Had to share a few of my favorite holiday albums. I never listened to much Christmas music...until I stumbled upon these bad boys.
Christmas Remixed
Christmas Remixed Vol 2
Merry Mixmas
Enjoy!
Monday, December 20, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
No Doubt-More Sure Than a Sign
I want faith like Paul and Peter. If Jesus told me to step out of boat, I want to say that I would. I mean these great men of the faith lived and died with gospel running through their veins. And when I have days (which are sadly more often than not) that are plagued with doubts and petty concerns, days when my thoughts aren't consumed with the things of God, I try to justify it by telling myself that guys like Peter and Paul had personal encounters with Christ and actually heard the audible voice of God the Father. I feel better for a moment, then the Holy Spirit hits me with a verse like 1 Peter 19.
Peter's talking about his moment on the mountain when Jesus leads them up to be eyewitnesses to his transfiguration. They watch as Jesus changes physically before them, revealing all of his glory. His face shining like the sun and his clothes turning as white as light. Boom...then Moses and Elijah crash the mountain top party. "Oh, hi Mr Moses. Hi Mr. Elijah, the prophet who rode to heaven in a flaming chariot. Glad ya'll could leave the afterlife and join us." And if Peter, James, and John hadn't seen enough and peed their pants by then...God the Father rolls in like a cloud and speaks audibly. "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him." That's finally what did it for the three. They cover their faces, fall to the ground, and assume the tornado disaster drill position. Jesus touches them, says it's okay, and when they look back up, the party had died. Only Jesus in his non "shining like the Twilight guy" form remained.
Peter is referring and retelling this almost unfathomable experience in the first chapter of his second letter when he makes this statement:
"...we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with Him on the holy mountain. And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts..."
More sure? Peter, the guy who saw all of this is pointing us to something more sure: the recorded words of the prophets and apostles. The B-I-B-L-E. I let it collect way too much dust on my night stand. May we pay more attention to them as Peter commands. And as we do, may the Scriptures fuel our faith, settle our doubts, and increase our affections for Jesus.
Peter's talking about his moment on the mountain when Jesus leads them up to be eyewitnesses to his transfiguration. They watch as Jesus changes physically before them, revealing all of his glory. His face shining like the sun and his clothes turning as white as light. Boom...then Moses and Elijah crash the mountain top party. "Oh, hi Mr Moses. Hi Mr. Elijah, the prophet who rode to heaven in a flaming chariot. Glad ya'll could leave the afterlife and join us." And if Peter, James, and John hadn't seen enough and peed their pants by then...God the Father rolls in like a cloud and speaks audibly. "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him." That's finally what did it for the three. They cover their faces, fall to the ground, and assume the tornado disaster drill position. Jesus touches them, says it's okay, and when they look back up, the party had died. Only Jesus in his non "shining like the Twilight guy" form remained.
Peter is referring and retelling this almost unfathomable experience in the first chapter of his second letter when he makes this statement:
"...we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with Him on the holy mountain. And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts..."
More sure? Peter, the guy who saw all of this is pointing us to something more sure: the recorded words of the prophets and apostles. The B-I-B-L-E. I let it collect way too much dust on my night stand. May we pay more attention to them as Peter commands. And as we do, may the Scriptures fuel our faith, settle our doubts, and increase our affections for Jesus.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Jonathan Edwards had the hots for his wife.
Check out this paragraph found on the inside cover of one of Edward's grammar books. It's about a girl he had his eye on and eventually married. Apparently she captured his attention much more than his English class.
"They say there is a young lady in New Haven who is loved of that Great Being (God), who made and rules the world, and that there are certain seasons in which this Great Being, in some way or other invisible, comes to her and fillers her mid with exceeding sweet delight; and that she hardly cares for anything, except to meditate on Him...you could not persuade her to do any thing wrong or sinful, if you would give her all the world, lest she should offend this Great Being. She is of a wonderful sweetness, calmness, and universal benevolence of mind; especially after this Great God has manifested Himself to her mind. She will sometimes go about place to place, singing sweetly; and seems to be always full of joy and pleasure...she loves to be alone, walking in fields and groves, and seems to have some one invisible always conversing with her."
Her name was Sarah Pierrepont. He was probably nineteen or twenty when he wrote this and they were married about 5 years later on July 28, 1727. She was seventeen. He was twenty-four.
Fellas, Edwards was a godly man. He was attracted to a godly woman. Ladies, you want a godly man? Seems they are drawn to godly women. Be one.
"They say there is a young lady in New Haven who is loved of that Great Being (God), who made and rules the world, and that there are certain seasons in which this Great Being, in some way or other invisible, comes to her and fillers her mid with exceeding sweet delight; and that she hardly cares for anything, except to meditate on Him...you could not persuade her to do any thing wrong or sinful, if you would give her all the world, lest she should offend this Great Being. She is of a wonderful sweetness, calmness, and universal benevolence of mind; especially after this Great God has manifested Himself to her mind. She will sometimes go about place to place, singing sweetly; and seems to be always full of joy and pleasure...she loves to be alone, walking in fields and groves, and seems to have some one invisible always conversing with her."
Her name was Sarah Pierrepont. He was probably nineteen or twenty when he wrote this and they were married about 5 years later on July 28, 1727. She was seventeen. He was twenty-four.
Fellas, Edwards was a godly man. He was attracted to a godly woman. Ladies, you want a godly man? Seems they are drawn to godly women. Be one.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)