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Your Marriage Needs the Gospel…

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Great post here on how the Gospel is what we need:

Only the gospel will usher us past the hatred and confusion to this truth. Only the cross will appear as the real solution to such deep confusion and sin. It tells the adulterer what’s truly wrong and the broken spouse how forgiveness is even possible. Every other wisdom stops short of it and fumbles around with symptoms lying around on the surface. Grace makes a family out of a disaster.

You see when you are tempted to be a selfish person in marriage, the Gospel speaks something loud and different and, in the midst of that, gives hope. Hoping you’ll run there for all your marital needs…

Links Related to Parentingology

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I was helped by each of these links recently when JT linked to them:

  1. Technology no longer has boundaries
  2. Know when to cut it off
  3. The difference between preference and addiction
  4. Focus on technology that truly connects us to our kids
  5. Model the balance
Reb Bradley, Homeschool Blindspots
  1. Having Self-Centered Dreams
  2. Raising Family as an Idol
  3. Emphasizing Outward Form
  4. Tending to Judge
  5. Depending on Formulas
  6. Over-Dependence on Authority and Control
  7. Over-Reliance Upon Sheltering
  8. Not Passing On a Pure Faith
  9. Not Cultivating a Loving Relationship With Our Children
Quoting Bryan Caplan: “Secondhand stress is one of kids’ leading grievances.”

Weekend Preview – Heaven IS for Real…

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Yes, the title of this post was meant to bait you in…

I know many of you have probably read Heaven Is For Real or experienced something like that and thought, “It was so encouraging to read something like this.”  Actually, when we say something like this it communicates for more than we may intend.  The story told in that book is an experience of someone and we somehow feel as if that experience helps cement reality.

The Bible, though, is as real as any best-seller ever was.  And, this coming Lord’s Day, we will be looking at how Heaven Is For Real in Hebrews 8:1-5.  You see, our salvation is a sure and final thing because Jesus didn’t perform His ministry in an earthly tent…No!  Jesus went to heaven where the real tabernacle was and ministered on our behalf there.  That is reality.  Heaven is for real and Jesus really ministered there and because He did, our lives will never be the same.  I hope this coming Sunday you rest in Jesus as your reality.

Weekend Recap – Suffering…

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We enjoyed a blessed Lord’s Day yesterday on so many levels.

My good friend, Brad Russell, was here preaching from 1 Peter 1:3-9 a message entitled Perspective in Suffering.  Many of us, when facing suffering, act as if some strange thing is happening to us.  But, the Bible is clear about how we can remain grounded in the midst of it.  I appreciated Brad opening his life to us and giving us solid anchors to latch onto in the midst of the storm.  The perspective we have in suffering leads to perseverance based on the Prize we have in the glorious Gospel of Christ.

In the evening, our rain moved on and the temp cooled off and we enjoyed a great night of fellowship at our church picnic.  Fun stuff.  Nothing like unhurried fellowship, tossing the football around and watching the joy on the children’s faces as they played together.  What a rich time.

Hope you had a blessed Lord’s day and enter this week refreshed.

Some Links as we near the weekend…

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First off, Mark Driscoll has a new webpage…and answers a FAQ on his view of alcohol. Tim Keller was critiqued on something he said nearly 3 years ago on the exclusivity of Christ but responded with Gospel-infused grace and clarified his words. Josh Hamilton hit a grand slam last night, which means free carpet and flooring evidently. Both Crestview Bible Church and our children’s ministry, CrestviewKids, have Facebook pages. How about a like? Have a great weekend.

Weekend Preview – My Good Friend

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One of my best friends, Brad Russell, will be preaching for me this coming Lord’s day. Brad is pastor at Old Powhatan Baptist Church in Powhatan, VA. As you continue to think about God and His greatness extended to us through Christ, anticipate blessings from Him as we worship this coming Lord’s Day. Reminder, too, in the evening, we will be having our church pic-a-nic at Herman Bunte Park here in Hutch at 6PM. Please bring a main dish, chair and side or dessert. Have a great week.

Weekend Recap – Simply the Best

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My sermon from 9/11/11 is online. It was from Hebrews 7:20-28 and entitled Simply The Best. God had engraven on our hearts a desire to live for ultimate realities. This is why we tune in to finales of reality shows and championship contests in sporting events. We love the know the best. And, in the case of Jesus, we have one who is the best. There are no denying His amazing qualifications based on what we’ve seen in Hebrews. I hope this message urges you to look to Christ.

Marriage is Important and Good…

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Here’s a couple of marriage links… First off, Trevin Wax highlights an article on the Marginalization of Marriage in Middle America:

At the collective level, the retreat from marriage has played a noteworthy role in fueling the growth in family income inequality and child poverty that has beset the nation since the 1970s. For all these reasons, then, the institution of marriage has been an important pillar of the American Dream, and the erosion of marriage in Middle America is one reason the dream is increasingly out of reach for men, women, and children from moderately-educated homes.

So…marriage is important to the fabric of society. Another great link I came across yesterday was a video Justin Taylor linked to on the good gift of marriage. Watch and be blessed. Today, I don’t know the state of your marriage or your marital status. Whatever the case, though, know that marriage is important to society and it also is a huge blessing from the Lord. May you walk in this blessing.