Blog Archives
Lessons of grace my puppy taught me.
if you read my “pictures to prove it” post you know that I bought an Italian Greyhound puppy back in April. His name is Oliver and he is now (as of this past Sunday) exactly 5 months old.
I consider him my child because that’s exactly what he acts like — a child. he’s attached to my hip. if there’s a group of people around he’ll go up to all of them, but at the end of the day he wants to sit on my lap or lay next to me. when i get home from work he jumps up on my legs like he hasn’t seen me in ages. when we go for a car ride he wants to sit on my lap. if he’s cold, he wants to be wrapped up in my hoody (while i’m still wearing it).
And while all those things are cute, there are times when he’s not cute at all…
the Jesus i wanted.
i started off the new year in the book of matthew, and that’s where i’ve continued to read in my devotions. i’m reading about Jesus, and as you all know, no other person that ever walked the face of this earth compares to Him.
i think i had Him figured all wrong though, to a point. see, i always pictured Jesus as merciful and gracious, but having a secret agenda. i always thought of Him as loving and kind, but expecting something in return. i always believed him to be wonderful and perfect, but demanding and legalistic. and, in my mind, he was allowed to be all of those things if He so chose to be, because He is, after all, God.
but i was wrong about Him. not that that will come as a surprise to you.
grace.
grace was that girl in school that was nice to everyone, regardless of who they were. but because she was so nice, she was also the girl that people took advantage of all the time and walked all over. but she never really seemed to mind because she would still be nice to the people who treated her with such disregard and disrespect.
she was the girl who everyone wanted in their study groups because she seemed to make everything better. she was the girl that was always voted to do the hands on, difficult, seemingly impossible projects at school because she always seemed to ace them without much effort at all.
everybody wanted her, but nobody wanted to be like her. because being like her meant that they would have to be vulnerable, exposed, used, overlooked, hurt. everybody felt they had a right to her time, but rarely did anyone give up an afternoon to help her.
law’s boundaries. mercy’s vastness.
{note: this is a repost of something i originally posted elsewhere on September 11, 2011 someplace that not many (if any) of you know about. just fyi.}
…and to think, I always thought salvation was not a works-based relationship.
Snow day snippets {7.30.11}
This week is my church’s 35th annual Old Fashioned Tent Meeting, and it has been a time and a half! The special speakers this year were Evangelist Brian McBride, Evangelist Jason Kendrick, and Evangelist Doug Ramage – each of them did a fantastic job preaching the Word of God and ministering in the ways that God has gifted them to.
Question: what’s one of the most influential sermons/messages you’ve heard lately? Who preached it, and how did it affect your life?
Anywho, on to this weekend’s links below…
An open letter to all IFBs… from an IFB.
You may have followed all the drama about IFBs in the news recently. IFBs, or Independent Fundamental Baptists, have been getting some negative PR lately.
I want to let you know upfront that I am an IFB, and have been one, by upbringing pretty much since birth, and by personal conviction for the past 4 years.
With that being said, I would like to write to my fellow IFBs, and let you read it as well.
I firmly believe in all of the fundamentals that we stand for, such as the perfection of the KJV, baptism by immersion, the autonomy of the local church, etc., etc…
What I don’t believe in is the attitudes of a good portion of our “circle”. The abrasive nature, and haughty arrogance of some of us is an affront to a lost and dying world.
God’s Grace to Obey.
When you think about the grace of God, what comes to mind?
His amazing grace that saved us:
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” (Eph. 2:8)
His grace that forgives us:
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
His grace for help in time of need:
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:16)
What about grace for obedience?
Read the rest of this entry
Snow day snippets {7.2.11}
If any of you follow and read Tim Challies blog, you have probably noticed the trend of repeat links posted often in my SDS posts. What can I say – he finds some pretty neat stuff!
The first 3 links are indeed from a few of his ”A La Carte” posts that he publishes on pretty much a daily basis. Basically, my SDS posts are the equivilent of his A La Carte posts – except less frequest.
With that said, I hope you don’t mind my reposting links I find at his blog. I try to find links to articles elsewhere as well, but sometimes this doesn’t always happen. I’m trying though… really. :]
Grow Up! {the what, why, and how behind it.}
When people see the title of this blog, they automatically assume that it’s written by someone who’s older, mature in their faith, and got it all together. Well, you know what “assuming” does, right…? ;]
If the truth be told, I still have very immature moments. I still fight with my brother at times. I still get an attitude every now and again. I still think it’s “my way or the highway” when it comes to an opinionated verbal showdown. I even still have a hard time saying “I’m sorry” when I wrong someone; I don’t always say “Thank you” when someone does something for me because I think somehow I deserved it; or “I love you” to someone I have a disagreement with even though they mean the world to me.
