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Read Ray Ortlund's "Going Into 2009 List" of thankfulness and concern.
HT: Justin Taylor
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December 2008 Entries
When Life Hurts: Ravi Zacharias
Popular Christian author and speaker, Ravi Zacharias, will be in Memphis at HighPoint Church Saturday evening January 3rd at 6PM.
January - April 2009 Church Card
Grace's new church card will be available at church beginning tomorrow. Prepare your hearts to meet Christ in Colossians!
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"If that's what God wants, then that's what I want...It's not about me...its about God...I've got Jesus."
Advent - Peace from Harvest Bible Chapel on Vimeo
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Merry Christmas...To Me. I won!
Wow! Just yesterday I told someone, "I never win those drawing things." God's humor! Me like :). Thanks Trevin!
The Day I Leapt for Someone Else
Here's an excerpt from Kurt's annual Christmas poem that he writes for his church. This poem is entitled, "The Day I Leapt for Someone Else."
“I’m not the Christ; I am not He.”
So let my voice drown in the sea
Of waves that crash upon His shore;
Of Christward praise forever more.
I publish this from east to west:
"He must increase, I must be less."
Worship as you read the whole thing!
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Peering Through the Window of Christ's Incarnational Mystery
During Advent I've been reading Isaac Ambrose's section on the Incarnation of Christ in his insightful work, Looking Unto Jesus.
Below are just a few nuggets from the absolutely loaded pages! Some are
quotes, some are summaries of Ambrose's thoughts.
Enjoy!!
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Want Twins? Here's the Two Emails You've Been Waiting For!
Here's part of an email exchange I received yesterday:
Hey all, Just learned that CAS has biracial twins that are due anytime, and they don't have a family. They need a family that is homestudy ready! Know anybody??
Then, I fired back, "How would an interested couple get the ball rolling?"
Carson, Piper, & Keller Conversations
Make the time to watch them all!
On Mercy Ministries Remaining Eternally Motivated
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Can We Get Enough Volunteers for 72 Slots?
Do I love to serve in secret?
Some ministries in the church have a "romantic" edge to them. An attractiveness. They have appeal. They are the roles that carry some inherent sense of affirmation. It feels good to feel appreciated. That's not necessarily wrong. Though, we should always find our identity only in Christ.
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Grace Church Elders
We've recently updated the "elder" page on our site since the addition of our two newest elders. Please pray for us!
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Check This Out!
Check out this performance here and another one here starring the wives of the elders at Grace Church.
- Carole Cupples
- April Sawyer
- Angie Smith
- Brandy Suggs
- Tracy Thomas
Email if you are interested in having them perform at your venue. Hurry, they are booking up fast!!!
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Athiest Teaches Christians How to Evangelize. And We Should Listen.
After seeing the previous post, my good friend and a fellow pastor, Cody McNutt, in Louisville, KY sent a link to this video:
Hey Cody and Sally... congrats on the arrival of little Laine!
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An Athiests Plea for Believers to Prosyletize: "How much do you have to hate somebody to not prosyletyze?"
Watch this video. Pay careful attention after the 2:20 mark...
In case you are planning to skip this short video, first swallow this quote from it:
"...I've always said I don't respect people who don't prosyletize. I don't respect that at all. If you believe that there's a heaven and hell, and people could be going to hell, or not getting eternal life, or whatever... And you think that it's not really worth telling them [about Jesus] because it would make it socially awkward... how much do you have to hate somebody to not prosyletize? How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible, and not tell them that?"
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Another Great Hymn
Thanks for posting the great hymn from Horatius Bonar! Here's another great one from Frank Houghton concerning Christ's Incarnation that has been swirling in my heart since it appeared before me in the advent devotional guide I repped a while back:
Thou who wast rich beyond all splendour,
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Begin Each Day With God
A wonderful hymn by Horatius Bonar (#46 in the Christian Hymns book)
Begin the day with God:
Feel Your Need for Christ - Worship Preparation #3
My heart is stirred yet again after reading Edward's manuscript this morning for the umpteenth time this month. In the first preparation post for this coming Sunday, I described the famous sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," as devestatingly helpful. Is that a strange concept for you? I hope not.
Before you or I will ever come to Jesus, we must feel our need. We must feel devestated...with no place else to turn. We must be stripped bare of our pride before we will let go of the notion that we are able to earn God's favor, and emptied of the self-rigteousness that makes us feel as if we don't need His favor.
The need is present if we feel it or not. As we sit under the preaching of the truth of Scripture, our need for Jesus is pronounced. We hear it. We feel it.
When we realize how impoverished, how needy, we are, we will come empty-handed to Jesus. And when we come, He will save.
See you Sunday, Lord willing.
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Someone pleading with us to avoid destruction is a very loving act - Prep #2
We hear that that the "fire and brimstone" preachers are all about hate, and no love. What could be more loving than God sending someone to plead with us to avoid imminent destruction and telling us how to find escape?
Sunday, Jonathan Edwards will be the guest preacher at Grace Church and will love us in exactly that way!
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MacArthur's comments fit well with next Sunday's Sermon - #1
Because this will be the Sunday before Christmas, this week is unique. Because I'll be preaching an old old sermon, that makes things even more interesting. In that light, I'll be sharing multiple preparation posts.
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"O Come Let Us Adore Him" - A prayer
Nathan Sawyer emailed today asking if I would post the prayer I led in the service yesterday after we sang, "O Come Let us Adore Him." Here 'tis:
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Now that's some love!
Pastor Nathan to Pastor Jordan: Pastor Jordan, how much do you love Grace Church?
Pastor Jordan's response.........
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Pray for Me
I
am scheduled to speak Saturday night, and would appreciate your prayers
beforehand (or afterward, that the Word would bear much fruit). Thank you!
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Nigeria Pictures
The first three pictures are of Pastor Correct (planting in the bush) and Pastor Mammon (planting in the city), the two church-planters being supported by Grace. Pastor Mammon is the one pictured with his family.
The fourth picture is of Pastor Nathan and Pastor Ephraim, Grace's God-given "man of peace" who has been indescribably helpful as we've sought to join the Lord's work in Nigeria.
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Worship Prep for Dec. 14th
This Sunday Lord willing, we will be looking at Acts 20:17-28. The main thrust of the sermon though is this phrase...
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Last Day!
Today marks the last day that my wife April will be working; well at a
secular job that is. She is 37 weeks into the pregnancy of our first
child Jaidyn, so the real work is just about to begin.
I thank God for my wife.
Pictures of Grace & A Cute Gift For Visiting
Realizing there are many of you who read this blog but do not attend Grace Church, I thought some of you might be interested in knowing what our Sunday gathering place and people look like.
Lots of churches give away cheesy stuff to draw in the crowds. This Christmas we're giving away cute little dudes.
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Sermons Describing God Are Indescribably Wonderful
Rick's sermon last Sunday was phenominal. If you missed it, you will serve your soul well to have a listen.
There's something indescribably wonderful about sitting under someone's preaching who describes God to us. When someone knows God well and talks to us about his God, it is obvious that he is speaking of One and with Whom he has an ongoing relationship.
Far different than speaking about One that is distant and unknowable, the refreshing waves of His enjoyed nearness are the incessant overtones of the message. That's Rick's preaching. Nothing fancy. No bells or wistles. Just God. His God. The One true God, and Jesus Christ Whom He has sent.
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Advent Family Devotional Guide
Family traditions are great. Even little things "the way we always do it" can make for sweet memories generation after generation. If you don't already have a tradition for family devotions in your home during Advent season, let me encourage you to begin this year.
The resource I'm linking below is the one our family is following this season. It is a ready-made guide for this year's Advent season. Those who are more creative than me might have fun crafting your own guide. Be intentional. Be Christward. Be worshippers. Be joyful. Behold the One, the Son, of God.
- 2008 Advent Devotional Guide -- from Christ the King Presbyterian Church.
How will you display that Christ is King in your heart and your home during this season?
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"Fit for" or "Fit into"? Means the Same Thing.
During morning devotions today, Andrew gave two insightful responses to the chatechism.
Question #1: "What effect did Adam's sin have on all mankind?"
- Booklet Answer: "Every man is born in the state of sin and misery"
- Andrew's Answer: "Every man is born in the state of America."
Question #2: "Can anyone enter heaven with a sinful nature?"
- Booklet Answer: "No, my heart must be changed to be fit for heaven."
- Andrew's Answer: "No, my heart must be changed to fit into heaven."
The first answer is cute. The second answer is correct!
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