I know I will probably be questioned, but I promise it wasn’t me…(that’s a portion of my collection by the way)
April 14, 2009
My First Baptism
I had the great privilege of baptizing my first student on April 5th. Lauren Jones accepted Christ at D-Now weekend and I was honored to baptize her. What a great illustration of the Grace, Gospel, and Glory, of Jesus Christ!
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:3-4)
April 10, 2009
Good Friday
I recently read a Facebook status update that bothered me. It read:
Jesus did not go to the Cross so that we might get a day off at work. What floors me is that Jesus knew that people would respond this way and yet he died anyway. Father, forgive us, for we know not what we do.
So many times, we as Christians, overlook Good Friday so we can celebrate the Risen Christ on Easter Sunday. Think about it, would you rather witness your team winning a national championship, or witness a funeral of a loved one? It’s only natural. But, in all reality, Christ DID die and it was my sins that nailed Him to the cross. The good news DOES come on Easter Sunday when we celebrate a Risen Saviour and my sins have been forgiven. But, how often we forget the price that was actually paid. Good Friday comes once a year, but the meaning of Good Friday should be meditated upon daily.
“I fall on my face, completely undone, confounded by Grace, astounded by Love. A Love so Amazing, Love so Divine. Taking my place on a Cross that was mine.”
“My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!”4Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5But he was wounded for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53: 4-5
Unworthy!
April 9, 2009
Lead Me To The Cross
Last night at eXtreme, we talked about the curse, the power, and the beauty of the cross. Back in the days of Jesus, the cross was a symbol of death, torture, and brutality. Jesus defeated death on the cross and now the cross is a powerful reminder of the redemptive sacrifice that Christ paid on our behalf. Galatians 3:13 says,
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”
He took our curse to the cross so that we may be right before God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says,
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
In preparation for Good Friday and Easter Sunday, my prayer is this:
Lead me to the cross
Where Your love poured out
Bring me to my knees
Lord I lay me down
Rid me of myself
I belong to You
Lead me, lead me to the cross
April 8, 2009
R.I.P. Larry
Our family cat, Larry, passed away today. His little kidneys failed him. He will be missed by all (except Mary Bec and Justin).
I adopted Larry when I was in college. At that time, I was working at Hat Shack in the Galleria Mall. While at work one night, two girls came in to the Hat Shack with a pet carrier. I asked to see their new kitten and they offered him to me. Turns out that Larry’s original owners tried to return him to the pet store because their dog was trying to eat him. The pet store did not take returns. I could not let this cat go home to a hungry dog. Without my roommates’ approval, I decided to adopt the kitten. I named him after my favorite baseball player, Chipper Jones (Larry Wayne Jones Jr.). I kept him in the stockroom for the rest of the evening and then surprised my roommates with the cat when I got off work. I don’t think that they were as thrilled as I was.
Because of their so called “allergies”, Larry ended up in Jasper living with my parents. He was a good cat but would turn on you in an instant. I kind of liked that about him. You never really knew if you could trust him.
I’ll miss you Larry!
Homesick 