God Knows

Sometimes we find that the circumstances in our lives are overwhelming and confusing. Sometimes we wonder what is going on, and why things are tough. When we find our circumstances to be challenging and confusing we must remember that God says in Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” And Romans 8:28 tells us a similar message: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

We might not know what God is doing in our lives, but we must know that God knows, and that he is always up to something good in my life.

I know not, but God knows;
Oh blessed rest from fear!
All my unfolding days
To Him are plain and clear.

Each anxious puzzled “Why?”
From doubt or dread that grows,
Finds answer in this thought:
I know not, but He knows.

I cannot but God can;
Oh, balm for all my care!
The burden that I drop
His hand will lift and bear,

Though eagle pinions tire,
I walk where once I ran,

This is my strength to know:
I cannot, but God can.

(Poem by Annie Johnson Flint)

Thoughts from the Book of Genesis

“These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens.” Gen.2:4

In Genesis 1 it was Elohim who acted—a name ever linked with God as creator. It is a plural word, one that hides within its depths the fact that God is a triune God. It occurs some twenty-seven hundred times in the Bible. That plural noun is nearly always used with a singular verb or adjective, signifying the essential oneness of the Godhead.

Here in the closing review of creation, the name Elohim is connected with the name Jehovah (LORD). Jehovah is the same god, only viewed as being in covenant relation with those He has created. The first appearance of the name Jehovah follows the creation of man, for the preeminently it is God’s redemptive name. As Elohim, He tossed the worlds into space; as Jehovah, He planned man’s redemption before ever He fashioned Adam’s clay. In Genesis 1 it is said that God created “the heaven and the earth”; here it is said that God made the “earth and heavens.” The earth comes first here for, as Redeemer, God’s interest is centered on our little planet. The earth became the focal center of the universe, the spot where the whole mystery of iniquity was to be settled.

(taken from Exploring Genesis, by John Phillips)

Geo Caching in South Haven, MI

My wife and I recently had the pleasure of going Geo-Caching. This was actually the third time we have gone geo caching. We decided on a spot called Northpoint Beech a little south of us with a wonderful view of lake Michigan. Unfortunately, we did not have enough time to find the cache. We did however have a wonderful time and since we had the camera with us we were able to document the whole experience.

“What is Geo Caching?” you ask. Well in short, it is an online, worldwide scavenger hunt. “Cache’s”, or small boxes or cylinders, are hidden in various places throughout cities and towns and parks all across the world. The coordinates for these caches are posted on the inter-net and can easily be uploaded to most GPS devices. All you have to do is find them… it is way fun.

Here are some pictures from when my wife and I went the other day.

Here we are in our backyard, setting the Coordinates into the GPS before we head out… N42 20.560 W86 17.831….

We came upon this Dire warning on the trail… certain death awaits us all, just around the corner…

Here I am conferring with the GPS. It should be somewhere around here…

Still looking… No luck….

This way…no wait, maybe that way….

I thought it might be in this hollow tree… but No…. so I keep looking…

 

Christina seems to be enjoying herself, while I keep looking…

After a while, we give up, and enjoy the view… Lake MI.

Christina took these amazing pictures….

Isn’t she cute??

Maybe he knows where it is…

Oh well, time to go… better luck next time.

No dirty shoes in this car…

We had tons of fun on this geo cache….. maybe you can come wit us next time. J

It’s Time for Summer Camp

SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are at Camp CoBeAc this week.

Pray that we have a great time, pray for safety, and pray that God gets a hold of the hearts of our teens. We want to see them all make spiritual decisions…..

Check it out at www.cobeac.org

Cell Phone Pics

I stole T’s hat while driving to camp…

Then I stole Josh’s hat (while driving to camp). That’s Josh behind me. Notice that he is not wearing his hat.

We got a new cat. She loves to read the Gospel…

Too bad we have not named the Cat yet….

This is where we do our laundry… we call it the laundry matt…

She likes it. Really….

This is a bad picture of where I live…

where have you been?

Hey look. I’m writing on my page…. i haven’t done this in ages. i have been so busy trying to get things done….

This week is the huge garage sale at church. it has really been keeping me busy. it looks like a thrift store exploded in the basement of the church. we need to raise about three thousand dollars to send all the teens to camp. i hope we do….

anyway, i thought i should write on the page since i have’nt done it in ages…

How to Handle Irritating Seat Mates in An Airplane.

My brother sent me this in an email. It is the funniest email I have received in ages. I laughed so hard….

I must share it with the world. Enjoy.  

 If you are sitting next to someone who irritates you, follow these instructions:

 1. Quietly and calmly open up your laptop case.

2. Remove your laptop.

 3. Start up.

 4. Make sure the person who is annoying you can see the screen.

 5. Close your eyes and tilt your head up to the sky and move your lips, mumbling as if you’re praying .

 6. Then Hit This Link

Lest You fall (week 5)

Lest you Fall

Week 5

Memory Verse: 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

 

Attention Gentleman: I gave you this devotional for two purposes. One was to help you to study verses on the topic of Moral Purity. The second reason was to help you to learn how to meditate on scripture. This week’s devotional will have no comments from me. I want you to do all the meditating on your own.

 

This week’s assignment: Write down your own thoughts in a journal or a notebook. Share your thoughts with your accountability partner. Share your thoughts with Pastor Jon (email me). Have fun with it.

 

 

Day 1 Monday

Meditation 16
Don’t just stay away from sin. Stay away from temptation! (p. 97-105)

Matthew 5:27-30

2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1

Proverbs 5:3-13

 

Day 2 Tuesday

Meditation 17
Your thoughts are an index to your character. (p. 106-109)

Philippians 4:8

2 Corinthians 10:5

 

Day 3 Wednesday

Meditation 18
How can I change? How can I quit? (p. 110-117)

1. Stay away from temptation. Romans 13:13-14

2. Insulate yourself from evil men and women with the very words of God! Proverbs 6:20-24

3. Walk in the spirit. Galatians 5:16-17, 25

 

Day 4 Thursday

Meditation 18
How can I change? How can I quit? (p. 117-122)

4. Strangle your sin! Don’t let it breathe. Don’t let it live! Colossians 3:5-7

5.When temptation comes…run! Run so fast and so far that the temptation cannot find you!

Genesis 39:7-12

 

Day 5 Friday

Meditation 18
How can I change? How can I quit? (p. 122-124)

6.Remember, God is more than enough! Be content with His presence and discontent with your sin! Hebrews 13:4-5

7. If you fall…repeat steps 1 through7! Proverbs 24:16

 

Day 6 Saturday

Get caught up on any missed work form this week.

Christian “Pick-up Lines”

1. “Nice Bible.”
2. “Is this pew taken?”
3. “I just don’t feel called to celibacy.”
4. “For you I would slay two Goliaths”
5. “I would go through more than Job for you”
6. “You are perfect, except with all the sin.”

7. “You are so unblemished that I would sacrifice you.”

8.”Shall we tithe?”
9.”At points in my life I have been referred to as Samson”
10.”The word says ‘Give drink to those who are thirsty, and feed the hungry’; how about dinner?”
11.”I didn’t believe in predestination until tonight.”
12.”I believe one of my ribs belongs to you.”
13.”I went on a mission trip but all I ended up doing was mission you.”
14.”I can be your Boaz.”
15.”My spiritual gift is my good looks—it lifts peoples spirits”
16.”Is this the transfiguration… because you are glowing”
17.”Hey… I would work 7 years for your sister… but I would work 7 more years for you.”
18.”Hey good-looking, Ecclesiastes 4:11…”
19.”Marry me.”
20.” I’m one of the fortunate ones…Greek and Hebrew come pretty easily to me.”
21.”My favorite species of vegetation is the church plant.”
22.”Did I just have mud rubbed in my eyes?”
23.”Now I know why Solomon had 700 wives—because he never met you.”
24.”I used to believe in natural theology, but since I met you I’ve converted to divine revelation”
25.”I look after widows”
26.”Why don’t I have a Bible dictionary? Well, I don’t really need it.”
27.”Bathsheba had nothing on you”
28.”You put the ‘cute’ back in persecution…”

29.”Your hair is like a flock of goats descending from Gilead”
30.”How many times do I have to walk around you to make you fall for me?”
31.”How would you like to join my Purpose Driven Life?”
32. “If you say no, I will rip out my hair and my beard”
33. “Unfortunately I can’t perform miracles and I’ve only got enough bread and fish for 2 people.”
34. “So, my parents are home, you wanna come over?”
35. “Let me remove my sandals before I come any closer…”
36. “Let’s say, hypothetically, you were married. I would send your husband to the front line against the Amorites”
37. “It’s obvious to me that you sprouted from the good kinda soil…”
38.”Feel free to meet me at the threshing floor.”
39. “You can lie at my feet.”
40. “I really like your spirituality, it goes well with that shirt.”
41. “You’re totally depraved but I’d still like to go out with you…”
42. “I’m a proverbs 32 kind of guy and you’re a proverbs 31 kinda woman.”
43. “I’m interested in full time ministry, and not only that… I also play the guitar.”
44. “If we were around with Noah… then you, me… pair.”
45. “I arrange the substantial Christian section of my bookshelf into alphabetical order. Coffee?”
46. “Let me sell you an indulgence because it’s a sin to look as good as you do.”
47. “Not a big fan of your last name, but that’s cool, I can change that.”
48. “Solomon had 700 wives. You can be my 2nd girlfriend. But bring your friends.”
49.” Me. You. Song of Songs: the remix.”
50. “When I read Philippians 4:8, I think about you.”
51. “I would leave 99 sheep to come and find you… and then I would carry you home joyfully on my shoulder”
52. “Who’s your favorite apostle?”
53. “You make the Queen of Sheba look like a hobo.”
54. “I have familiarized myself with all 5 love languages, in fact, I invented 4 of them.”
55. “Let’s go for a ride in my zondervan”
56. “I like to think that I’m all things to all women.”
57. “Have you died before? Because that looks like a resurrection body to me.”
58. ‘You float my ark.’
59. “As Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite protected the field of lentils, so I wish to protect you.”
60. “You make me want to be a better Christian.”
61. “I will never give you reason to hammer a tent peg through my skull.”
62. “If you were a leper, I would still hold your hand—even if it wasn’t attached.”
63. “I would have asked you out to dinner, but I just put all my money in the offertory basket.”
64. “Hi, I’m Calvin. You were meant to choose me.”

65. “Unlike the Israelites, who forgot the Lord, I will remember your name most of the time.”
66. “I mentioned you in my testimony.”

The Road To Spiritual Authority

“It is not won by promotion, but by many prayers and tears. It is attained by confessions of sin, and much heart searching and humbling before God; by self surrender, a courageous sacrifice of every idol, a bold, deathless, uncompromising and uncomplaining embracing of the cross, and by an eternal, unfaltering looking unto Jesus crucified. It is not gained by seeking great things for ourselves, but rather, like Paul, by counting those things that are gain to us as loss for Christ. That is a great price, but it must be unflinchingly paid by him who would be not merely a nominal but a real spiritual leader of men, a leader whose power is recognized and felt in heaven, on earth and in hell.” –S.L. Brengle