Batman the Ride

Rode Batman the ride (front seat) on Tuesday, July 12th and it was excellent!  Ranks #5 in my top 10 overall.  Click the link to read more about it.



Also rode The Boss and wasn't really all that impressed.  As far as wood coasters go it didn't have much air time, no real cool features.  It was a little rough.  Overall just a standard wooden coaster that was OK.  The big news about this ride is the Abbie rode it with me!  Abbie's (my middle daughter) first big roller coaster.  She didn't like it that well as she said from the beginning she wanted to get off, but what can you expect for her first big coaster at age 7!

Shepherding a Child's Heart

I'm currently reading Shepherding a Child's Heart, through chapter 3, so far so good.  I've read mixed reviews so I'm anxious to read it for myself.  I'll keep you all posted as I should finish it by the end of next week.

Funnies!

Snuggie… when a backwards robe just won’t do.

#1 pick-up line of all time:  Hey, does this rag smell like chloroform to you?

If Pro is the opposite of con, then what is the opposite of progress?

Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people.

If you won’t stand behind our military, please feel free to stand in front of them.

Math illiteracy affects 8 out of every 5 people.

I don’t suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.

How to Worship Jesus Christ - Book Review

Just finished the book How to Worship Jesus Christ by Joseph S. Carroll.  The book was challenging and encouraging.  It outlines the core of how we are to pray, worshiping God, not asking or coming for our own selfish desires but our hearts are attune to worship the King of King!


A great paragraph from the book

Now, in our modern day we are apt to have an unholy familiarity with God, an attitude we will never have if we have an understanding of the book of Revelation.  To some He is simply a person who exists in order that He might save people on their terms and help them live the life they want to live; and when they are in trouble, He will help them out.  This concept of God is not the God of the Bible.  He is the great God of the universe who gave His Son to be a propitiation of our sin, not that we might live a life that pleases us but that we might live a life that pleases Him.  This great One upon the throne with this vast sea before Him, He is the God of Glory.

Carroll states that in order to rightly worship God we must surrender the intellect first (p. 50), then affections and emotions, and finally our will.  This is within the chapter on a true heart, which he defines as a heart that is broken, broken from self, and offered up to God.


Great quote from C.S. Lewis, "It is in the process of being worshiped that God communicates His presence to men."


He challenges his readers that their quiet time should not be that we simply read or prayed through a prayer list, although those are not bad things.  Our quiet time should be in a place where we are alone and we worship God, commune with Him.  

What did this do for my quiet time?  It absolutely revolutionized it.  Instead of looking at my watch and saying, "I have ten minutes to get through my prayer list," I simply knelt down and quietly meditated upon the fact that I was in the presence of the Lamb of God and worshiped Him.  My quiet time then became something for Him, not something for me; and with the worship of my heart - the pouring out of my heart to Him in worship - came overpowering awareness of His presence.

Love this Oswald Chambers quote, "Worshiping God is the great essential of fitness.  If you have not been worshiping... when you get into work you will not only be useless yourself, but a tremendous hindrance to those who are associated with you."

Carroll's challenge that everything start with worship did not fall on deaf ears.  This book has personally challenged me to worship God as a priority and spend time in his presence.  Unfortunately we spend far to little time in this place.  We allow distractions and cares of this world to hinder our worship.  We must have two things to worship God: 1) Whole heart 2) Clean Hands.  Whole heart, nothing else.  Nothing held back.  No reserves, complete surrender.  Clean Hands, no un-confessed sin.  Un-confessed sin hinders fellowship.  


Finally, six hinderences to worship:   

1. Unsurrendered Heart (Luke 9:25)
2. Unconfessed Sin
3. Wrong Attitude - mostly toward another 
4. Enemy Opposition - when distracted by Satan, refute in the name of Jesus (James 4:7)
5. Physical Tiredness - get enough rest to be effective
6. Unbelief - when you prepare yourself for worship faith is foremost

In conclusion, I highly recommend this book.  I give it a 5 out of 5.  This is a necessity to any believer's library.  Thank-you God for men who pursue You and write about their experiences and insights.  Amen.

The High Price of America's Gambling Addiction

Those that advocate the gambling is simply another form of entertainment take note.  It is not.  In fact, it's dangerous.  Satan has used the almighty dollar to lure politicians into approving broader scope gambling such as lotteries and casinos.  It leads to destroyed lives and families, but don't take my word on it, read here.


Christian sometimes use the argument that the Bible does not speak directly to the issue of gambling, the same could be said of drug abuse, yet we unilaterally agree that it's wrong.  Sin always comes with a cloud of confusion.  Making something that is bad look good.     


I hope we wise up about the truths of gambling and quit pretending it's an innocent form of entertainment.  

Harvest University 2010

The link below has several excerpts from Harvest University 2010, what a great time of refreshing!  God is so good... how I long for everyone to know the peace & forgiveness that only he offers.





Click here to view the video.


Love the song "There is no one else for me" from session 3... what a blessing. 

Another great Stossel article

The liberal left has succeeded in re-writing much of history thanks to the media that is by in large liberal.  I'm thankful for men like John Stossel who still teach the truth that free markets are best.


Check out this article...


Here is his sight where you can see the video he's talking about.


Very enlightening!


I have some Christian friends with good intentions that believe we should stay out of politics.  What they do not understand is that if we do not stand up for our liberty and freedom we will lose it and with it lose the ability to freely share the life giving gospel.  Please pay attention to what your politicians are doing and vote for "limited government" conservatives.

The Saving Life of Christ

A book recommended for young Christians.  I haven't read it but heard it's really good.

Click here to see it on Amazon.

Recommended Reading List

I got this from James MacDonald... planning to forge through the list personally.

Develop Your Personal Christian Library

At Harvest Bible Chapel, the church I pastor, we’re filling our minds with good books. We’ve developed a five-year reading schedule with what we think are some of the very best books available in a wide range of topics surrounding the Christian life (100 books total!). Join us in the pursuit of godly living and reading. Print the following lists and develop a reading plan suitable to your needs and schedule.

Be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2
Year 1 Reading List

• Basic Christianity, John R.W. Stott
• Don’t Waste Your Life, John Piper
• The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate, Gary Chapman
• God Wrote a Book, James MacDonald
• Honesty, Morality, and Conscience, Jerry White
• The Jesus I Never Knew, Philip Yancey
• Knowledge of the Holy, A.W. Tozer
• The Master Plan of Evangelism, Robert Coleman
• More than a Carpenter, Josh McDowell
• My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers
• No Compromise: The Life Story of Keith Green, Melody Green
• The Pursuit of Holiness, Jerry Bridges
• The Saving Life of Christ, Ian Thomas
• A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, W. Phillip Keller
• Shepherding a Child's Heart, Tedd Tripp
• The Treasure Principle: Discovering the Secret of Joyful Giving, Randy Alcorn
• Through Gates of Splendor, Elisabeth Elliot
• The Unquenchable Worshipper: Coming Back to the Heart of Worship, Matt Redman
• What the Bible is All About, Henrietta Mears
• Word Biblical Commentary, Gordon Wenham

Year 2 Reading List

• At Home in Mitford, Jan Karon
• The Case for Christ: A Journalist’s Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus, Lee Strobel
• Concise Theology, J.I. Packer
• The Excellent Wife: A Biblical Perspective, Martha Peace
• The Exemplary Husband: A Biblical Perspective, Stuart Scott
• The Gospel According to Jesus, John MacArthur
• Hard Questions, Real Answers, William Lane Craig
• The Heavenly Man: The Remarkable True Story of Chinese Christian Brother Yun, Paul Hattaway
• How to Give Away Your Faith, Little
• Living by the Book, Howard Hendricks
• I Really Want to Change ...: So, Help Me God : God’s Power to Transform Lives, James MacDonald
• Message of the Sermon on the Mount, John R.W. Stott
• New Bible Dictionary, I. Howard Marshall
• Passion and Purity: Learning to Bring Your Love Life under Christ's Control, Elisabeth Elliot
• The Practice of the Presence of God, Brother Lawrence
• Pleasures Evermore: The Life-Changing Power of Enjoying God, Sam Storms
• Pursuit of God, A.W. Tozer
  Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life/Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health, by Donald S. Whitney
• Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History of Christianity, Mark Noll
• Your Money Counts: The Biblical Guide to Earning, Spending, Saving, Investing, Giving, and Getting Out of Debt, Howard Dayton

Year 3 Reading List

• Bible Translation Differences: Criteria for Excellence in Reading and Choosing a Bible Translation, Leland Ryken
• Brokenness, Nancy Leigh DeMoss
• Continuous Revival, Norman Grubb
• Disciplines of a Godly Man, R. Kent Hughes
• Fit Bodies Fat Minds: Why Evangelicals Don’t Think and What to Do About It, Os Guiness
• The God Who Hears, W. Bingham Hunter
• Holman Bible Atlas: A Complete Guide to the Expansive Geography of Biblical History,Thomas C. Brisco
• How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, Dr. Gordon D. Fee, Dr. Douglas Stuart
• I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist, Norman L. Geisler
• Jack: A Life of C.S. Lewis, George Sayer
• Letters along the Way: A Novel of the Christian Life, D. A. Carson, John D. Woodbridge
• Marriage under Fire: Why We Must Win This Battle, James Dobson
• Operation World: When We Pray God Works, Patrick Johnstone
• Persecution: How Liberals Are Waging War against Christianity, David Limbaugh
• The Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan
• Psychobabble: The Failure of Modern Psychology and the Biblical Alternative, Richard Ganz
• Strengthening Your Marriage, Wayne A. Mack
• Systematic Theology, Wayne Grudem
• What Is the Difference?: Manhood and Womanhood Defined according to the Bible, John Piper
• Why Pro-Life? : Caring for the Unborn and Their Mothers, Randy Alcorn

Year 4 Reading List

• The Beginner’s Guide to Spiritual Gifts, Sam Storms
• Church History in Plain Language, Bruce L. Shelley
• Feminine Appeal: Seven Virtues of a Godly Wife and Mother, Carolyn Mahaney
• Keep in Step with the Spirit, J.I. Packer
• Hard Sayings of the Bible, Walter C. Kaiser, ed
• Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther, Roland H. Bainton
• How Now Shall We Live?, Charles Colson, Nancy Pearcey
• Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret, Hudson Taylor
• Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands: People in Need of Change Helping People in Need of Change, Paul David Tripp
• On Being a Servant of God, Warren W. Wiersbe
• Overcoming Fear, Worry, and Anxiety: Becoming a Woman of Faith and Confidence,Elyse Fitzpatrick
• Sacred Marriage, Gary L. Thomas
• Set Apart: Calling a Worldly Church to a Godly Life, R. Kent Hughes
• Sex, Romance and the Glory of God: What Every Christian Husband Needs to Know, C. J. Mahaney, Carolyn Mahaney
• A Tale of Three Kings, Gene Edwards
• Three Crucial Questions about Spiritual Warfare, Clinton E. Arnold
• When Life Is Changed Forever/by the Death of Someone Near, Rick Taylor
• Why Small Groups? by C. J. Mahaney, ed.
• Why Revival Tarries, Leonard Ravenhill

Year 5 Reading List

• Ashamed of the Gospel: When the Church Becomes Like the World, John F. MacArthur
• Backgrounds of Early Christianity, Everett Ferguson
• The Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster
• The Cost of Discipleship, Deitrick Bonhoeffer
• The Cross of Christ, John R.W. Stott
• Darwin on Trial, Phillip E. Johnson
• Decision Making and the Will of God : A Biblical Alternative to the Traditional ViewGarry Friesen
• Desiring God, John Piper
• How to Read a Book, Charles Van Doren, Mortimer J. Adler
• The Kingdom of God: The Biblical Concept and Its Meaning for the Church, John Bright
• The Kingdom of the Cults, Walter Ralston Martin
• Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis
• Nine Marks of a Healthy Church, Mark Dever
• Orthodoxy, G.K. Chesterton
• Prophetic Untimeliness: A Challenge to the Idol of Relevance, Os Guinness
• Religious Affections: A Christian’s Character before God, Jonathan Edwards
• The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind, Mark A. Noll
• Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis
• Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity, Nancy R. Pearcey
• The Universe Next Door: A Basic Worldview Catalog, James W Sire

Something to Think About

Great article by Kevin DeYoung. Are we all too often satisfied with nibbling at Satan's offerings in hope of entertainment? Do we justify the viewing of sinful behavior under the umbrella of grace and liberty?

Something to Think About

Fun time at the pool!

Had a great time with Abbie's softball team at the pool!