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0 commentsJuly 3rd, 2009

Worship Preparation | To God be the glory (1) In the Church & (2) in Christ Jesus...Forever. Amen. by Jordan

Something eternally seismic happened at the cross of Christ, and the empty tomb.

Through His death and resurrection, Jesus "purchased for God from every tribe, tongue, people and nation" a redeemed church. Those who were formerly alienated from God, and therefore, His enemies, were bought with the invaluable blood of Jesus--God's own Son, and infused upon converstion with the capacity to bring glory God's great Name!

The saving work of Jesus is so significant and powerful and life-tranforming that the Scripture says that "the church" will redound the same degree of glory to God "forever and ever" as Jesus--His own perfect and glorious Son--has always and will always bring to Him.

Or in one simple phrase, as Sunday's sermon text puts it,

"To God be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

The parrallelism in that verse is nothing short of amazing.

Lord willing, I'll see you Sunday, with a ready heart! John 3:30

jt

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0 commentsJuly 1st, 2009

The Heart of The Father by Jordan

Yesterday was a top seven day in my life. Or, to use the golf scoring system, it was a top-three day! The order goes like this:

  1. Conversion, March 1996.
  2. Marriage to the love of my life, July 1999.
  3. A five-way tie: The birth of each of my children, March '01, October '02, September '04, May '06, and yesterday.
  4. A trillion other undeserved blessings (Church, Christian growth, family, friends, Providentially ordered pain, Mountain Dew, good books, snowboarding, good conversations, shoes, breathing, et cetera).

The reason I'm publicly gloating over our daughter's birth...

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0 commentsJuly 1st, 2009

Love Within Thy Bosom Burns by Jordan

We're told in Hebrews 1:9 that God the Father spoke in Psalm 45:6-7 of the Lord Jesus saying, "Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated lawlessness."

Two tremendous affirmations are made by God the Father in this statement concerning Jesus...

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0 commentsJune 29th, 2009

The Sheridan's Have Their Treatment Schedule, Which is Our Prayer Schedule by Jordan

Click here to follow their blog. Here's the upcoming schedule:

  • Monday, July 13: Move into our new apartment
  • Thursday, July 16: Brandon’s clinic check-up and final physical
  • Friday, July 17: Hickman catheter put in
  • Monday, July 20, Day -7: Admission to hospital. Day 1 of chemotherapy
  • Tuesday, July 21, Day -6: Day 2 of chemotherapy
  • Wednesday, July 22, Day -5: Day 3 of chemotherapy
  • Thursday, July 23, Day -4: Day 4 of chemotherapy
  • Friday, July 24, Day -3: Day 5 of chemotherapy
  • Saturday, July 25, Day -2: Day 6 of chemotherapy
  • Sunday, July 26, Day -1: Rest!
  • Monday, July 27, Day 0: Transplantation Day, Begins minimum of 100 days staying in/near hospital in Nashville
  • Tuesday, July 28-August 7: Minimum 11 days of hospital stay, could be more depending on his reactions

Of course, you will want to read the entire post, and keep up with additional posts.

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0 commentsJune 29th, 2009

From the Comments: A Testimony of God's Saving Grace by Jordan

Many thanks to the person who was willing to share this story of God's saving grace:

Amazing...God's providence, that is. 

I was having an imaginary conversation with an imaginary unbeliever on my 30-minute commute to work today with hopes that I might be better prepared to testify of the real Christ to a real person someday.

My story goes like this...

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0 commentsJune 28th, 2009

How Did You Come to Trust Jesus as Lord and Savior? by Jordan

When co-teaching a series of lectures with Edmond Clowney on Christ-Centered hermeneutics, Tim Keller put God's one way of salvation well; "While there are many ways to Jesus, there is only one way to God."

Jesus is God. And He is the only way to a saving relationship with God the Father (John 14:6). The Lord's endless creativity is seen in the manifold ways He draws people to Jesus, so that they can then be brought safely to God.

Share your story of coming to Jesus

We would love to hear your testimony of how you came to trust Jesus as Lord and Savior. Wherever you are in the world, "refresh our hearts in Christ."

Let us know through the comments how you came to faith in Jesus. Since our comments have to be moderated due to heavy spam, we'll pull out your story after you submit it and post it here on the blog.

Perhaps your story of coming to Jesus for salvation will be one of God's "many ways" to bring someone else to Jesus, and to a saving relationship with Himself!

Here's how God brought me to Himself through faith in Jesus...

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0 commentsJune 27th, 2009

Worship Preparation | "You shall Call His Name Jesus Because..." by Jordan

"You shall call His name Jesus because He will save His people from their sins." - Matthew 1:21

As you prepare your heart for worship tomorrow through the preached Word of God, ask yourself three questions from this verse:

  1. Who is Jesus?
  2. What did He come to do?
  3. Am I one of His people?

Pray with all your heart that people will be converted tomorrow under the preaching of the gospel! Pray that your heart, and the hearts of all who will gather with us, will be "fertile soil" for the Word and will of God to be received with much joy.

See you tomorrow morning, Lord willing.

jt

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0 commentsJune 26th, 2009

"I would find myself thinking about, 'How do I get up from the ground in such a way that will most show to people that I consider even that to be part of God's love to me?'" by Jordan

What about falling 50 feet from a rope when you are 17 years old and breaking your back? How can you then say, "In the very accident, [God] was showing me His very kindness and care."

What about "taking a spill" many times after that because of your partial paralysis and trying to "get back up" in a way that will show to those who watch that you believe, "...even that, I consider to be part of God's love to me."

Watch Mark Talbot's short video...

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0 commentsJune 25th, 2009

Meet Grace's Pastoral Apprentice: Tyler Upchurch by Jordan

In May 2009, Tyler began a one year Pastoral Apprenticeship with Grace Church. The program is designed to give the apprentice a focused year of guidance in three areas: (1) personal holiness, (2) exposure to pastoral ministry, and (3) theological development.

Please be praying for Tyler, and for the pastors as we pour into him!

By the looks of this picture, it's clear that he's having fun!



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0 commentsJune 22nd, 2009

Exhortation from a Co-Laborer by Bryan

Brothers and Sisters, my heart is burdened for the furtherance of the gospel.  We as a faithful family have, by grace, done well to proclaim the gospel, but let us excel still more.

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