The Influences Of 2009.4

This is the third year in a row that I have reported the great influences in my life of the past year and each year my wife ends up on this list. It would not be bad if she did not, I suppose, but nonetheless she has made a big impact on me this year.

1. Her sacrifice. She has given up all desires of her own for the sake of me, our son, and our daughter who is to be born in a month.

2. Her love. She portrays love for our family in ways that excel all I know as of now.

3. Her perseverance. Despite being heavily burdened in pain from this pregnancy, she has continued pressing on and staying busy taking care of the home and her family.

4. Her affection and nurture. Though these are foreign concepts to me, she has shown time and time again what affection and nurture are toward our family and others in desperate need.

5. Her story-telling. She tells stories, or should I say reads stories, to Ethan all day long it seems. Much time is required for this, but it blesses me tremendously because it's way more profitable than deadening our son's senses and brain through a TV.

Amy, you are blessed of the Lord my dear!

Biblical Eldership By Alexander Strauch Excerpt

"According to the New Testament, elders lead the church, teach and preach the Word, protect the church from false teachers, exhort and admonish the saints in sound doctrine, visit the sick and pray, and judge doctrinal issues. In biblical terminology, elders shepherd, oversee, lead, and care for the local church..."

"When the church eldership is viewed as a status or board position in the church, there will be plenty of volunteers. When it is viewed as a demanding, pastoral work, few people will rush to volunteer. One reason there are so few shepherd elders or good church elderships is that, generally speaking, men are spiritually lazy. That is a major reason why most churches never establish a biblical eldership. Men are more than willing to let someone else fulfill their spiritual responsibilities, whether it be their wives, the clergy, or church professionals..."

"Some people say, "You can’t expect laymen to rear their families, work all day, and shepherd a local church." That statement is simply not true. Many people rear families, work, and give substantial hours of time to community service, clubs, athletic activities, and/or religious institutions. The cults have built up large lay movements that survive primarily because of the volunteer time and efforts of their members. We Bible--believing Christians are becoming a lazy, soft, pay-for-it-to-be-done group of Christians. It is positively amazing how much people can accomplish when they are motivated to work toward a goal they love. I’ve seen people build and remodel houses in their spare time, for example. I’ve also seen men discipline themselves to gain a phenomenal knowledge of the Scriptures."

The Cost Of Painting Your Home

Check out this article!

Twenty-five Things I Am Thankful For

I am thankful for...

1. Not having to drive to West Chester, Ohio five days a week anymore.
2. Not waking up early to shop on Black Friday.
3. Not shopping at all on Black Friday.
4. Not having a dumb dog.
5. Being able to take a vacation day any day I want.
6. Owning a business.
7. Beautifying our world with paint.
8. The Church of Jesus Christ.
9. My son's smile.
10. My loving wife.
11. Hard working employees.
12. A warm home.
13. The blood of Jesus.
14. "Green paint."
15. Smashing Pumpkins.
16. Mark McClure.
17. Homebrew.
18. Hookah.
19. Three vehicles.
20. References.
21. Lecrae
22. Gracious customers.
23. Marydale.
24. Sherwin Williams one mile from my house.
25. I-phone.

Reflecting The Year - Bitterness and Thanksgiving

With Thanksgiving two days away, the thought struck me today, "Am I grateful?"

When thinking about gratefulness, I do not have a lot of good examples around me to look up to. People are bitter; very bitter. Bitterness plagues man like plaque on teeth. Even during the holidays I am going to run into "Christian" after "Christian" who no longer is committed to any particular church in the name of bitterness. Now, of course, no one will admit that as being the reason for not committing to a local church to live life with the people of God in this world. But the truth is that it could not be any more true of an answer. The bitterness is hidden behind things like, "There's not a good church in my area" or "My last church burned me so bad that I need to take a break from church" or "I can have church in my house on Sunday morning" or "I watch Joel Osteen every Sunday." And many more excuses are out there.

I have excuses too. We all do. Do you want to hear mine? What about all the backstabbers who one minute are your best friend in the world while you are doing what they want until you make one move they don't like and they turn their back on you? What about those you used to serve God with who would not let you before their people ever again to serve God because you are not apart of their denomination? Or what about those who look at your weird because you don't attend their church anymore? Or what about those who avoid you by not returning your phone calls? Or what about those who feel the liberty to tell everyone you are in sin when you are not? Or those who ask you not to come around again? Or those who are always upset with you because you are not meeting their expectations for your life? Or those who disagree with your decisions but make the same ones themselves? I could go on, but I think you get my point.

There are always excuses to be bitter. Everyone has been hurt by someone. What is ironic about the bitter person is they usually believe they are one of the only unfortunate people in life who have been hurt. They believe no one, or at least most people, do not understand their hurt. But it's not true. Everyone has been hurt. Every one can relate to others causing pain in their lives. But none of it is an excuse to be bitter. None of it is reason enough to not commit yourself to life with the people of God regardless of the pain. In fact, the people of God might actually be able to expose the idols in your heart that are causing you to sin against God by dwelling on the pain.

This Thanksgiving, pain may be in your life through the sins of others. The temptation may be there to be bitter. But no one portrayed such a gracious attitude toward his enemies as our Lord Himself when he hung dying on a tree as he said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." As Christ forgave you, so you too should forgive others. Don't be bitter; that's what Satan wants. Be thankful to God. In fact, some of those you may be bitter against may be the ones you are going to spend eternity with. You may as well learn to get along now. Have a grateful heart this Thanksgiving; you have a lot of excuses to do so!

The Influences Of 2009.3

The third great influence in my life in 2009 is a dead man, C.S. Lewis. I completed his Chronicles of Narnia Series this year for the first time. And about the only word to describe him is...genius. It is a must-read seven book series.

He influenced me in this way:

1. The tenderness of Aslan struck the hard-heartedness of my heart. Aslan was so gracious and long suffering with the children, but even with his enemies; even the ones who hated him the most.

2. The fierceness of Aslan struck the pride of my heart. In many of the stories there were those who held their heads high in the presence of Aslan foolishly. Few realized the fierceness could destroy them and most were very proud before the great beast.

3. The folly of the children who followed Aslan communicates all over to me again the patience of Aslan. Aslan ought to have wiped out his followers and started all over again for the repeated folly and lack of faith in his people, but he was long suffering even when he suffered deeply for their folly.

Family And Church Likened To One Another

I wanted to take a minute to share some encouraging stuff I have been reading in "Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood."

"1 Timothy may be see as a catalog of types of behavior and organization needed in a harmonious family.

1:3-11, 18-20 - True doctrine is necessary because the family needs to know its own rules.

1:12-17 - Doctrine is therefore foundational for all the more specific kinds of organization and mutual relations within the family.

2:1-7 - Protection is necessary from destructive outside interference and for the benefit of the family's relations to the larger world.

2:8 - The men in the family must not generate strife among themselves but be united in petitions.

2:9-10, 11-14 - The women must devote themselves to family service and not frivolities or to usurping authority over men.

3:1-7 - The family must have wise, competent overseers.

3:8-13 - It must have wise care for family needs.

3:14-16 - In every respect it must conform to divine order.

4:1-16 - Proper rules and examples from the leaders are most important.

5:1-6:2 - Family members must all treat one another with the respect and honor and sensitivity appropriate to their mutual status.

5:3-10 - Those in need must be cared for, preferably by those closest to them.

6:6-10, 17-19 - Use of money must support family goals."