Solitude and Silence

Rain - Thank You

2009-05-26T12:56:00.004-05:00

I am enjoying the rain that we have had the last few days. It has been refreshing to remember what "rain" really is. It has been so long since we have seem much here in San Antonio. The rain helps me to remember the power of God in this world Job 5:9-10 says, "Who does great and

Sins of Sodom

2009-05-25T09:25:00.001-05:00

One of the great privileges of my life is that I was born and raised in the United States of America. My father served in the Navy during the Korean War and I was raised by my family to honor those who faithfully served our country in the military. It has been my privilege for over 30 years to pastor men and women who have faithfully served our country through 3 wars.Since the founding of our

Solitude for Jesus

2009-04-12T20:05:00.003-05:00

Jesus had gone to the synagogue for worship on the Sabbath. During the time of worship a man who was demon possessed cried out during the time that Jesus was teaching. Jesus healed the man and the crowd in the synagogue was amazed. Something new was happening that they had never seen before in their lives. They wondered about this new teaching and began to spread the word about the Lord

New Emphasis with my Blog

2009-04-12T19:50:00.003-05:00

My two trips to Costa Rica has caused me to stop and reflect upon what is important in life. I have always known that our hope is to be built upon Jesus Christ and Him alone. It is a fact that we have all grown up with in our lives. My struggle as a pastor has always been a disconnect between people at church and then out in their everyday lives. At church they are so victorious and in life they

Construction Update

2009-01-12T11:32:00.005-06:00

We are making progress slowly on our new buildings. The plumbers are working on the foundation of the three buildings. The site crew is working on the parking lot for the front of the church and the east side of the church. We are looking at about April for the project to be finished.Also we were without internet access at the church for over a month. But as of Saturday, we have access again to

2008 Pageant - Village Parkway

2008-12-17T15:26:00.003-06:00

Description of Daniel

2008-12-17T14:58:00.004-06:00

In Daniel 5 the Queen of Babylon gives her husband a description of Daniel:He has a spirit of the holy godsIlluminationInsightWisdom like the wisdom of GodsExtraordinary spiritKnowledgeInterpretation of dreamsExplanations of enigmas (something hard to understand or explain)Solving of difficult problemsLater Daniel 6:3 says - Daniel began to distinguishing himself among the commissioners and

The Spirit is Willing But . . .

2008-12-05T10:16:00.004-06:00

I am studying Dallas Willard's "The Great Omission" - he makes a very powerful statementThe body can acquire a "life of its own" - tendencies to behave without regard to our concious intentions. In our fallen world this life is prepossessed by evil, so that we do not have to think to do what is wrong, but we must think and plan and practice - and receive grace - if we are to succeed in doing what

Ouch!

2008-11-24T09:59:00.003-06:00

Not much you can say. Oklahoma won. But the seaon is not over and the possiblities still remain for an amazing year for Texas Tech.

Construction Update

2008-11-21T10:04:00.004-06:00

The sidewalk in the front of the church was poured on Wednesday. This sidewalk runs from the east end of our facilities to the worship center and our new front entrance.There is still more work to be done, but we are beginning to see a real change in the front of the church.The Facility Study Committee met with Paul Sanchez, our architect who is in charge of our building project on Wednesday

Thanksgiving

2008-11-21T09:00:00.006-06:00

Paul tells the church at Colassae to do two things: (1) Let the peace of Christ rule in your heart; (2) Let the word of Christ richly dwell in you. (Colossians 3:15-17).In these same three verses are three calls to be thankful: (1) Be thankful (v. 15); (2) singing with thanksgiving in your hearts to God (v. 16); (3) giving thanks through Him to God the Father.The ability to be truly thankful

Construction at Village Parkway

2008-11-07T10:26:00.006-06:00

We are slowly moving forward at the church in our construction project. This is the front of the church between the Worship Center and the Education Building. We will have a new walkway from the front parking lot to the entrance of our worship center. We will also have handicap entrance at this point also. The picture on the right is the new sidewalk that will be across the front of the entire

Senior Adult Camp

2008-11-07T10:22:00.003-06:00

I just got back from a week at Lost Maples Senior Adult Camp at Leakey, Texas. It was a great experience and I had the opportunity to speak four times. I taught from 2 Timothy 1 and 2. This was my second time to be camp pastor for the camp.

Economics - Simple

2008-10-22T17:42:00.003-05:00

Economics can actually be easily understood. Here are each of the basic economic philosophies explained in simple "two-cow" terms:Communalism: You have two cows. You keep one and give one to your neighbor.Communism: You have two cows. The government takes them both and--from time to time--provides you with sour milk.Fascism: You have two cows. The government takes them and sells you the

Bible Study - Galatians 3:1-9

2008-10-19T07:19:00.002-05:00

When you read the story of Abraham you are amazed at a man who had such faith. When God speaks he responds. He is a good man who handles life very well. When you review his story you findGod spoke to Abraham when he was 75 years old and he left Haran and when to Shechem. Lord told him, I will give your descendants this land.There was a famine in the land and Abraham went to Egypt. This is where

2008-09-14T07:15:00.008-05:00

This is where Jan and I vacationed with my brother's family this summer. This is an view of Crystal Beach. I spent many of my high school and college days on this beach. The house we stayed in this summer is no longer there. Most of the homes are now gone.

Guess Who?

2008-09-13T22:26:00.000-05:00

Can you guess who I am?I am not yet 45 years old but already I have taken the nation by storm.I am known for my avid love of the outdoors.I hunt, fish, hike, and camp whenever I possibly can.I have made my mark in politics as an unlikely Republican reformer.Of course, I have had to take on the Republican Party establishment.Not that the Democrats are too fond of me either.I have a large, happy,

Pray for those in Southeast Texas

2008-09-13T08:26:00.002-05:00

I have family and many friends who live in Southeast Texas. I asked that you join me in praying for the grace of God to sustain them during these days. There is still no word this morning on conditions in Beaumont, Orange, and Port Arthur. Lord show mercy to those who live in the Golden Triangle area. My home area is Orange, Texas.

Bible Study - Psalms 119

2008-09-13T08:21:00.002-05:00

Verse 165 – Those who love your law have great peace and nothing causes them to stumble.When our lives are characterized by a love of God’s word there will be evidence that the love is real. The evidence that the "love of God's word" is real is we have “great peace.” There is no fear impacting our lives. We live quietly, rest quiestly and walk quiety because of the great peace. The reason for

Sarah Palin - Pro Life

2008-09-01T07:59:00.002-05:00

Sarah Palin's Personal Pro-Life Story: (from Susan B Anthonly List)In April of this year, Sarah Palin gave birth to her fifth child, Trig, who was born premature with Down Syndrome. Recent statistics show that in the U.S., approximately 90% of Down Syndrome diagnoses end with the mother choosing abortion. Palin on her family's reaction to the diagnosis, in her own words:"We knew through early

2008-08-29T09:16:00.005-05:00

There are many special moments in ministry. I had such a one this summer. I had the opportunity to do a wedding for the daugther of a very close friend. We had a very beautitful setting in Cancun for the wedding. It makes life fun to share special moments with friends. These are moments that you remember for the rest of your life. I am always grateful to my Lord for special times like this.

Bible Study - Job 22

2008-08-29T09:11:00.001-05:00

Eliphaz suddenly attacks Job with a simple statement, “Is not your wickedness great, and your iniquities without end?” (22:5) Eliphaz is a friend of Job and has known him for some years. He has seen him raise his family and has walked through life with Job. Now with Job’s children dead and his money gone, Job’s friend see him as a wicked man. What causes a friend to change?Eliphaz accuses him of

Daily Bible Reading - Nehemiah 6

2008-07-29T09:14:00.000-05:00

In the midst of a good work, Nehemiah has a meeting with a man by the name of Shemaiah. Shemaiah tells Nehemiah that is life is in danger and that he needs to go to the temple for his safety. Now this seems like good advice for the great man of God. His life is in danger, but the advice is evil.In fact, Nehemiah was able to perceive that Shemaiah was a liar. Nehemiah response to this little

VBS - Having a great time

2008-07-16T08:51:00.002-05:00

We are having a great week at Vacation Bible School. VBS is always a lot of fun and a great time to teach our children about Jesus Christ. I always am amazed at the faithfulness and time that people are willing to give in sharing the good news of our Lord. I asked that you be in prayer for us as we finish this week. Pray that the kids will understand the truth of God's Word.

Bible Study - 2 Chronicles 28

2008-07-15T11:53:00.002-05:00

Just a thought for the day. 2 Chronicles 28:19 "For the Lord humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had brought about a lack of restraint in Judah and was very unfaithful to the Lord."How often are we influenced by another person's lack of discipline or rebellion to give us an excuse for our lack of restraint? It is so easy to blame others for our unfaithfulness to the Lord. Trouble

2008-07-01T07:42:00.003-05:00

I just finished reading this book this week. It is a fascinating book on lessons learned from people who live in Sardinian, Okinawa, Loma Linda, California (Seventh Day Adventist), and Costa Rica. Each of these areas have a high number of people who have lived to be 100 years of age.They studied each group and came up with a list of lifestyle choices that seemed to make life better for these

Pew Poll on Religion in America

2008-06-29T07:45:00.002-05:00

Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life's U.S. Religious Landscape Survey of 35,000 Americans. Pew released demographic data in February from the survey, conducted May through August 2007. The survey finds U.S. adults believe overwhelmingly (92%) in God, and 58% say they pray at least once a day. But the study's authors say there's a "stunning" lack of alignment between people's beliefs or practices

Daily Bible Readings - 2 Kings 25

2008-06-22T07:18:00.003-05:00

When you come to the end of 2 Kings, you come to the final end of Israel and the temple. Jerusalem is about to be finally destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. The people in the city are completely without food. The seize has gone on for months, when suddenly the Babylonians break into the city. When that happens the armies of Jerusalem panic and flee the city. They slipped past the armies of

Daily Bible Reading - 1 King 22

2008-06-18T08:27:00.003-05:00

The life of Josiah is such an amazing story. His father, Manasseh, was a very evil man who seduced an entire nation away from the Lord. He was a young child when his dad died. His father had humbled himself before God at the end of his life. His father's repentance may have had a very positive impact on his son. The Bible says of Josiah, "he did not turn aside to the left or to the right."As

Daily Bible Reading - Number 22

2008-06-16T08:40:00.003-05:00

In reading Numbers 22 we will see that Balaam is guilty of three mistakes. The first is that he puts himself in a place to fall. God had already told him "no" yet he keeps coming back because he wants the money. By staying close to the temptation and not fleeing from evil, Balaam eventually succumbs to the temptation and though he could not curse Israel, he teaches Balak how to cause the

Daily Bible Readings - John 15:22-24

2008-06-15T07:38:00.003-05:00

Jesus makes a fascinating comment about the world. The sinfulness of the heart can be hidden well. It sometimes takes much light to expose the real desires of the heart. The religious leaders of Jesus day gave overwhelming evidence of their goodness until Jesus walked into their lives. Jesus exposes their hearts by his very presence. Light always does that!John 15:24 says, "If I had not done

Bible Study - Numbers 22 - Balaam

2008-06-14T19:28:00.003-05:00

Balaam was a prophet of God. He had a great reputation because of the work that he had done. The messenger from Balak said to Balaam, "For I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed." This comes from a reputation that God's hand was on Balaam. God trusted Balaam with truth and Balaam had been faithful to his calling.Balaam says to the messengers, "let me pray about

Daily Bible Reading - 1 King 21

2008-06-03T08:51:00.003-05:00

You Can't Have EverythingAhab one day looks out and suddenly has a desire for Naboth's vineyard. Life was not going well for the King and he was depressed. When we become tired by life we become susceptible to temptation. Ahab nows wants Naboth's garden. It will make him feel better about himself.So Ahab tries to negotiate for the vineyard. Naboth says "No!". The reason was that Naboth was

2008-06-02T06:08:00.003-05:00

Daily Scripture Reading - 1 King 17Elijah tells Ahab that there will be no rain for three years. As soon as he speaks these words to Ahab, the Lord sends him away to hide by the brook Cherith. While there, the Lord provides bread for Elijah by ravens. The providing of bread to Elijah is by a bird that is a scavenger. They will literally eat anything. We have to remember that all of creation is

2008-06-01T07:25:00.004-05:00

Daily Bible Readings - 1 King 16Hiel the Bethelite started an ambitious project - rebuilding the city of Jericho. What started out as an ambitious project suddenly turned into a double tragedy. When Hiel started work on the foundation of the city, his son Abiram died. When he started work on the city gate, his son Segub died. The oldest son and the youngest son both died at the start of the

2008-05-31T18:29:00.005-05:00

This is a great book by Hank Handegraff. It gives much insight into a biblical view of the second coming of Jesus Christ. It is worth your time in study and thought!

2008-05-31T11:35:00.001-05:00

Daily Readings - 1 King 13Man of God who meets with King Jeroboam - the prophet was given specific orders from God to speak to the king and he does. The king becomes very angry and order his guard to seize him. Immediately the King's hand dries up and he cannot use his hand. The king pleads with the prophet to intercede for him. The prophet (man of God) entreats the Lord and the king's hand is

2008-05-30T14:25:00.000-05:00

My daily readings today are from 1 King 11.1 Kings 11:4 - For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been.This is such a sad verse in the Bible! The older man who has accomplished much, is not finishing well in life. The women in his life have turned him from the Father

2008-05-30T14:13:00.000-05:00

My weight lifting is starting to pay off. I hired Dock Parker of Spectrum to be my trainer last October. I work out with him 3 days a week. Today we were testing my leg strength to see how much I could lift. I had just finished my Friday workout doing 20 squats at 175 on the machine. I asked how much I might be able to do with free weights. He guessed about 500 lbs. By the time we took this

Season of Change

2008-05-30T09:38:00.001-05:00

We are in the process of change at Village Parkway Baptist Church. We have started a major remodeling and building program this month. We are painting the outside of our education building. We are building a new platform for the worship center. Our architect has just about finished the plans for the three new buildings. We hope to start construction on them in July.School is out today and we will

2007-07-23T12:47:00.000-05:00

The editors at Banner of Truth received a request last month from Billy Graham's circle of close friends to use an excerpt from The Valley of Vision at the funeral of the evangelist's beloved wife, Ruth Bell Graham. The Valley of Vision, a little collection of Puritan prayers, is a classic of deep and practical devotion. Reading this prayer, I think you'll agree--and you'll understand why the

2006-01-27T10:50:00.000-06:00

I found this on George Grant's blog about Islam - it was Luther and Calvin's thoughts about Islam nearly 500 years ago:Luther and Calvin on IslamJohn Calvin in a sermon on Deuteronomy 18:15 maintained that Muhammad was one of “the two horns of antichrist.” In his commentaries on Daniel (7: 7-18), Calvin put forward the theory that the Muslim Turks were the little horn that sprang up from the

2005-12-09T13:06:00.000-06:00

Found this article on St. Nick from George GrantSt. NickThe fourth century pastor who inspired the tradition of Santa Claus, may not have lived at the North Pole or traveled by reindeer and sleigh but he certainly was a paradigm of graciousness, generosity, and Christian charity. Nicholas of Myra’s great love and concern for children drew him into a crusade that ultimately resulted in protective

2005-12-02T10:29:00.000-06:00

On December 9, Disney will release the movie, "The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. I was reading Al Mohler blog the other day and found some helpful info about the movie."The Walt Disney Company and Walden Media are set to release The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe on December 9 -- so get ready for a major cultural event. I'll provide much

2005-11-29T12:59:00.000-06:00

I got this from George Grant's blog - I found it fascinating.Gregory the Great served as the pastor of the city church in Rome from 590-604. Tomorrow morning I will be lecturing on this remarkable man and his remarkable heritage. He was of vital importance in the development of Christendom precisely because he forged the Roman bishop’s see into the formidable force of the Medieval papacy--indeed,

2005-11-24T19:19:00.000-06:00

This has been a very good day. We stayed at home and had Thanksgiving with family. We had Jan's parents and aunt. Our children, son-in-law, and two grandchildren. We fried two turkeys and had all that goes with a Thanksgiving dinner. This was the first Thanksgiving since my mom died in October and the Lord blessed us with a good day. I am thankful to the Father in heaven for the many blessings

2005-11-22T08:54:00.000-06:00

I just finished reading Don Whitney's book Simplify Your Life and found several statements that we very helpful for me.Our calendars are full, but our souls are empty.Meditation is the absorption of ScripturesGoal is not just to read the Bible, but to know GodJesus prohibits the repetitive prayer because we are prone to pray that way.Pray through your planned dayTo begin my day without any sense

2005-07-12T15:30:00.000-05:00

I was reading George Grant today when I found his blog on John Calvin:Today (July 10) is the anniversary of the birth of the pastor, theologian, and social reformer, John Calvin (1509-1564). His father, an attorney, made certain Jean received the best possible education—so, he attended the little Brethren of Common Life school in his hometown of Noyon in the Picardy region of France, just about

2005-05-15T07:30:00.000-05:00

I was reading George Grant blog today and found this article by a friend of his., Ben HouseThe Reformation—RIP?The power of the courts is an ongoing topic of controversy and interest. All sides agree that great issues are at stake. Mark Levin’s recent book Men in Black is subtitled “How the Supreme Court is Destroying America.” Liberal Democrats, while not agreeing with Levin’s book, certainly

2005-05-10T09:58:00.000-05:00

Necessity of HonorText: Ephesians 6:1 – 3The foundational principle of living a godly life is to honor your father and mother.A. The apostle Paul quotes the 5th commandment and the first commandments of how we relate to one another given by the Lord to Moses.Exodus 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord

2005-05-10T09:21:00.000-05:00

Solomon's words in Ecclesiastes 9:5 have always made me stop and think. He says, "Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things." There are some facts about life that are just hard to even comprehend. The one area that we will never figure out is the activities of God in

2005-05-09T10:32:00.000-05:00

Al Mohler wrote on the antagonism between the Bible and the world that we live in: A Deep and Radical Antagonism—The Bible and Secular Worldviews Monday, May 09, 2005 “It need not further be denied,” argued James Orr, “that between this view of the world involved in Christianity, and what is sometimes called ‘the modern view of the world’ there exists a deep and radical antagonism.” James Orr

2005-05-09T10:26:00.000-05:00

I was reading the Washington Times when I came across this article: FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The 5,200-pound slab of granite bearing a replica of the Ten Commandments rests in isolated splendor, set off by red and blue nylon sheets, on a flatbed truck parked on the front lawn of a church. It's not just any church, either. Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church is a signature evangelical

2005-03-21T20:32:00.000-06:00

I found this article by Al Mohler, President of Southern Seminary - found it fascinating and makes me want to read this book.Natan Sharansky Makes the Case for DemocracyPresident George W. Bush is recommending a book these days, and the President's new literary interest has caught the attention of the world press. President Bush is recommending Natan Sharansky's new book, The Case for Democracy,

2005-03-15T08:37:00.000-06:00

I was reading Oswald Chambers Utmost for His Highest yesterday:ObedienceHis servants ye are to whom ye obey. Romans 6:16.The first thing to do in examining the power that dominates me is to take hold of the unwelcome fact that I am responsible for being thus dominated because I have yielded. If I am a slave to myself, I am to blame for it because at a point away back I yielded myself to myself.

2005-03-14T17:23:00.000-06:00

I received this email today - it is great insight into the church position in dealing with homosexuality. “Homosexuality and the Challenge to the Church” John H. Armstrong The present issue of homosexuality, in particular the matter of homosexual practice, threatens the church’s confession and unity in our time like few issues in the entire history of Christian faith and practice. This might

2005-03-12T21:02:00.000-06:00

I found this article from Ravi Zacharias and it struck a chord with me. I hope that you will read it.The very first Christmas card that I received this December was from a Sikh friend in Thailand. He and his family fondly wished my family and me a Merry Christmas and a joyous New Year. As the cards continued to come in from all over the world, I realized that some were from Buddhists, some from

2004-12-04T09:31:00.000-06:00

Chuck Colson's BreakPoint Commentary - A couple of days ago, on the anniversary of the birth of C.S. Lewis, Colson and his very gifted editorial team sent out a particularly provocative piece: C. S. Lewis was born on this date (November 29) in 1898, and forty-one years after his death, one thing has become startlingly clear: This Oxford don was not only a keen apologist but also a true prophet

2004-11-08T10:37:00.000-06:00

I received a email from John Armstrong the other day that had a statement from Dr. Monte Wilson: For well over 100 years, the Christian religion of the U.S. has been more cultural than biblical. While we were arguing about serving wine in communion, the Gnostics and the Germans (Pietism and Higher Criticism) stole our soul and our brains. While we were arguing over prayer in (public) schools,

2004-09-20T15:52:00.000-05:00

George Grant recently wrote this article. The spate of violence in Iraq this past week got me to thinking about an article I wrote for Table Talk magazine this past year about the place of persecution in the history of the Gospel. I don't know about you, but my comfort and affluence often numbs me to the real nature of spiritual conflict in this poor fallen world. Thus, every so often I find I

2004-09-07T09:53:00.000-05:00

I received this in a newsletter this week and found it a very thought provoking article by John Armstrong. “Lord Acton and Labor Day: The Relationship of Freedom and Virtue” by John H. Armstrong Several weeks ago I received a major lesson in political theory and economics. No, I am not making a late career change. The “dismal science” of economics (unjustly labeled I think) is not my cup of tea

2004-05-14T09:55:00.000-05:00

I found a review by Aaron Sands who plays for the the band Jars of Clay. He is reviewing a book called "Expecting Adam" I think you will like this: A month ago I dined in Boston with a group of about 10 people. A variety of backgrounds and worldviews were represented in this room as we discussed the topic of social justice. In particular, we were focused on the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa and

2004-05-07T15:52:00.000-05:00

I found this article by Al Mohler that gives some insight about young children and television Television and Children---Rewiring the Brain? From the very moment of its invention, television has been a focus of concern for America's parents--and for good reason. Research studies have consistently affirmed that the average child spends more time watching television than he spends in school, at

2004-05-07T15:25:00.000-05:00

Famous quotes from Augustine: “You have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in You.” Confessions “Trust the past to God’s mercy, the present to God’s love, and the future to God’s providence.” City of God “Love God, and then do what you like.” Confessions “Too late I love you, beauty so old yet always new. Too late I loved you. And lo, all the while you

2004-05-05T22:31:00.000-05:00

I was reading George Grant's blog on Islam the other day and I found it very fascinating. "A flurry of new books on Islam and its prophet, Mohammed, has led to a surprising revelation among historians: most of what we thought we knew about the fierce tribal cult is probably false. Indeed, according to I.M. al-Rawandi, the life of Mohammed chronicled in the Sira and the Hadith is likely “baseless

2004-04-16T15:00:00.000-05:00

I read this from a blog by George Grant and found it a very insightful article: Americans rarely ponder the Punic Wars. In the midst of a host of spiritual, political, social, economic, and intellectual problems, we probably should not lament this negligence of the ancient conflict. But I am in the midst of teaching Ancient History, so the Punic Wars are more relevant to me than the overdue

2004-03-09T09:56:00.000-06:00

I have been reading "The Weekly Messenger" by John Armstrong. I always enjoy reading his thoughts. His thoughts this week was about his ministry for many years. He said, "I was practically unloving, unkind and a tenacious Reformed theologian for many years. I cut myself off from brothers (and especially sisters since I was often a misogynist in my attitudes) if they did not believe in “sovereign

2004-03-09T09:33:00.000-06:00

I have had the privilege of being in revival this week at the Trinity Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas. Trinity is one of the older churches in Fort Worth and the membership of the church is mainly that of Senior Adults. The Lord has richly blessed the week of revival. The one thing that has jump out to me during the week is the hunger of God's people for hearing the word of God. I have been

2004-02-21T01:33:00.000-06:00

I saw the movie "The Passion" on Friday night. It was one of the most powerful films that I have ever seen. It drives home the amazing love of God for sinful mankind as Jesus suffers and dies on a cross. The film presents the sufferings of Christ in a very powerful way. But the amazing thing to me is the Lord Jesus Christ's faithfulness to the very end. He did all that the Father told him to do

2003-12-16T19:48:00.000-06:00

This weekend was the amazing story of the capture of Saddam Hussein in a spyder hole in Iraq. The man who graced palaces for decades was found hiding in a hole in the ground. While this story was playing out this weekend, I was reminded of another story that I had heard about. It is the story of Jawad Amir Sayyid, 45, of Karada, a town southeast of Baghdad. Jawad lived for 21 years in a one

2003-11-26T21:51:00.000-06:00

As we enter Thanksgiving in the morning it would be good to read again the MayFlower Compact. "In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord, King James, by the Grace of God, of England, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honour of our

2003-11-26T10:50:00.000-06:00

The apostle Paul states in his first letter to Timothy, "I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men." Thanksgiving is a time that we give thanks to God for all his blessings that He has bestowed on us during the past year. But remember that true thanksgiving will also be made on behalf of all men. It is not just for the blessings in our family.

2003-11-25T09:37:00.000-06:00

I was reading the other day from Agustine's Confessions. I have started a new way of reading books. I keep one close by that I read for about 15 minutes each day. I stay with that book until I finish. The book I am working on now is Confessions. In reading this way, I keep picking up good insights from great authors. In Book 10, Chapter 36, Augustine says, "And Thou knowest how far Thou hast

2003-11-17T23:46:00.000-06:00

On November 11, 2003 the Washington ran a story that was entitled, "A Scholar Confronts 'Ugly Face of America". The story was about Muzzafar Iqbal, a professor from Canada who is of Pakistani origin. He had been invited to be a part of a conference at Georgetown University in Washington D. C. for the Georgetown University's Center for Christian-Muslim Understanding. At the airport in Toronto, he

2003-11-04T13:50:00.000-06:00

This was taken word from word from Dr. George Grant's blog An interdenominational pastoral association in New Hampshire has humbly offered the following set of resolutions to the church at large: We, the Evangelical Ministers Fellowship of Strafford County, New Hampshire, in support of the many recently disenfranchised members of the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire, solemnly affirm the

2003-11-04T12:45:00.000-06:00

Sunday, November 2, 2003 was a tragic day for the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in America. It was the day that the Reverend V. Gene Robinson was consecrated to be the Episcopal Bishop of New Hamphire. Gene Robinson is a practicing homosexual who was given the highest position in the Episcopal Church in New Hampshire. The Episcopal church has been divided by this act of rebellion, but it

2003-10-24T14:21:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I had the priviliege of walking the halls of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. I had the chance to see the portraits of such great men as James P. Boyce, John Broaddus, and A. T. Robertson. I was given the privilege of sitting at the desk of Dr. Al Mohler, President of Southern Seminary. As I walked through the campus, I was hit by the fact that many great

2003-10-21T09:32:00.000-05:00

Last week, Mahathir Mohammed, Prime Minister of Malaysia, speaking to the Organization of the Islamic Conference summit, made the following remarks to the summit: • The Europeans killed six million Jews out of 12 million. But today the Jews rule this world by proxy," • They get others to fight and die for them," he said, adding, "1.3 billion Muslims cannot be defeated by a few million Jews." •

2003-10-17T09:36:00.000-05:00

I read a new book on Thursday that is called Coach Wooden One on One. Coach Wooden who coached at UCLA was the greatest coach of last century. During his coaching career, he won 667 games and only lost 191. He won the PAC 10 over 19 times during his career. He won 10 National Championships in college basketball. During his coaching career, his team had a home record of 149 wins and 2 loss. During

2003-10-08T08:58:00.000-05:00

Another film that is to be released on October 17 is called the Gospel of John. This is an accurate word for word presentation of the gospel of John. It is a three hour epic movie on the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. It will give you a good understanding of the gospel and will enhance your study of God's Word. I strongly encourage you to see this movie.

2003-10-07T15:05:00.000-05:00

I want to strongly recommend to all to see the movie "Luther." It is an accurate portrayal of one the great men of history. I was amazed at the boldness for the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ that Luther demonstrated throughout his life. One of the great moments in the movie is at the Diet of Worms were Luther is brought before the King to recant all his writings. After one night of prayer, on

2003-10-06T13:24:00.000-05:00

One of the most famous editor’s of the New York Times was a man by the name of Louis Jennings. He was a pioneer of American Journalism. He was editor of the New York Times during the 1870’s. He was a committed Christian and became a staunch supporter of the pro-life movement. He decided to use the influence of the New York Times to change public opinion. He began his campaign on this day, 133

2003-10-03T15:57:00.000-05:00

I was reading Oswald Chamber's "My Utmost for His Highest" the other day and was greatly impacted by what he had to say. He was talking about our call to suffering for the Lord Jesus Christ. Oswald Chambers was using the passage Colossians 1:24. "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in

2003-10-02T11:39:00.000-05:00

We were privileged last May to have Dr. George Grant at our church. While we were talking in my office on Saturday afternoon, he introduced me to blogging. I have been reading his blog since then and I have learned much reading Dr. G's Litblog. I would recommend Dr. Grant's blog as a place to mark on your favorite's list. He covers a wide range of topics and always gives great insight from a

2003-09-30T09:49:00.000-05:00

When Moses was coming down from the mountain with the Ten Commandments he had his heart broken by what he saw and heard. He immediately threw down the tablets and they shatter at the foot of the mountain. One of the fascinating insights of this story is the conversation between Moses and Aaron. Moses wanted to know what had the people done to Aaron to cause him to act this way. He blames Aaron

2003-09-29T15:21:00.000-05:00

One of the great preachers in America was George Whitefield. He had a major impact on all who heard him preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Benjamin Franklin in a letter to Noble Jones, the Secretary of the Council of Georgia, said, "I knew Whitefield intimately upward of 30 years: His integrity, disinterestedness and indefatigable zeal in prosecuting every good work, I have never seen

2003-09-26T22:43:00.000-05:00

I am always looking for information that will help me to understand the world in which I live and to walk in a manner pleasing to the Lord. I have found a magazine that meets that need. The magazine is World. You will find great articles on culture, politics, international events, and current events. Each article is always written from a world view that is very Christ centered. I hope that you

2003-09-25T12:02:00.000-05:00

On Sunday afternoon as we were all taking it easy, a major project of NASA was coming to an end. The Galileo Spacecraft was crashing into the surface of Jupiter. This was bringing an end to a 14 year mission that was doing the first detailed study of Jupiter. This space project has brought back some of the most amazing pictures of space that we have ever seen. We now have close up pictures of the