Special Music

I secretly took a video of a couple ladies practicing for this Sunday's offeratory. I can't resist sharing it here!

Stress Free Decorating

I was recently sent a picture that I truly enjoyed...

This family must be busy, but not too busy for humor. Gotta love it,

Merry Christmas!

Colossians 1:12-20

I want to take a minute to pray that everyone appreciates their blessed Christmas this year! I don't know what each person's situation is this Christmas but I do know that through Christ we have a hope that is far better than anything that the world can offer. It was wonderful to be with the church family last night and celebrate the birth of Christ together. It was wonderful to commune together and hear and sing songs of praise.

I trust that you will take the time this year to enjoy the blessings of the Lord in your life. I trust that you will constantly remember that all good things come from our wonderful Creator. I trust that you will recognize the breath that you have comes from Christ and that by Him all things consist.

Gifts, cookies, and even family aside, take the time to talk with God. Let him talk with you. Open your Bible and see what he has shared...


Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas!

Store Bought Meat

Genesis 9:3 "Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things."

As we taught through creation, one of the things that stood out to me was the fact that (pre-sin) God made all creatures herbivores. Even man was to be vegetarian. God had given man the green herb for meat.
However, as we get to Genesis chapter 9 and post flood instruction, God gives a new command. Now man is free to eat animals for food. Imagine being on the ark and having to feed all the animals month after month but not being allowed to eat any of them.

I can understand not being tempted by the chickens... they're fowl.

Today I spent several hours making Italian sausage out of the deer I harvested last week. I threw some in the frying pan and ate it for lunch.

All of these things remind me of a newspaper article I shared a couple of years ago...

Ladies, Christmas Dinner!

I had to take some time this morning to leave my office and go down to the church kitchen to show a couple ladies how to make the dessert for the Ladies Christmas Dinner. I know the men are supposed to make the meal and serve the dinner but we had some ladies volunteer to make the dessert. Unfortunately, Kurt (the chef?) didn't like the dessert ideas that they had come up with (I guess it didn't go with his menu) so he specified what dessert he felt should be served. Last night he dropped off all of the ingredients so that the ladies could "bake" this morning.
I know. You're wondering why I should be the one to show them how to make it? Funny right?
Well in answer to your question, Kurt tested this dessert on the men at the station last week. Obviously it met approval.

If you don't come to the dinner for any other reason, at least come for dessert.

Maybe that's not a good selling point.

What if I can get Pastor Dan to be a server? Rumor is...

Shotgun season

                                                            

Thought I'd share a picture from opening day. I know that I haven't had time to post recently so for those of you that are bored of deer pictures, hunting season is coming to a close this week. 

Thanks for humoring me...

What are you Thankful for?

We are coming up on Thanksgiving week. I must confess, from a personal standpoint, I am so thankful to have next week off. I look forward to spending valuable time with family!

This Sunday is our Thanksgiving potluck at church. It is always a special time eating together and sharing testimonies about what God has done in our lives and in our church family throughout the year. I trust that you are already thinking about these things so that you can come prepared to glorify our faithful Lord.

Last year, about this time, I was praying for the salvation of a man that I had become friends with through work. We had also spent a week together last October looking for meat to fill the freezer. As I think about it now, I know that there have been many times that my testimony has been poor. I know that he has seen me sin. In fact, there have been a few times that I have needed to go to him to ask forgiveness. In spite of that, this Thanksgiving, I can praise the Lord for his salvation! The last six months have been a wonderful time of watching the Holy Spirit work in his life.
Last night, while I was at the station, he called me so that we could share prayer requests. I would say "what a difference a year makes" but that wouldn't be the whole story. Rather,

"What a difference our God makes!"

I look forward to hearing from the rest of you this Sunday...

What a Couple!

No, the title does not refer to Kurt and his deer but to Kurt and his dear. Maureen may have gotten her buck first but Kurt is not to be outdone! What a great bow season our church family is having this year. You know what this means for our church potlucks!

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Proverbs 31

My wife tells me when we are running low on venison and I have to go out and fetch some.
Kurt's wife fetches it herself!

¹⁰Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. ¹¹The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. ¹²She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life... ¹⁵She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household...¹⁷She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

Way to go Maureen!

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I Corinthians 9:27 (Totally out of Context)

We had a great time as a church family last night at our Chili cook off and Pumpkin dessert contest! I never received a count on how many were there but the night was well attended. Thanks go to Don and Pam for opening up their home, decorating, providing a great bonfire, and taking the group on hay rack rides. The facilities were wonderful with plenty of room inside for people to eat and visit in a warm dry place. There were so many people to visit with, so much chili, and so many pumpkin desserts that I never even had the chance to play a game of ping pong. Every time I walked by the game room though I could see that it was non-stop competition.

Speaking of competition, we had 14 different pots of chili on the table. I can't list the names of all the chili but we had quite an assortment - everything from white chili to pumpkin chili. Unofficially, #9 - Tailgator chili was my favorite. Officially, it came in third. Top honors went to Steve Carper with his Boilermaker chili. In fairness to Steve, I had tasted almost every other chili entered in the competition before I tried the Boilermaker. In fact, I didn't try it until I received word that it had won. You see, I gave it my best shot to eat half a cup of every chili entered. I kept this up until I had tasted ten of them. I then decided that rather than continuing to eat a sample of each, I'd just get a bowl of what I had liked the best. It was only after doing so that I found out #5 had won and I hadn't even tried it. Sacrificially, "I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection..." so I had a cup of Boilermaker.

I must confess, I didn't have much room left for pumpkin dessert. Yet I did have two pieces of Sara Moore's pumpkin dessert. I should have written down the name of the dessert so that I could share it here but I was too busy enjoying the taste to concern myself with names. Yes, she was the official first place entry.

Thanks to all who worked so faithfully to make this event a special evening. Your hard work was much appreciated!

The Bible Says...

Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;

And make me savoury meat, such as I love,

and bring it to me, that I may eat;

that my soul may bless thee...

Genesis 27:3-4

Have you ever randomly opened your Bible and placed your finger on a page to see what God had for you? Neither have I, I purposefully looked for these verses!

I know I posted these pictures earlier this week but Karen told me to keep this blog biblical.

Still Bow Season

Third post in three days! This morning the honors belonged to my station captain. Enjoy!

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Picture

Another one

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What a morning

Praise the Lord! Of course there is a story to go with this...

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Bow

One picture is never enough, we need to see the shooter too...

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It's Here

I can't help but acknowledge that hunting season is here. What a wonderful time of year. Bow season.

I have been out a few times enjoying the mild fall weather and the onset of the rut but I have not been successful in my harvest attempt. That will not prevent me from taking this opportunity to showcase the hunting prowess of my brother-in-law though!
Great job Chad,

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Renewable Clothes

How can we please God?

Maybe I should ask, "How do we become acceptable to God?"

Last week in the morning service we saw how displeased God was with Adam's sin. Adam and Eve had clearly disobeyed the word of God. They made themselves coverings and hid in the bushes as the voice of God walked through the garden. Our focus last week was the curse resulting from their sin.

This week we will examine how God viewed their attempt to make themselves acceptable. In studying this week I couldn't help but wonder how Americans try to make themselves acceptable to God. Better yet, how do American Christians seek to make themselves acceptable to God?

Adam and Eve sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons.

Let me share this Barna Poll with you...

http://www.adherents.com/misc/BarnaPoll.html

I want you to notice in particular the graphs at the bottom of the linked page. Do you see how many Baptists believe that good works don't earn you heaven? 43%

The flip side then is that 57% of Baptists think that good works play a part in making them acceptable to God. What have you tried?

Spend some time thinking about the title to this post, then tell me; What is your apron made of?

A Radical Departure

Many of you that know me well, know that I prefer to read the Bible more than any other book. I pray that never changes. Due to this fact, I rarely recommend reading material other than scripture. Today however, may be an exception.

Technology is amazing. It is through modern technology that I am able to listen regularly to one of my favorite preachers. I download his sermons to my phone and listen to them while in the car, or even while sitting in my office. We have included some of his DVD's in our church library, and I have even recommended them from the pulpit. This week, I have been reading through one of his books...

"Family Driven Faith" by Voddie Baucham Jr.

The subtitle of this book says "Doing what it takes to raise sons and daughters who walk with God". I must warn you, anything that you read (or listen to) will challenge your view of the culture, and hopefully, your view of the church and family.

The following is an excerpt from his book...

[The question is not whether or not our children sin later in life. The question is, do we have a biblical obligation to train them before they leave home? Is there an biblical validity to the idea that Christian parents should allow their children to experiment with ungodliness?

Many families have been lulled into what I like to call a full-screen view of parenting. We look at the biblical mandate and compare it to societal norms, and there appears to be something missing. We believe that somehow we are depriving our children of experiences that will make them more liked, more respected, more normal. Hence we trade in the biblical standard for a cultural norm that hovers just below mediocrity. All of a sudden our desires for our children change. Now all we want for our kids is what "every other parent" wants for their children.

The result is a generation about whom Christian Smith has written, "Religion seems to become rather compartmentalized and backgrounded in the lives and experiences of most U.S. teenagers."*
This compartmentalization is completely understandable in light of the minimal weight given to spiritual matters. Smith explains:

This is not surprising. It simply reflects the fact that there is very little built-in religious content or connection in the structure of most U.S. adolescents' daily schedules and routines. Most U.S. teenagers' lives are dominated by school and homework.*

He continues:

Many are involved in sports and other clubs besides. Most teens also spend lots of time with their friends just hanging out or doing things like going to the mall or bowling. In addition, most teens devote a great deal of life to watching television and movies, e-mailing or instant messaging friends, listening to music, and consuming other electronic media. Boyfriends and girlfriends sometimes consume a lot of teenage time and attention as well.*

It seems there are a few things that we deem more important for our children than growing in grace.]

*Smith, Soul Searching, 130-131

Mr. Baucham then proceeds to share three of the things that he feels we deem more important than growing in grace; making the grade, making the team, and making time. And this is just part of chapter one, "The Lay of the Land". Wait till you get to the last chapter, chapter 10 "A Radical Departure from the Norm".

Something's Fishy

Well, I am once again amazed by the stupidity of evolutionists. Yet the Bible clearly says that "professing themselves to be wise, they became fools..."

I don't know what else to say.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39619699/?gt1=43001
 
Oh, let me make it easy. I'll include the transcript here, but if you want to see pictures you'll have to follow the link.
 
Fish had sex first, fossils suggest
Discovery Channel


Fish were the first to have intimate sex, suggests new research based on well-preserved fossils of extinct armored fishes from the Gogo Formation of Western Australia.
Intimate sex by copulation likely first happened in the early Devonian Period around 400 to 410 million years ago, scientists say.
This was "not just spawning in water, but sex that was fun," according to project leader John Long, who also thinks that jaws evolved in conjunction with mating.


"Jaws might not have first evolved for feeding, (then how did they live long enough to have sex? Are they serious? Jaws evolved for sex, not eating?) as widely presupposed, (I wonder why they presupposed that?) but to facilitate copulatory mating," said Long, who is vice president of research and collections at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. "In many sharks the jaws are used to hold on to pectoral fins of females so copulation can take place."


The scientists studied fossil embryos — still in good condition — from Late Devonian ptyctodontid and arthrodiran placoderm fishes, which were similar to modern sharks. While these remains date to 380 million years ago, the overall fossil record for the fishes suggests they evolved the ability to have intimate sex by copulation at an earlier period.
Long and his colleagues made headlines a few years ago when it was announced that one of the fishes, an individual from the genus Materpiscis, was the world's first mother, since a female's fossil still retained a single embryo connected by an umbilical cord. (Time out. What? The world's first mother was a fish? The proof is that they found an umbilical cord? Who birthed the momma fish? Did she have a belly button? Wait, do fish have belly buttons?)

The discovery represents the oldest evidence of an animal giving birth to live young.
"Our finds show that these extinct armored fishes, the placoderms, had intimate copulation with males inserting claspers (a structure that is part of the pelvic fin) inside the female to deposit sperm," Long told Discovery News.

..The find "is significant because it means that an advanced form of reproduction involving copulation and live-bearing was more widespread than previously thought."


.Recent genetic analysis of the fish fossils indicates that the same genes responsible for making our limbs, and the pelvic fins of fishes, also played a role in developing the sexual organs of our very distant ancestors. (??????) These genes also control development of fish jaws. The origin of the pelvic girdle of the ancient fish and the origin of their jaws even seems to have happened around the same time (creation), based on the genetic evidence.
"It seems that limbs and genitals developed via the same developmental pathways, so fossils showing the oldest evidence of pelvic fins (the placoderms) also showing the oldest expression of sexual organs (claspers) might not be such a coincidence," Long explained.


Long and his team announced the determinations today at the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology's 70th Anniversary Meeting in Pittsburgh.
Steven Salisbury, a lecturer in the School of Integrative Biology at the University of Queensland, believes the ancient fish fossils, including the fossilized embryo, are a "spectacular" discovery that have "important implications for our understanding of the evolution of live-bearing in vertebrates.

Make love not war may even help to explain the origin of intimate sex since Salisbury added, "The large size of the embryo relative to the mother indicates that the young of this fish were born well-formed, a strategy that may have evolved to counter predation from other larger fishes."

I've been reading this for a week and I'm still speechless. I don't even know where to begin. See if you can find a single true statement anywhere in there. Good luck,

Time?-Share Birthday Dinners

Last night we had the opportunity to attend Spring Hill Baptist Church in Granville, Ohio. My cousin Mark is the Student Pastor there. We had a great time at church and then went back to their house for a late dinner. Like all good Baptists, we ate and visited at the same time.
As our plan was to drive through the night (a 13 hour drive), we left their home a little before 11:00 p.m.

We weren't on the road but a few minutes when Emily requested the use of my phone. She said she wanted to practice with "Swype", something we just discovered on Tuesday evening. I handed her my phone and instructed her to send her mother an email.
The following email is what Karen received when we arrived home...

Vacation
So I went on this crazy vacation
and ate hamburgs from hamburger station
Climbed rocks with a thousand foot drop and stood on the Chimney Tops.
Went to dinner at TGI Friday's;*
and had way too many goodbye-days.
Got lessons from great uncle Bill:
Now that I can play, I will.
Had my hair pulled by cute little cousins
Ate sweetened foods by the dozens,
met people I didn't know before
Slept multiple times on the floor.
No one even said that I snore.
Drank pop (and cold apple cider)
Told my sister I didn't want to fight her
Asked Papa to "swype" the word phloem
And lastly composed this dumb poem!

 * On a personal note - The dinner at TGI Friday's was gifted to us (as a bribe) to encourage us to sit through a two hour time-share presentation. We received a $30.00 dinner voucher and a $30.00 visa card. This fed our family of five, bought Kaylin's birthday brownie, covered the taxes (10%) and the tip, and left us + $4.91  on the card!

Welcome Home

What a humbling welcome home we received this morning! After driving straight through the night this was a wonderful gift to come home to. We're not sure who to thank, so we thank you all!

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Creation 3

Tired of them yet?

Creation 2

More pics

Creation!

We're here! We've heard so much about this place and enjoyed their minstry so much, we knew we had to come. And what a day, it's Kaylin's 14th birthday.
For those of you that know us well, you know that every day we have with our children is a gift from God-  The Creator God! It has been six years and 4 days since the Lord spared her life. We can't think of a better way to spend our time together as a family than praising him with our time.
Hopefully there will be more pictures to come...

Sign

We came upon this sign in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. I stopped to share a picture with you all.

A Real Blessing!

What a wonderful opportunity we had this past week to spend some time with my Uncle Bill Blessing in Tennessee. For the last 10 years (give or take) he has been a missionary with Forgotten Millions Ministries. He travels almost daily to various nursing homes and care facilities in the states of Georgia and Tennessee and shares the love of Jesus with everyone who will listen (and even some who won't).

My family was invited to share with him in his ministry. Karen, Kaylin, and Audrey were able to play special music during his service. I didn't video the girls, but I did take this short video of Bill preaching a message with his guitar. It is apparent that the Lord has gifted him for this particular ministry. He was treated like a celebrity by both the staff and the residents. They all look forward to his monthly visits! He quoted scripture, prayed, preached, and sang. The gospel was clearly shared and the guitar never stopped. What a joy.

As we visited in the evening, I couldn't help but pray that the Lord would send him someone he could mentor in this important ministry. He only has a short time with the people he meets, but it is the most important time of their lives. Only the Lord knows the number of their days. I thank the Lord that Uncle Bill and the Lord Jesus Christ get to be a part of a few of them.

I know a video can't capture the moment, but I trust you'll enjoy what you see...

This is the 4th day that I have been working on getting this video to upload. Some of this content may be old by the time it is posted. Additionally, I had to lower the resolution in the video in order to get it to upload. I apologize for the fuzzy picture, I will continue to try and upload this video in better quality

A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words

$.39 coffee, priceless

On a personal note, today is my father's birthday. We are sitting together at McDonalds this morning enjoying their free wireless high-speed (more or less) internet service. Dad likes to get up early and eat breakfast at McDonalds. I suspect this is mostly due to the senior discounts they offer.
$.39 coffee

Dad has computer work to do this morning. I knew that before I came. In fact, I came along so that I could work with my computer as well. To everyone else, we're just a couple of old guys sitting at our computers in a public place. We probably don't look like we're visiting much. To me though, this is quality time.
I have so much to be thankful for. God has appointed our days, I'm so grateful that this day has been appointed for us. Each day we spend together as family is a gift from our great God. Many people forget that each breath we take is at the will of God. By him, all things consist. Thank you Lord.

I don't know what the next year of my father's life will bring. I don't even know what the next year of my life will bring. Yet I am confident that, like each year before this, my dad will continue to be an example of a godly man. He will love his wife, he will continue to rear his children in the nurture an admonition of the Lord, he will pray, he will read his Bible, he will be involved in his church, he will spend time with his grandchildren, and he won't sit still.
In fact, he's supposed to be sitting across from me working on his computer. He's not. He couldn't sit still this long...

I love you Dad,
HAPPY 68!

Chimney Tops

We love Smoky Mountains National Park! Today we hiked 4 miles on a trail to Chimney Tops. I took some pictures with my phone that I will try to share here.

Last night I spent 3 hours trying to upload a video to this blog so that everyone could share in the nursing home ministry we were blessed to be a part of last week. Unfortunately I could not get that to work. I will keep working on it in the days ahead.

This email connection is through my phone so I'm not sure if these pics will upload. We will give it a shot...

Okay, an hours gone by, let's try this again...

Here we have Emily (after our hike) posing by the warning poster at the trailhead!

It's wonderful to be blessed with parents that can still make the strenuous hike to the end of the trail.

Karen probably won't be thrilled that I am including this picture since we were tired and sweaty by this point. We had already been to the top and were half of the way back down at this point.

Unwanted

There is a liar in our midst. Unfortunately he has deceived a lot of people and most of them don't even know they are deceived. He has been tireless in his desire to destroy the church and the people in it.
Did you know that he has a track record of accomplishing destruction in other churches? Apparently he's very powerful and we're not the first church he has tried to abolish.
I don't think I've ever seen him but I hear he is good looking. In fact, he has been described as beautiful to look at. Yet when he opens his mouth and poison comes out, he sprinkles just enough truth in with what he says that people follow him. However, without a doubt, he is an enemy of the Lord and of our church.

Not only is he a liar, I have heard that he is a murderer as well. An unrepentant murderer. Yet he still has followers. In fact, many people appear to love him. They have even invited him into their homes. I think he's been in my house too. I guess I don't know for sure. If I had known he was coming I hope I would have tried to keep him out.
That doesn't sound hospitable does it?

Just so that you've been warned, I'm planning on naming him in front of the church this Sunday.

I wonder if he'll be there?

I hope not.

Mobile blogging

I have been reading on mobile blogging in an attempt to save time and assist in keeping this blog up to date. I have had no success (unless you are finally reading this blog).
I have attached a picture because that's one of the greatest advantages to mobile blogging. There have been several times in the last couple of months that I would have liked to quickly post a lighthearted picture. Since you're here, isn't Audrey beautiful?

Posted with Droid

Ha! It finally worked! I hope I'll remember how to do this the next time.

By the way, if you took the time to read this post, don't stop here. I would hate for you to miss the two posts below this one just because this post is superficial.

Pulling us Down

I must confess that there are a few secular things that I enjoy reading every month. Field and Stream, American Rifleman, and Popular Science. I doubt that the first two come as much of a surprise to many of you, however, you may not have known that I am an avid pop sci guy. I'm definitely not a "techno geek" yet I do enjoy keeping up with what's new. Unfortunately I can't recommend the magazine to anybody. Popular Science continues to teach a false religion month after month.
If you're reading this blog you probably know that I unashamedly share my faith. I pray like the Apostle Paul that the Lord would continue to give me utterance as I talk with those around me. I don't feel like I need to apologize for this because it is not a hidden agenda. If you talk with me for any length of time, you'll hear about my faith. I put my faith in the truth of the Bible.
John 1:1-2, 14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, the same was in the beginning with God...And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Popular Science is in the business of sharing their faith as well. The unfortunate thing is that they try to disguise their faith as "science". The October 2010 issue of this religious magazine is no exception.

On Sunday mornings we are trying to build a firm foundation for those who profess to know Christ as their personal Savior. Our strategy has been to go through history, from creation to Christ, in chronological order. In order to do that we needed to start at the beginning.
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

How can we believe that statement? I believe it is true because the Bible is a collection of 66 historical books written in 3 different languages on 3 different continents by 40 different authors over a period of 1600 years. It was written by eyewitnesses during the lifetime of other eyewitness and records supernatural events which took place in fulfillment of specific prophecy and claims to be divine rather than human in origin. See II Peter 1:16-21
To hear Voddie Baucham on this subject...
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=530914253 

Popular Science, October 2010, "Decaying Gravity" on pages 29-31.

"No one has ever quite nailed down gravity. Newton saw that bodies appeared to attract each other even at a great distance, and from this observation was able to construct a mathematical formula that predicted the motion of the planets with astonishing accuracy. Einstein improved on that definition by stating that massive objects attract lesser ones by bending the space around them-like how a bowling ball deforms the surface of a trampoline so that a marble will roll toward it-and based on this insight was able to construct his theory of general relativity, which proved to be even more elegant and predictive.
But not perfect. Einstein's theory posits that the universe is expanding such that each object is moving away from everything else, which Hubble Space Telescope observations have confirmed. Yet for this theory to hold, it requires a far more complicated conclusion: If everything is moving apart as it goes forward in time, then at some moment everything in the universe must have been gathered into a single point."

Do you see the problem yet? Here they assume that if Einstein is right-and things are moving apart- then that means that at some point everything had to have been together at a single point. They will not allow the consideration that things were created and put in motion. They go on...

"The problem, which has challenged theorists for nearly a century, is that Einstein constructed several specific mathematical formulas from his general theory, and they have proved accurate in describing nearly everything-except the proposed origins of the universe itself..." *

There is a lot I can say here but I want to keep it short and simple. If you start with the wrong presupposition, you will end at the wrong conclusion. I am going to leave off some of the "babbling" and pick it up at the declaration of an out and out lie!

"Ferreira and Banados were able to replicate Einsteinian gravity in normal situations, and they were also consistent with the conditions scientists have observed about the origins of the universe." *

WHAT? Scientists observed the origins of the universe? Does throwing the word "about" before "the origins of the universe" make this any less of a lie? Do they think it is okay to give people the impression that they have observed things scientifically regarding the origins of the universe?
Romans 1:19-22
Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools...

The article continues...

"The recent appearance of so many theories may be a sign of a field on the verge of a breakthrough. Indeed, Erik Verlinde of the University of Amsterdam argues that gravity is not a force at all but rather an "emerging condition". As he told the New York Times in July, "For me, gravity doesn't exist." " *

WOW. That's science?

Apparently it's POPULAR SCIENCE.

*Emphasis added

Some Have, Some Haven't

Earlier this week, as I was reading through the book of Revelation, I came across a passage that (in the past) I hadn't taken a lot of time to think about. Sometimes the Lord reveals great truths in this way, yet this time, it wasn't what was revealed that struck me. It was what had been left out.

Revelation 10:1-7 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: ²And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, ³And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. ⁴And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. ⁵And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, ⁶And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: ⁷But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

I'm not sure who the mighty angel is, it could be Jesus Christ (based on the description), or it could be another created spirit being like we see in chapter 9.  In his hand he holds a "little book", his feet stand on the earth and the sea (Hebrews 2:8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him), and his voice is like the roar of a lion (Hosea 11:10 They shall walk after the LORD: he shall roar like a lion: when he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west). See also Joel 3:16; Amos 1:2; Isaiah 5:29

Obviously we can't be sure that this instance is what the prophets are speaking of. However we can be sure of one thing, whatever the thunders (thunder usually indicates judgment) uttered, it is not for us to know. John was about to write what he heard when a voice from heaven told him to keep it to himself.  We do know that when the seventh angel begins to sound, the mystery of God will be finished. 
 Imagine hearing from the Lord but being asked to keep it a secret. I wonder if it was difficult for John to keep this secret to himself? I would like to know what John heard. Would it change my life? Would I even understand it? Would it cause me to fear?  
Job 37:1-5¹At this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place. ²Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth. ³He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth. ⁴After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard. ⁵God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.

As we continue building a Firm Foundation, know this; Everything that God wants us to know is revealed in the Bible. Some things are fascinating to think on, yet The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law  Deuteronomy 29:29


As I get ready to preach on Sept 26, I will be preaching on something that has been revealed and belongs to us; The creation of woman. I think it's ironic that such a beautiful thing can be so divisive in our culture today. With all the things that haven't been revealed, why should we struggle with the things that have?


Now you're interested!

 

GOOD work NIGHT

Last week we started a new monthly ministry opportunity for those that have the gift of service. I wish I could come up with a clever name for this monthly work night. For those of you that aren't aware, the trustees of the church meet the first Tuesday evening of each month. Their meeting begins at 6:00 p.m. so this gives the rest of the congregation the chance to come in at 7:00 p.m. and help out around the church while the trustees are there to give help and advice.
We had a good turnout last week with approx. 20 people there to help. Many different small projects were tackled during this time. I wish that I could recognize everyone that we there to help out but there were so many things going on that I'm not sure what everyone did. I did however snap a few pictures with my phone to share with you. Unfortunately, many of the people who were working turned their back on me when the noticed what I was doing. I'll refrain from posting the pictures of people's backsides.

Karen and the girls scraping the parsonage picture window

Matt Brennan and the youth removing bushes from the front landscape while Pastor Dan power washed the front of the church building and the sign

Thank you to everyone who gave up their Tuesday evening to serve the Lord and his church!

Real Men Don't Retreat

Well, regardless of the title, we have a Men's Retreat scheduled for this weekend at Whispering Cedars Baptist Camp. Lord willing, we will have at least 8 men from Valley View attending this event. Don't let the name scare you, we don't really plan to "retreat" from anyone, we're "retreating" from the busyness of life. Ironically, the schedule is so packed I'm not even sure we can say we're "retreating" from busyness. It should be a good time of fellowship, football, and fun though. Pastor Phil is even talking about getting the paintball equipment out, this means that "retreat" is totally out of the realm of possibilities!

Men, if you haven't signed up yet but would still like to attend, please let me know by Wednesday evening. This is open to all men, not just Valley View members. Pastor Dan and I would love to have you along.

One last thing, in small print on the poster we had in the foyer it stated "Bring your shotgun!" (This is not for the paintball game or I would retreat). It looks like we'll have the opportunity for a little skeet shooting. I look forward to seeing you there,

It's always nice to hear "bring your guns" in reference to a church event.

Wholeheartedly

What a great church retreat we had last weekend! On Friday night we had 78 people who came out for our singspiration and smores. Not everyone that came out Friday evening stayed and camped but there were several families that did. We enjoyed our time around the campfire (two of us sat by the fire and visited until 12:30 a.m.) and the fellowship was wonderful.
The weather was beautiful on Saturday and we enjoyed a cookout, blind volleyball, 3 legged races, water balloon games, water balloon volleyball, and flag football. One of the deacons (his initials are Matt Fjare) managed to sneak up behind me as I was watching the festivities and hit me in the shoulder with a water balloon. Ten minutes later it warmed my heart as I rewarded his effort by cascading an icy water cooler over his head.
I came away from the weekend with a bloody forehead and bloody shins. It appears that flag football can be a very physical game when played with someone as competitive as Pastor Dan. I've learned that in any sports related activity, Dan plays with all his heart! Actually, only my left shin was skinned up in flag football, the right one was injured playing horseshoes with Allen Hatfield. I know, realizing I drew blood playing horseshoes made me laugh too! It turns out that even if you are playing a mild game like horseshoes, you still need to watch where you're walking.

Speaking of funny incidents, yesterday Pastor Dan thought I was having a heart attack during my sermon. I have been struggling with a cough all week and I had been praying that the Lord would prevent it from being a distraction while I taught. Unfortunately, in the middle of the message, I started getting a tickle in the back of my throat. I tried to ignore it for a few minutes while I continued to preach. Suddenly I realized that a coughing spell was imminent. In a panic, I quickly reached to shield my mouth from the microphone I was wearing. The hasty movement dislodged the microphone from my ear and knocked it over my shoulder. Realizing I could not catch the microphone in time, I scrambled to find the mute button on the transmitter hooked to my belt. After my coughing spell, I turned back to the congregation to see them all looking at me wide-eyed.
That minor catastrophe aside, it thrilled my heart to hear the church sing the closing hymn this week. I quietly praised the Lord as I enjoyed hearing the lifted voices singing "The Wonder of it All". On the way home Karen, who was playing the piano during the closing, mentioned to me that she thought the congregation was truly praising the Lord for his wonderful creation. She said that from her perspective at the piano it sounded louder than she had heard in quite a while. What a joy it is to stand among believers when they sing praises with their whole heart! 

This Wednesday will be the start of our new children's program "Kids4Truth". I thank the Lord for those in the church that have committed to this new ministry. We look forward with anticipation to what God will do in the hearts of the children that attend this program. As we look at our purpose statement to "Introduce, Instruct, and Inspire" we are excited about the opportunity Kids4Truth gives in instructing children in Christlike maturity. Please continue in prayer regarding this important ministry.

Retreat

I am excited about the things that we have going on this week at church! Not only do we have our second week of Kids4Truth training tomorrow evening but we also have an all church retreat at Botna Bend State Park this weekend.

The "official" church retreat begins on Friday evening after dinner but several families from church will be going out Thursday afternoon or evening. I am looking forward to canoeing, cycling, cooking over the campfire, and reading. (I'm sorry I couldn't alliterate that last one) I'm not sure of the Friday evening schedule but I'm sure it will include singing and smores.

Saturday I have the opportunity to speak before lunch. Now a couple of weeks ago I told the church that I thought I needed to do a better job of teaching the proof of scriptural truth. I shared with those of you that read this blog that many children are leaving the church when they get out of the home because we have taught "Bible stories" at church but we have not taught the Bible as an accurate "historical account".
In other words, most children and adults alike are familiar with "Jonah and the whale". To most people it just sounds like a cute story for kids. Nineveh? Who ever heard of Nineveh in real life? Have you ever picked up the paper and read about current events in Nineveh? Shouldn't Nineveh still be around? Didn't God spare Nineveh because they repented? Okay, few people read about world news in the paper. Yet Nineveh isn't even talked about on T.V.

Why?

Is it even that important? Does it matter if Nineveh was a real place?

Well, if it doesn't matter to you today, I trust it will matter to you this coming Saturday. I hope to see you there!

Kids4Truth

Tonight we are going to be starting the training for the leaders and teachers who would like to serve in our Wednesday evening children's program. For many years we have used AWANA curriculum, however, this year we really have a desire to focus on the "instruct in Christ-like maturity" part of our purpose statement. The strength of the new program is in the area of discipleship and doctrine. If you haven't yet looked at the program that we will be offering, I encourage you to go to following website and check it out for yourself:

http://kids4truth.com/Home.aspx


Additionally, I ask that you pray for spiritual growth in each person involved in this new program. Not just for the children, but for everyone who will be involved. May the Lord Jesus Christ be glorified through each of us!

Already Home

Last week our family attended Family Camp at IRBC. We had a good time but the weather was hot! We were so thankful that this year we had taken a camper with air conditioning. Up until the week before we left we had planned on staying in one of their cabins without A/C. What a blessing it was that we changed our plans. With the high heat and humidity we had last week I doubt that I would have gotten much sleep if it weren't for the A/C. As always, the week flew by and we're already home.
In fact, due to the heat, I spent more time in the camper than I typically would have spent in a cabin. This allowed me to get more study and reading done than in previous years. I tell you this because one of the books that I read caused me to re-think some of my ideas about teaching and preaching in church. The book that I am referring to is called "Already Gone" by Ken Ham. The following is borrowed from the web address at the bottom of this page...



Statistics reveal a huge disconnect taking place between our children and their church experience


Nationwide polls and denominational reports are showing that the next generation is calling it quits on the traditional church. And it’s not just happening on the nominal fringe; it’s happening at the core of the faith.


In the first scientific study of its kind, the “Beemer Report” reveals startling facts discovered through 20,000 phone calls and detailed surveys of a thousand 20–29 year olds who used to attend evangelical churches on a regular basis, but have since left it behind.


The results are shocking:






■Those who faithfully attend Sunday School are more likely to leave the church than those who do not.


■Those who regularly attend Sunday School are more likely to believe that the Bible is less true.


■Those who regularly attend Sunday School are actually more likely to defend that abortion and gay marriage should be legal.


■Those who regularly attend Sunday School are actually more likely to defend premarital sex.


In this powerful book, popular author Ken Ham and consumer behavior research/analyst C. Britt Beemer combine to reveal trends that must be dealt with now . . . before we lose another generation!


The trends are frightening, but Already Gone shows how to win back our families, our churches, and our world!


I don't do this very often, however, if you are looking for something to read that will challenge you to reconsider how and what you are teaching, this book may give you pause.
 
http://www.answersingenesis.org/PublicStore/product/Already-Gone-Book,6131,224.aspx
 
 

Cold Pork

Ha!

Tonight I think I'll share something that is just for fun.

At the fire station today we were dispatched on a call to cool some overheated pigs. That doesn't really sound like a job for the fire department does it?

As it turned out, a semi carrying a load of hogs had overturned on the interstate. The pigs were trapped inside and it was going to take several hours to offload the 175 pigs that were in the double decker trailer. The trailer was mangled and laying on it's side. The pigs couldn't be removed from the trailer until another trailer was hauled in to take them away safely. The interstate was shut down for over 5 hours.

This turned out to be a huge event. Not only were there a plethora of police officers on scene, but there were multiple veterinarians, tow truck drivers, animal control officers, firemen, and the Nebraska Humane Society. Everyone was concerned about keeping the pigs comfortable.

Our job was to keep them sprayed down with water so that they didn't overheat in their cramped quarters. After all, nobody likes dry pork chops...

The above photo is Kurt keeping the pigs damp. Below are two pictures of the firemen on top (which is really the side) of the trailer spraying the pigs that are trapped in the trailer below them. These pictures were taken as I was looking north.

The pictue below shows some of the aforementioned helpful bystanders. This was an all agency emergency! This picture was taken looking south. As you can see, we were under an overpass. This provided a nice shaded staging area.

Oh, and here's a picture of my good friend (and Captain)...

Got pork?