"So where is God amid so much suffering? Hanging on the cross, bearing in his own body the curse of his own law, drinking the cup of wrath and the venom of our sin and death. Even though we cannot see God's sovereignty and goodness reconciled in holocausts, tsunamis, hurricanes, and fires, here the harmony is empirically verifiable! God is neither aloof to our suffering nor powerless to intervene.
No one has ever suffered more unjustly at our hands than this sinless God-Man, and yet he was 'delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God' (Acts 2:23). We can be assured that in the crises we face, large and small, God works all things together for good (see Romans 8:28) because God's strength has once and for all been made perfect in weakness. The unity of God's sovereignty and goodness that will be fully disclosed on that last day has already dawned decisively in the work of Christ. God has triumphed over the serpent, sin, death, evil, and tragedy. 'It is finished!' Jesus cried. Our victory is assured, thought we walk through the valley of death's shadow (Psalm 23:4). In fact, in this famous psalm of comfort in distress, we can say 'i will fear no evil, for you are with me your rod and your staff, they comfort me.'"
-A quote from A Place for Weakness by Michael Horton
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
Building Homes and the Gospel Proclamation
I'm currently sitting at my desk catching up on weekend emails, the sounds of weed eaters buzzing outside the window, and sitting here amazed that over 5 years after the storm the Lord is still sending people to the gulf coast and specifically Lakeshore Baptist Church.
It sometimes just hits me that what the Lord is doing here is bigger than I could have ever imagined being possible by a church of around 30 members. Thousands upon thousands of volunteers have filtered through, 38 homes from the ground up have been built, over 100 homes rehabbed, hundreds of sheds built in the early days after the storm, countless cans of food and articles of clothing have been given out in the distribution center, and tons and tons of storm debris gutted from homes and pulled from yards. This is all amazing and we can't help but point to God and give Him the glory.
Yet, while that is all great, we do not want to pull away from the gospel itself. If we just build someone a home and neglect the gospel we just give them a comfortable place to go to hell from. I can say without hesitation that Lakeshore Baptist Church, while we desire to physically help people, sees the immense need for the gospel in our community and our hearts are burdened to see that the gospel message goes out.
I am blessed to be apart of this church, where you can count on hearing the gospel proclaimed from the pulpit and from behind a shovel or while hanging a piece of sheetrock, or while framing a home. The gospel can be heard while sitting in the distribution center and people talk and encourage one another or while a couple of men sit on the tailgate of a pick up truck. The Lord has used His children at LBC and volunteers who have partnered with us to spread that good news and the He has used that to draw people to himself. I rejoice at the lives that have turned to Christ and repented of their sin as the Lord has worked in their hearts. I look forward to seeing what the Lord has in store as believers committed to sharing the gospel are faithful to do so.
It sometimes just hits me that what the Lord is doing here is bigger than I could have ever imagined being possible by a church of around 30 members. Thousands upon thousands of volunteers have filtered through, 38 homes from the ground up have been built, over 100 homes rehabbed, hundreds of sheds built in the early days after the storm, countless cans of food and articles of clothing have been given out in the distribution center, and tons and tons of storm debris gutted from homes and pulled from yards. This is all amazing and we can't help but point to God and give Him the glory.
Yet, while that is all great, we do not want to pull away from the gospel itself. If we just build someone a home and neglect the gospel we just give them a comfortable place to go to hell from. I can say without hesitation that Lakeshore Baptist Church, while we desire to physically help people, sees the immense need for the gospel in our community and our hearts are burdened to see that the gospel message goes out.
I am blessed to be apart of this church, where you can count on hearing the gospel proclaimed from the pulpit and from behind a shovel or while hanging a piece of sheetrock, or while framing a home. The gospel can be heard while sitting in the distribution center and people talk and encourage one another or while a couple of men sit on the tailgate of a pick up truck. The Lord has used His children at LBC and volunteers who have partnered with us to spread that good news and the He has used that to draw people to himself. I rejoice at the lives that have turned to Christ and repented of their sin as the Lord has worked in their hearts. I look forward to seeing what the Lord has in store as believers committed to sharing the gospel are faithful to do so.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Singleness a blessing or a curse?
Singleness for some it's the plague others it's the best thing to ever to have happened to them. In all honestly many days I don't struggle with being single, knowing singleness is a gift. But there are days sometimes weeks the loneliness, the rejection, the shame, the lack of physical intimacy are all too real and it hurts.
It is rare, I think and at least in my personal experience, for singles to think of their singleness as a blessing. But just yesterday I stumbled across a blog, thoughts from Fabs, looking at the struggles or blessings of singleness. Fabs makes a great case that loneliness, freedom, control, pain of rejection, lack of physical intimacy, and shame are blessings. Fabs points to the cross and the grace of God, not dwelling on the hurt or wallowing in the self-pity, jealousy, or bitterness.
Below I've linked to each individual post in Fab's series on the blessings of singleness, I hope you find these as helpful as they were to me.
Some Talks on Singleness
Blessings of Singleness #1: Loneliness
Blessings of Singleness #2: The Pain of Freedom
Blessings of Singleness #3: Losing Control
Blessings of Singleness #4: The Pain of Rejection
Blessings of Singleness #5: Lack of Physical Intimacy
Blessings of Singleness #6: The Pain of Misplaced Shame
It is rare, I think and at least in my personal experience, for singles to think of their singleness as a blessing. But just yesterday I stumbled across a blog, thoughts from Fabs, looking at the struggles or blessings of singleness. Fabs makes a great case that loneliness, freedom, control, pain of rejection, lack of physical intimacy, and shame are blessings. Fabs points to the cross and the grace of God, not dwelling on the hurt or wallowing in the self-pity, jealousy, or bitterness.
Below I've linked to each individual post in Fab's series on the blessings of singleness, I hope you find these as helpful as they were to me.
Some Talks on Singleness
Blessings of Singleness #1: Loneliness
Blessings of Singleness #2: The Pain of Freedom
Blessings of Singleness #3: Losing Control
Blessings of Singleness #4: The Pain of Rejection
Blessings of Singleness #5: Lack of Physical Intimacy
Blessings of Singleness #6: The Pain of Misplaced Shame
Friday, August 27, 2010
By This We Know Love
Summer has come and gone since the last blog post and I'm not really feeling too bad about that. It was a great and busy summer in Lakeshore and we are looking forward to the fall. My support I have been trying to raise for my time in Lakeshore has gone pretty well so far. Lord willing I will be updating everyone on that soon.
For the time being I want to share with you one of my new favorite songs. It's not really new, but new to me. This video is from the 2009 NEXT conference
For the time being I want to share with you one of my new favorite songs. It's not really new, but new to me. This video is from the 2009 NEXT conference
By This We Know Love
Judah Groveman
God of all Creation, Lord of heaven's light
Descended into evil's darkest night
Infinitely Holy, Your perfections know no end
Selflessly You died my rightful death
By this we know love that He laid down His life
God's very own Son, came from Heaven to die
Suspended He hung, as he shed His own blood
What grace in His pardon, by this We know love
Forsaken man of sorrows, hated by all men
You willingly surrendered for my sin
Scornfully derided, yet in silence stumbling on
Bearing wrath for all that I've done wrong.
By this we know love that He laid down His life
God's very own Son, came from Heaven to die
Suspended He hung, as he shed His own blood
What grace in His pardon, by this We know love
Judah Groveman
God of all Creation, Lord of heaven's light
Descended into evil's darkest night
Infinitely Holy, Your perfections know no end
Selflessly You died my rightful death
By this we know love that He laid down His life
God's very own Son, came from Heaven to die
Suspended He hung, as he shed His own blood
What grace in His pardon, by this We know love
Forsaken man of sorrows, hated by all men
You willingly surrendered for my sin
Scornfully derided, yet in silence stumbling on
Bearing wrath for all that I've done wrong.
By this we know love that He laid down His life
God's very own Son, came from Heaven to die
Suspended He hung, as he shed His own blood
What grace in His pardon, by this We know love
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Priorities, knees, and raising support
Besides the random blog post it's obviously been awhile since I put any thought into blogging. There are multiple reasons, but primarily it hasn't been a high priority for me. The last few months have been a bit of a ride for me, but God has been faithful and gracious in my hurt, happiness, confusion, delight, and even my sin. Lord willing and if I am able to keep my priorities straight I will be blogging more frequently again.
Though I will be trying to blog more frequently, over then next few months I will be going through some changes, so we'll see how the blogging goes. But as for me....
I'm not sure yet when it will be, but my fourth knee surgery will be sometime in the next couple weeks. My doctor will go in, take a look around and be prepared to fix anything that is needing fixing. My recovery time will depend on what needs to be fixed. I am hoping it is not my acl that needs replacing, which I have had replaced twice before. Though it is my fear that it is the acl.
The biggest change for me will come this May when I wrap my 2 years as a US/C2 missionary with the North American Mission Board. With that I will lose the stipend NAMB and the Mississippi Baptist Convention have so graciously blessed me with as well as the medical insurance offered through NAMB as a US/C2. I am unable to serve another appointment as a US/C2, the only other option I've been given with NAMB is as a self-supported missionary.
I've prayerfully considered my options as it is my desire to stay in Lakeshore, serving the Lord and the Lakeshore community. I've decided to stay in Lakeshore and try to raise the support apart from NAMB to stay. I am looking at needing to raise about $800 a month to take care of my expenses. I've begun sending out support letters, praying the Lord would see fit to provide for my needs to stay in Lakeshore. It is my goal by July to have at least 70% of the funds raised or pledged. Below is a copy of my newsletter and support form:
Support Letter
Support Form
If I have not sent you a letter and you feel led to support me through prayer or financially and receive emailed updates and newsletters please fill out one of the support forms and mail it to:
Lakeshore Baptist Church
PO Box 293
Lakeshore, MS 39558
Though I will be trying to blog more frequently, over then next few months I will be going through some changes, so we'll see how the blogging goes. But as for me....
I'm not sure yet when it will be, but my fourth knee surgery will be sometime in the next couple weeks. My doctor will go in, take a look around and be prepared to fix anything that is needing fixing. My recovery time will depend on what needs to be fixed. I am hoping it is not my acl that needs replacing, which I have had replaced twice before. Though it is my fear that it is the acl.
The biggest change for me will come this May when I wrap my 2 years as a US/C2 missionary with the North American Mission Board. With that I will lose the stipend NAMB and the Mississippi Baptist Convention have so graciously blessed me with as well as the medical insurance offered through NAMB as a US/C2. I am unable to serve another appointment as a US/C2, the only other option I've been given with NAMB is as a self-supported missionary.
I've prayerfully considered my options as it is my desire to stay in Lakeshore, serving the Lord and the Lakeshore community. I've decided to stay in Lakeshore and try to raise the support apart from NAMB to stay. I am looking at needing to raise about $800 a month to take care of my expenses. I've begun sending out support letters, praying the Lord would see fit to provide for my needs to stay in Lakeshore. It is my goal by July to have at least 70% of the funds raised or pledged. Below is a copy of my newsletter and support form:
Support Letter
Support Form
If I have not sent you a letter and you feel led to support me through prayer or financially and receive emailed updates and newsletters please fill out one of the support forms and mail it to:
Lakeshore Baptist Church
PO Box 293
Lakeshore, MS 39558
Thursday, March 25, 2010
God is God and God is good
"This I do know; If God chooses to heal me then God is God and God is good. If God chooses not to heal me and allows me to die; God is still God and God is still good. To God be the glory." Zac Smith
Hear him tell his testimony:
Hear him tell his testimony:
The Story of Zac Smith from NewSpring Media on Vimeo.
To God be the glory!
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