jesus came as a baby, to later die on cross, in order to save us from our sins. Never forget why Jesus came. He came to be our savior.

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

Romans 5:8 (NLT)

My Book Shelf – Primal by Mark Batterson

My Book Shelf – Primal by Mark Batterson

Every now and then in my blog to the church I like to share with you the books that I’m reading that really challenge and inspire me. My hope is that these books do the same for you.

I have a new favorite book and no surprise it comes from our long time friend Mark Batterson. I have enjoyed Mark’s previous books including ID: The True You, In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day, and Wild Goose Chase. His latest book is called PRIMAL, A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity. Mark’s premise is that our generation of Christianity needs a reformation, but not a reformation to create something new but rather a reformation that rediscovers the old.

In Primal, we are challenged to look back at the first Christians and the early church that had to strive to simply exist. It was a time when numbers were insignificant, worldly influence was little, being a Christian was illegal, and the church had to meet in underground graveyards. Batterson asks us to remember their creed, the Great Commandment, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.” Mark 12:30 (NLT)

In the four sections of the book Mark takes each point of the Great Commandment and reveals...

• The heart of Christianity is primal compassion.
• The soul of Christianity is primal wonder.
• The mind of Christianity is primal curiosity.
• The strength of Christianity is primal energy.

Through the use of story and Scripture Mark paints a picture of what the renewed believers will look like. That, in reality, they’ll actually look a lot more like the believers of old and that our new reformation will not only be built on creeds but more so on our deeds.

Concussion

The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?

Proverbs 20:24 (NLT)

I wanted to write and thank everyone for praying for me the past couple of weeks. As many of you I suffered a concussion the Sunday we moved out of the Prime Outlet Mall in Huntley. Without going into great detail I basically overestimated my strength and coordination and ended by hitting my head quite hard. I have to admit I was pretty frustrated with myself and the situation and had plenty of time to think about it during my week of doctor-ordered rest.

I try to learn from my mistakes. So, when things like this happen or when I go through a difficult time I try to make a list of lessons I’ve learned in the process. But as I began to make my usual list I was challenged in my spirit to instead make a list of things I was thankful for as a result of the accident. Here are a few items from my list...

• I am thankful for a God that watches out for us even when we don’t make the wisest choices.
• I am thankful for family and friends that notice and care enough to force you go to the emergency room.
• I am thankful for a caring and praying church family.
• I am thankful for a church staff that can carry on the work of ministry.
• I am thankful for a God the heals.
• I am thankful for a thick skull.

This weekend I’m praying for you and the services at Christian Life. Leslie and I together with with Pastor Harry and the entire Mission Possible board are in Ft. Lauderdale at an important Mission Possible 25th anniversary event. I will be sure to give Brother Ivo and the entire MP team your love and greetings in the Lord.

Thanksgiving Proclamation

Below is exert of the original Thanksgiving proclamation given by George Washington in New York on October 3, 1789.

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to "recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation...For the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Joy

I enjoyed the ministry of the Holy Spirit through our friend and brother Steve Sampson last weekend in our services. I know many were touched by the Word of the Lord that came forth. All four services from last weekend are available in podcast form at www.christianlifechurch.org/podcast.

Steve’s timely message to our church was on the subject of the joy of the Lord. Here are some of my favorite scriptures on experiencing God’s joy for you to meditate on this week.

• Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy... Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete... In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:22, 24, 33 (NIV)

• May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 (NIV)

• A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit. Proverbs 15:13 (NLT)

• Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up. Proverbs 12:25 (NLT)

• ...but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God. 1 Samuel 30:6 (KJV)

• Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength! Nehemiah 8:10 (NLT)

• Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you... Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:3-9 (NIV)