thankful

Wow! It has literally been forever since I last wrote anything on here. I actually use my blog everyday as a resource to read from various blogs and sites I have listed yet I never write. There is so much that I could and should write about yet I do not have the time.

I will write to about one thing today. I'm so thankful for the evidences of God's grace in my life. Whether it by means of my family always being so patient with me or through my friends who love me so well. At home I try and try and yet seem to fail over and over yet through it all my wife and kids still love me through my foibles and follies, how beautiful is that? It's a beautiful reflection of HIS grace. I have a group of friends to whom I'm very loyal, many of us were in each other's weddings, yet I find that I do not keep in touch as I should. When a call is made or contact comes via social media or texting they do not care, they care only how I am. How awesome is that? Truly humbling to think about and to be thankful for.

I guess much of this rambling thought comes from the thought that today is my parents 49th Anniversary. My parents are not perfect, I would call them perfectly faulted. Yet through 49 years they have loved each other and still continue to do so. So as I consider that I am thankful for them I'm  also drawn to be thankful for something that makes their love for each other along with their love for me and my sister look quite anemic. I'm drawn to consider the depths of HIS perfect love in spite of my many upon many failures and I'm in awe. In awe of HIS nature that shines so brightly through these evidences of grace that draw me to consider HIS depths. So I say thank You to the One Who deserves all of my praise on this 49th Anniversary of my parents.

Great Quote from Jared C. Wilson

A great quote from Jared C. Wilson's book, Gospel Wakefulness: "The Gospel is not just the entry fee for heaven but the currency for all of life."

Quote from Spurgeon

Lectures to My Students, Lecture 1: The Minister's Self-Watch (p.17): We must cultivate the highest degree of godliness because our work imperatively requires it. The labor of Christian ministry is well performed in exact proportion to the vigor of our renewed nature. Our work is only well done when it is well with ourselves. As the workman, such will the work be. To face the enemies of truth, to defend the bulwarks of the faith, to rule well in the house of God, to comfort all that mourn, to edify the saints, to guide the perplexed, to bear with the froward, to win and nurse souls - all these and a thousand other works beside are not for a Feeble-mind or a Ready-to-halt, but are reserved for Great-heart whom the Lord has made strong for himself. Seek then strength from the Strong One, wisdom from the Wise One, in fact, all from the God of all.

An Amazing Blessing about Ministry

Of late I have been taking an assessment of the time which God has graciously granted to serve him since 1993 until the present. From 1993 to 2008 I was blessed to serve in youth ministry in one form or fashion. In looking at that time Jill and I were discouraged at where many of those we served are at in their lives now in relation to serving the Lord. Yet in the midst of this God reminded us of the blessing of pouring our lives into others by seeing of late some those who are serving the Lord and making an impact for HIS Glory. It is amazing that each are serving right here in the Kershaw, SC area!

In our church I get to serve with Lonnie Smith. We met Lonnie while serving in Conway, SC and God has blessed us to have had a presence in his life since that time. He is quite gifted and he loves and serve our youth quite well at Oak Ridge. God has blessed Lonnie with a graciousness by which he carries himself and serves others. This gracious spirit comes from his love for his Savior. He is a challenge and an encouragement to both Jill and I along with being a blessing to our children. My goal is to love and serve him well while challenging him to continually mine the depths of the Gospel and to apply it well as he seeks to glorify HIM in all he does.

I have just recently re-connected with another of our former youth from our time in Conway as well. Hunter Frye is now a teacher at a local middle school here in the Kershaw area. We had watched him from afar on Facebook (some call this creepin' on Facebook, of which Jill is a master - lol) since our time in Conway and we had seen that he had been active in his faith and serving his Savior. I did not know that he was so close to us until I went to an Eighth Grade football game to support one of our youth and looked out at the field and my jaw dropped to see him coaching! We then talked after the game and then I was invited to a FCA meeting that he was leading at the middle school a few weeks later. I look forward to serving him in any way possible to foster more growth so that he can continue to impact students for HIS Glory.

It is so humbling to see these two men of God serving HIM! I must add that during this time God has also aloud us to see others that are serving the LORD and this has been humbling. What an honor we have been given to serve our amazing God and King. Jill and I have done so since we started dating in 1998 and I have been doing so since 1993. My prayer is that we can continue to love and serve well and always seek to find ways in which to pour ourselves out for HIS Glory!

Quote from Joe Thorn's great book "Note to Self"

I have been reading a great book by Joe Thorn entitled "Note to Self: The Discipline of Preaching to Yourself". I have been reading through this with our Youth Minister at Oak Ridge, Lonnie Smith. It has been quite good for my soul and challenging. God has blessed me through this and I highly encourage anyone to get this book. Here is a great quote:

"Seeking God means that you are continually aiming and working at knowing him more deeply, depending on him more thoroughly, and experiencing his grace more richly...It is unfortunate that you forget your need to seek God, for though you are right that God is enough, you forget that he is only found to be enough by those who seek him. Seeking God means that in all you do, you keep his honor in your mind, his Word in your heart, and his glory as your goal - so you are seeking to actually know him and make him known." (from Chapter 12 "Seek God")

Jerry Rankin Quote and News

"We need to recognize that, in God's providence, all He allows us to experience is to result in a testimony to the nations." (from the chapter Dr. Rankin wrote in the new book "The Great Commission Resurgence

Dr. Rankin served with the IMB (International Mission Board) of the Southern Baptist Convention for 40 years. HE was the president of the IMB for 17 of those years. He is joining forces with Columbia International University (CIU). I started seminary at CIU (before finally finishing at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary) and the school has a special place in my heart, here's the article:

Dr. Jerry Rankin to Head Zwemer Center for Muslim Studies at CIU

May 10, 2011

Dr. Jerry Rankin has been named the new director of The Zwemer Center for Muslim Studies at Columbia International University effective May 6. Rankin recently retired after 40 years of service with the Southern Baptist International Mission Board (IMB), the last 17 years as president. Prior to becoming president of the IMB, Dr. Rankin and his wife Bobbye served for 23 years in Asia, initially as missionaries in Indonesia, the largest Muslim country in the world.

The Zwemer Center offers a curriculum on Muslim Studies, including a master’s degree, and sponsors research, seminars, dialogues and training conferences.

While continuing to live at his home in Mississippi, Rankin will give direction to planning, administration and implementation of the growing Muslim Studies program at CIU under the auspices of the Zwemer Center.

Dr. Mike Barnett, the associate dean of the College of Intercultural Studies at CIU says Rankin brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the area of Muslim Studies.

“Dr. Rankin’s decades of service with the IMB are invaluable as we look to the future at the Zwemer Center and consider new venues for Muslim studies both inside CIU’s College of Intercultural Studies, and assisting the church outside the university,” Barnett said.

Rankin replaces Dr. Warren Larson who will retire in 2012. Larson will continue to serve The Zwemer Center and CIU through his teaching, writing, and blogging.

A resource for Gospel-Centered Living

Tullian Tchvidjian posted the following article on his blog with a list of 15 books for Christians to have more Biblical understanding of the Gospel:

As I’ve said before, I once assumed (along with the vast majority of professing Christians) that the gospel was simply what non-Christians must believe in order to be saved, while afterward we advance to deeper theological waters. But I’ve come to realize that once God rescues sinners, his plan isn’t to steer them beyond the gospel, but to move them more deeply into it. The gospel, in other words, isn’t just the power of God to save you, it’s the power of God to grow you once you’re saved. After all, the only antidote to sin is the gospel—and since Christians remain sinners even after they’re converted, the gospel must be the medicine a Christian takes every day.

This idea that the gospel is just as much for Christians as it is for non-Christians may seem like a new idea to many but, in fact, it is really a very old idea.

Well, I’ve had some great help along the way as I’ve wrestled with this “new idea.” There have been some books (beneath the Bible) which have helped me better understand how God intends the reality of the gospel to mold and shape and liberate us at every point and in every way. The following list of books (not in any particular order) is not exhaustive, but if you read them you will be moving in the right direction toward a better, more Biblical understanding of the Christian’s need for the gospel.

1. Transforming Grace by Jerry Bridges

2. The Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges

3. The Gospel-Driven Life by Micheal Horton

4. In Christ Alone by Sinclair Ferguson

5. Scandalous Freedom by Steve Brown

6. When Being Good Isn’t Good Enough by Steve Brown

7. Because He Loves Me by Elyse Fitzpatrick

8. Christ Formed In You by Brian Hedges

9. Counterfeit Gods by Tim Keller

10. The Prodigal God by Tim Keller

11. The Reign of Grace by Scotty Smith

12. Holiness by Grace by Bryan Chapell

13. From Fear to Freedom by Rose Marie Miller

14. Counsel From the Cross by Elyse Fitzpatrick and Dennis Johnson

15. The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification by Walter Marshall

Are there any others that you would suggest?

At the very least, begin with the list above. It will do your soul good. I promise.

My prayer for you (and for the whole church) is that as you come to a better understanding of the length and breadth of the gospel you will be recaptured everyday by the “God of great expenditure” who gave everything that we might possess all.