11.27.2006

Savior: Celebrating the Mystery of God Become Man

Sovereign Grace Ministries has recently released a new Christmas cd called Savior: Celebrating the Mystery of God Become Man.

You can download and sample songs from the album, listen to interviews about Savior or purchase the cd here.

Or you can purchase it from Monergism Books and get free shipping with orders over $25 order!

Football Disappointments

Well, it wasn't a very good weekend for football. The Tigers lost to the Gamecocks, and I'm still trying to pull my foot out of my mouth. (I guess this would have been a more appropriate picture to post.)

The Panthers didn't fare any better because they lost to the Washington Redskins yesterday. Next Sunday will be a new day and the I'm sure the Panthers are ready to go back to work in preparation for their game against the Eagles.

11.26.2006

Lights! Tree! Ornaments! Action!

Here are a few pictures from last night. We had a wonderful time decorating, eating, laughing and listening to music together. Sadly, they had to go back to Virginia today.


Alora and the "ights"


Mom's little helper


The whole crew

11.22.2006

Missional Eating: Skins' Hotdogs


Ever since my dad introduced me to the wonderful world of Skins' Hotdogs when I was a boy, I've been hooked. So, it was with great pleasure that I was able to take Amy and Alora to eat at Skins' recently. As always, the overall eating experience was great.

For those of you who live in the Anderson area here are a few reasons why you should visit Skins' on a regular basis:

*Meeting Locals. I cannot think of another restaraunt in Anderson that is more well-known or loved by the locals of Anderson than Skins'. If you have a desire to take part missional eating (i.e. eating at local restraunts with the purpose of meeting people, engaging them with the gospel and enjoying good food!), then Skins' should be at the top of your list.

*Simplicity. If you're looking for hamburgers, french fries, or any other fast food besides hotdogs, then Skins is not the place to go (because they don't serve those things!). But if you want the best hotdogs in SC, Skins' should be on the agenda.

*Service. The service we recieved was friendly and fast. I think that we had our food in less than 5 minutes.

My recommendation: 3 hotdogs all-the-way (mustard, chili, and onions), a bag of Golden Flake Chips, a side of pickles, and a Coca-Cola in a glass bottle.




Clemson vs. South Carolina


Well, I for one can't wait to see Clemson beat South Carolina. Go Tigers!

11.18.2006

Greasy Hands, Five Gallons of Water and a Concrete Floor


While at work yesterday I noticed that one of our water dispensers was empty; so, I removed the empty jug and attempted to replace it with a full one. (In case you missed it, the key word in the last sentence was attempted.) Let's just say that greasy hands, a five gallon jug of water and a concrete floor are not a good combination. After this failed attempt, I spent the next 15 minutes moping and drying floor. Five gallons of water sure does cover a lot of floor!

11.13.2006

For All the Saints

"...keep alert with all perserverance, making supplication for all the saints." -Ephesians 6:18 (ESV).

Since moving to Anderson to help plant Redeemer Church, the opposition from the evil one has been clear. The devil hates Christ and the work of the kingdom. Yet, this opposition does not discourage me because I know that God is sovereign and He will use these circumstances to demonstrate that His plans will not be stopped. The strong man has been bound (Mark 3:27), and the gates of hell will not prevail against the Church of Jesus Christ(Matthew 16:18).

Although we know that the kingdom of God will prevail, we are also keenly aware that the the battle ist still raging because the devil is still scheming. Our battle is against "the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12); therefore, we must take up the full armor of God. In this battle, we are not battle for alone; rather, we are battling for all the saints. It is easy for us to become self-centered and only worry about our own circumstances, but the Apostle Paul reminds us that we must be "praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints" (Ephesians 6:18). We are all in the battle together. Take up your armor and battle for all the saints of Christ.

Please remember to pray for all of us who are involved with planting Redeemer Church. Pray that we will continued to see the Lord's provision and protection as we seek to shine the light of the gospel in Anderson.

"O may Thy soldiers, faithful, true and bold,
Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old,
And win with them the victor’s crown of gold.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,
Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
And hearts are brave, again, and arms are strong.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
-A verse from For All the Saints
by William W. How

11.08.2006

Looking to a Pseudo-Savior

"You shall have no other gods before me." -Exodus 20:3 (ESV)

God does not stumble over His words or waste His breath. He speaks with clarity and authority. He will have no other rival or god in His place.

The tricky thing about gods is that they don't come in the shapes, sizes, and forms that we expect. If they were made of wood and clay, I am sure that we wouldn't be so ignorant of their presence. Politics has become one of the invisible and unacknowledged gods of America. Politics has become a pseudo-savior that promises to deliver its worshippers from war, oppression, taxes, and a number of other "evils." In reality, the god of politics goes by many names (Democrat, Republican, etc) but it is the same god. For some people, when they casted a vote yesterday, they were in reality paying homage to the god of politics. Yet, politics is no savior. Lots of people are waiting on the world to change, unfortunately, they're not looking to the right source: Christ. Yet, until people realize that true change doesn't come from political parties, the god of politics will continue to gain new worshippers.

Yesterday, after Democrats won control of the house, one politician said, "Today the American people voted for change and they voted for Democrats to take their country in a new direction, and that is exactly what we intend to do" (Nancy Pelisi). Democrats may take America in a new direction (for better or worse), but they will not lead us to where we really need to go: to Christ.

Let me be clear: I am not opposed to participating in politics. I believe politics can and should be utilized to bring glory to God. In reality, we should strive to see God glorified in every institution and endeavor. So, I do believe that there is a place for government and politics within the life of Christians, but they must be placed in proper perspective. Real change will not come to us through new political parties, proposals or people. True change will only happen when people are changed by the power of the gospel. The gospel is the only thing that will bring real peace and hope.

"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." -Psalm 20:7 (ESV)