Both my father and my father-in-law served our country in the military.  In their honor and in honor of all men and women who have served to protect and defend our country, I say, “Thank you and may God richly bless you!”

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Hosted by Peggy @ http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/
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For today…November 9, 2009

Outside my window…a bright, crisp autumn morning

I am hearing…whirring from the refrigerator and the fireplace

I am remembering…a new sushi restaurant * our first deer harvest * a lovely chat with my sister-in-law

I am thankful for…God’s gracious provision for my family

I am hoping…for lots of snow this winter!!!

On my  mind… possible brain surgery for my mom

From the kitchen…pumpkin caramel bread pudding * left overs from the weekend * baked potato ‘bar’ night

From the learning rooms…research essay on C.S. Lewis * Screwtape Letters

Looking forward to…Marine Corps Ball on Saturday * Thanksgiving week off * a day trip with hubby

A few things to accomplish this week…tuxedo rental for son * clean master bedroom & bath * pull tomato plants out of garden

Noticing that…our country is not only divided politically, but spiritually, as well.

Pondering these words…”The entrance into heaven is so wide that the greatest sinner may enter, but so low that pride cannot pass through.”  Mike Gendron

Praying for…family issues * the Holy Spirit to guide my thoughts * families inFt. Hood, Texas

Around the house…percussion instruments * hunting garb * a new ginger jar

One of my favorite things…this season’s new candles

Sharing a humorous  Engrish sign on my ‘brog’…

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Have a lovely day!  

“Spiritual experience that does not arise from God’s word is not Christian experience. . . . Not all that passes for Christian experience is genuine. An authentic experience of the Spirit is an experience in response to the gospel.  Through the Spirit the truth touches our hearts, and that truth moves our emotions and effects our wills.”

-  Tim Chester and Steve Timmis, Total Church (Wheaton, Ill.; Crossway Books, 2008), 31.

HT: Of First Importance

A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them.
1 Corinthians 2:14

The reason we have any understanding at all of God’s word is because the Holy Spirit, living in us, discloses His truth to us (John 16:13). The natural man, or unsaved man/woman, does not have the Spirit of God living inside and therefore has no spiritual discernment or understanding.

“…whenever Moses (scripture) is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a man turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.”
2 Corinthians 3:15,16

“…the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things.”
John 14:26

So, when you see a non-Christian trying to figure out the Bible, or eternal things, realize they CAN’T understand what you know.

 ”And the Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.”
2 Timothy 2:24-26

From Good Morning, LORD!

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See a related story  Witnessing to a Unitarian Universalist.

Psalm 148

1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!
2 Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his hosts!

3 Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all you shining stars!
4 Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens!

5 Let them praise the name of the Lord!
For he commanded and they were created.
6 And he established them forever and ever;
he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.

7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all deeps,
8 fire and hail, snow and mist,
stormy wind fulfilling his word!

9 Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars!
10 Beasts and all livestock,
creeping things and flying birds!

11 Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the earth!
12 Young men and maidens together,
old men and children!

13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
his majesty is above earth and heaven.
14 He has raised up a horn for his people,
praise for all his saints,
for the people of Israel who are near to him.
Praise the Lord!

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I have not read any of John Piper’s writings, so this is not an endorsement.  Many Christians whom I respect appreciate what he says, however, so this is a great way to find out for myself. 

Christian Audio gives away a free audio book each month and this month’s offering is Desiring God.  You can download your free mp3 version here.

Let me know what you think…

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Hosted by Peggy @ http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/
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For today…November 2, 2009

Outside my window…gray and still

I am hearing…the fireplace fan * my son yawning

Around the house…muzzle-loaders in the corner * outside plants in the foyer

I am remembering…a busy week behind me * canned apple pie filing * fellowship with friends * a family celebration dinner

I am thankful for…family Bible study in Exodus

I am hoping…to stay home most of the week

I am reading…Ezekiel & That Printer of Udell’s by Harold Bell Wright

From the kitchen…need to plan menus for the week

From the garden…remove summer annuals & plant pansies * pulling up tomato & pepper plants  * picking the last of the radishes

On my mind…living a life that reflects Christ Jesus

Pondering these words…”Let everyone who names that name of Christ depart from iniquity.” 
2 Timothy 2:19

A few plans for the rest of the week…errands in town * shoe shopping for a formal event * fall cleaning projects

One of my favorite things…watching the leaves fall

Some GrifNet thoughts…Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor, and dishwashing liquid made with real lemons?  …Ever notice how irons have a setting for “permanent” press?

I am going…to vote tomorrow

A picture thought to share…

Praise Him, all you stars of light!   Ps. 148:3

 Blessed be the name of the LORD!

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Many families will be ‘celebrating’  Halloween tomorrow night.  They will dress up in costumes, pass out and collect candy, carve pumpkins and eat popcorn balls.  In general, this is considered a time for fun and frolick for children; however, one church in South Carolina is using this evening for a different type of ‘celebration’. 

Amazing Grace Baptist Church, in Canton, North Carolina, is having a book burning on Halloween night.  While this event is NOT open to the public or the media, there will be ‘great preaching and singing’ included in the evening,s line-up.  There’s going to be “fried chicken and all the sides”, as well.  Sound strange?

The members of Amazing Grace Baptist will be having a bonfire, too.  Not only will they be burning “Satan’s bibles like the NIV, RSV, NKJV…[which] are perversions of God’s Word the King James Bible”, but also “Satan’s music such as country, rap, rock…contemporary christian…” .

Along with all those evil products, “Satan’s popular books written by heretics like…Billy Graham, Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, John MacArthur, James Dobson, Charles Swindoll…John Piper…Tony Evans…Mark Driskol (sic)…Mother Theresa, The Pope, Rob Bell…and many more.”

No kidding!  You can’t make this stuff up!  You can check it out for yourself at their website: 

http://amazinggracebaptistchurchkjv.com/Download99.html

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Considering bible translations, Compass’s Good Morning, Lord! devotion had a question about KJV that I found to be relevent to the above story. 

The King James Version (1611) was translated from a single manuscript (referred to as the “Textus Receptus”). It is a very direct, honest, and accurate, word-for-word translation. Unfortunately, some words today mean the exact opposite of what they meant back in the 16th Century. And it is a translation from Greek and Hebrew, with human logic inserted. Errors were so obvious that the New King James was recently introduced correcting many of the problems.

We use the NASB (1961) because it also is a direct, word-for-word, translation. But it was translated from FIVE manuscripts that all dated 100 or more years prior to the Textus Receptus. And where there is a difference in wording for a verse, it is noted in the margin.

Note: The NIV and Living are more readable because they are NOT word-for-word translations. Therefore their translations are more easily debated.

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Here’s some more interesting information about this church:

http://sharpens.blogspot.com/2009/10/james-r-white-king-james-only-gone-wild.html

Having worked in children’s ministry for a number of years, I find the following to be quite refreshing.  Notice there is no mention of Jesus being your ‘forever friend’, ‘accepting Jesus into your heart’ or ’sinner’s prayer’.   Rather we are pointed to Scripture and its power to save.

from John MacArthur

Question:

How can parents explain the gospel to their children without toning down the commands of Scripture?

Answer:

Certainly children are limited in their ability to understand spiritual truth, but so are adults. Very few people intellectually understand all the gospel truth at the moment of salvation. Fortunately, the essential truths are basic enough that even a child can understand. Jesus Himself characterized saving faith as childlikeness (Mark 10:15). True belief is not a function of advanced intellect, sophisticated theological understanding, or complex doctrinal knowledge.

Children old enough to be saved can grasp the concept of coming to Christ with an obedient heart, and letting Him be boss in their lives.

When sharing the gospel with a child, keep these points in mind:

1. Remember that repetition and restatement are especially helpful. Give the gospel simply and briefly, but don’t assume the first positive response means they got all the truth they need to know. Continue explaining and expanding your explanations. Too many ministries to children equate every positive response with a real conversion.
2. Use Scripture and explain it clearly. Even with children, God’s Word is the seed that produces life (1 Peter 1:23). Don’t use approaches that give gospel outlines with no Scripture. Only the Bible can speak with authority to the human heart–including a child’s heart.
3. Understand the inherent danger in any outline or prefabricated presentation: they tend to follow a predetermined agenda that may bypass the child’s real needs or fail to answer his or her most important questions.
4. Finally, remember that the issues in salvation are the same for a child as for an adult. The gospel is the same message for every age group. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones wrote,
   

   We must be careful that we do not modify the gospel to suit various age groups. There is no such thing as a special gospel for the young, a special gospel for the middle-aged, and a special gospel for the aged. There is only one gospel, and we must always be careful not to tamper and tinker with the gospel as a result of recognizing these age distinctions. At the same time, there is a difference in applying this one and only gospel to the different age groups; but it is a difference which has reference only to method and procedure (Quoted in Knowing the Times [Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1989], 2).

Children must be able to understand that sin is an offense to God’s holiness and that they are personally guilty (though because of their limited experiences, most kids obviously won’t have as deep a sense of personal guilt as adults). There’s nothing wrong with telling children about hell and God’s wrath. Children do not have a difficult time grasping such concepts. They understand punishment for wrongdoing and are capable of understanding that Jesus died to take the punishment for the sins of others. They need to be told that Jesus expects to be obeyed, and they will understand even better than some adults that trusting Jesus means obeying Him. The importance of obedience needs to be emphasized repeatedly, even after the child makes a profession of faith.

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Hosted by Peggy @ http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/
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For today…October 26, 2009

Outside my window…the glorious colors of autumn.

I am hearing…the sounds of breakfast being made.

I am smelling…apple butter in the crock-pot * oatmeal with cinnamon.

I am thinking…how majestic is His Creation!

I am remembering…a colonial Saturday * early morning coffee on the front porch with hubby * family Bible study on the Law and the Gospel

From the kitchen…apple butter * apple  pie filing * apple sauce

Around the house…puppy toys littering the family room floor * muzzle-loaders in the corner * basket of apples in the kitchen

On my mind…a new cross-stitch pattern to start called, ‘His Name is Jesus’

From the learning rooms…time management skills

Pondering this Scripture…”Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.  Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”  Romans 3:20

I am looking forward to…coffee with a friend today * our new homeschool band starting this week

One of my favorite things…an evening sky in winter

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Grace and peace!