I AM

This literally popped up on my screen today...I've no idea where it came from, then again, maybe I do. 

1. “I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward” (Genesis 15:1).
2. “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14).
3. “I am the Lord your God” (Exodus 6:7).
4. “I am the Lord who heals you” (Exodus 15:26).
5. “I am gracious” (Exodus 22:27).
6. “I am the Lord who sanctifies you” (Exodus 31:13).
7. “I am your portion and your inheritance” (Numbers 18:20).
8. “I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people” (Psalm 22:5-7).
9. “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God” (Isaiah 41:10)
10. “I am the Lord, that is My name” (Isaiah 42:8)
11. “I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior” (Isaiah 43:3).
12. “I am the Lord, who makes all things” (Isaiah 44:24).
13. “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me” (Isaiah 46:9).
14. “I am He, I am the First, I am also the Last” (Isaiah 48:12-13).
15. “I, even I, am He who comforts you” (Isaiah 51:12).
16. “I am He who speaks” (Isaiah 52:6).
17. “I am with you to deliver you” (Jeremiah 1:8)
18. “I am ready to perform My word” (Jeremiah 1:12).
19. “I am merciful” (Jeremiah 3:12).
20. “I am married to you” (Jeremiah 3:14).
21. “I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth” (Jeremiah 9:24).
22. “I am weary of relenting!” (Jeremiah 15:6).
23. “I am a Father to Israel” (Jeremiah 31:9).
24. “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh” (Jeremiah 32:27).
25. “I am the Lord who strikes” (Ezekiel 7:9).
26. “Because you have spoken nonsense and envisioned lies, therefore I am indeed against you” (Ezekiel 13:8).
27. “You are men, and I am your God” (Ezekiel 34:31).
28. “I am God, and not man, the Holy One in your midst” (Hosea 11:9).
29. “I am returning to Jerusalem with mercy” (Zechariah 1:16).
30. “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am the Father, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is My reverence?” (Malachi 1:6).
31. “I am the Lord, I do not change” (Malachi 3:6).
32. “I am gentle and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29).
33. “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
34. “I am among you as the One who serves” (Luke 22:27).
35. “I am the bread of life…. I am the living bread which came down from heaven” (John 6:51 35,).
36. “I am One who bears witness of Myself” (John 8:18).
37. “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world” (John 8:23).
38. “Before Abraham was, I AM” (John 8:58).
39. “I am the light of the world” (John 9:5).
40. “I am the door of the sheep” (John 10:7).
41. “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11).
42. “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25).
43. “Where I am, there My servant will be also” (John 12:26).
44. “You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am” (John 13:13).
45. “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).
46. “I am in the Father and the Father in Me” (John 14:11).
47. “I am the true vine…. I am the vine, you are the branches” (John 15:1,5).
48. “You say rightly that I am a king” (John 18:37).
49. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End…who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty” (Revelation 1:8).
50. “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore” (Revelation 1:18).
51. “I am He who searches the minds and hearts” (Revelation 2:23).
52. “I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star” (Revelation 22:16).

Beautiful? Yes you are....

A message worth Sharing...and the Song from Mercy Me:


This weekend from the John Piper Conference (Children Desiring God), I was reminded of the centrality of a father's praise for our boys as they demonstrate those biblical qualities of manhood (self control, protection, provision).   The same praise is needed for young women as they respond in ways like a biblical woman of inner beauty. 

Its just a shadow of the message that God delivers to those who are saved through His Son  “....You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” Luke 3:22

God doesn't make mistakes, and Bart explains from a fathers heart how ‎"It should blow your stinkin mind!"

"The world tells you that you are unlovable...but because of the Cross, we have value. That's far greater than what the world says, and its far greater than our good works. We DESPERATELY NEED JESUS."

"You... didn't just stumble in here. He tells the stars when to shine, and He is madly in love with you."




Cause you are more than what is hurting you tonight. They are nothing in the Shadow of the Cross....you are made for so much more than all of this....you are beautiful in His eyes. You are treasure, you are sacred you are HIS. (YES YOU....)





I'm Holding a Miracle,

A card from my brother

"A mighty wind blew night and day.

It stole the oak tree's leaves away, Then snapped its boughs and pulled its bark Until the oak was tired and stark. But still the oak tree held its ground while other trees fell all around. The weary wind gave up and spoke, "How can you still be standing, Oak?" The oak tree said, "I know that you can break each branch of mind in tow, carry every leaf away, Shake my limbs and make me sway. But I have roots stretched in the earth, Growing stronger since my birth. You'll never touch them, for you see, they are the deepest part of me. Until today, I wasn't sure of just how much I could endure. But now I've found, with thanks to you, I'm stronger than I ever knew.

Especially now, try to remember that you're stronger than any problem you encounter or any disappointment life will bring. Thinking of you, believing in you, caring for you."


A note from my brother Eric...maybe his first card...a doozie. Well timed during a tough week where The LORD was blowing out the "dead branches": Dependence on job, children, etc. for fulfillment. I keep getting seduced into thinking I am done with that stuff. He keeps pursuing. PNUEMA, the wind, the Spirit. 


I have two brothers, Eric and Scott and a sister named Tracy.  Once my dad set up a small business for us, he called it BEST.

Hounds of Heaven? Do you see what I see?

There is a poem, called "hounds of heaven", that speaks not of hounds at all, but of the relentless pursuit God impresses on us....and in fact, the wonderful satisfaction of drawing near to Him even as we are "chased", when part of us wants to run the other way. 

Sometimes I write, just to document these events that seem more than chance.  Tonight by 4X, I was reminded...see if you see what i see.

1. On my way home this afternoon, a conversation with an old friend about the redundancy of "Sovereign God".  If he is God, then he is sovereign. 
2. As we ride in the truck, fatherly guidance for my son who had a strong opinion about not wanting to do something, and I reminded him to be able to embrace even those things we do not prefer, or risk being able to see God.
3. At church around youth group I heard from two different sources the question from Hell..."How does a loving God allow bad things to happen to good people".  Don't get me wrong, we have all been tempted by this, but to be sure....God is always good, people are not.  Any other conclusion, no matter how saintly or innocent, will lead you to a place you do not want to go.
4. Finally, I am late, but I have to talk to a dad going through a divorce who tells me he is reading Job.   He is struggling with one of the oldest stories in the bible.  God never answers Jobs "WHY" question, Instead, he asks the questions that remind Job WHO the creator was.

All this was in the same evening....no kidding.  Hounds of heaven, or a God in hot pursuit?  Depends on your perspective.  :)

Testimony about the Teen Retreat , for the glory of God

Testimony about the Teen Retreat , for the glory of God

Tonight  (as the oldest teen!), Several of us shared what we learned from the experience at 5 stones camp two weeks ago, an amazing retreat filled with teaching, fellowship, but most importantly the Holy Spirit drawing 4 young men to a life-changing commitment to follow Jesus Christ. This short account was one of several from Teens, and adults that were there. 

Mighty to save (a portion)

Forever, Author of salvation,
He rose and conquered the grave,
Jesus conquered the grave.

So take me as You find me,
All my fears and failures,
Fill my life again.

I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in,
Now I surrender.

Imagine a place where there is no shame in surrender, confessing sin, giving praise, living boldly.  This is the way it was meant to be, in the Garden.  That’s what I saw among the young people, young men leading, people confessing their sin, repentance, forgiveness and joy. Revival.   I never saw revival before, but I think this was it.

Now we can have freedom in Christ. In the story of Joseph, when his entire family is brought into Egypt, Pharaoh says to him  “Have no concern for your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.”  Gen. 45:20”.    My ambition is for my children to see Jesus in His word and in His people like these children did….that they would follow hard after the Lord, that they would not be afraid to live, and that they would not be afraid to die.

Mighty to Save      

Everyone needs compassion,
Love that's never failing;
Let mercy fall on me.

Everyone needs forgiveness,
The kindness of a Saviour;
The Hope of nations.

Saviour, He can move the mountains,
My God is Mighty to save,
He is Mighty to save.

Forever, Author of salvation,
He rose and conquered the grave,
Jesus conquered the grave.

So take me as You find me,
All my fears and failures,
Fill my life again.

I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in,
Now I surrender.

My Saviour, He can move the mountains,
My God is Mighty to save,
He is Mighty to save.
Forever, Author of salvation,
He rose and conquered the grave,
Jesus conquered the grave.

Shine your light and let the whole world see,
We're singing for the glory of the risen King...Jesus (x2)

My Saviour, He can move the mountains,
My God is Mighty to save,
He is Mighty to save.
Forever, Author of salvation,
He rose and conquered the grave,
Jesus conquered the grave.

My Saviour, you can move the mountains,
You are mighty to save,
You are mighty to save.
Forever, Author of Salvation,
You rose and conquered the grave,
Yes you conquered the grave

Amen

the big party in Indonesia

Since I arrived at Plainfield Calvary Baptist last March, the one defining picture I have is the love they have for God's word.  I thought of that love as I saw this video of an Indonesian tribe when they received God's word in their own language, for the first time. 

Dancing, crying, celebration, honor and prayer.

I am a coming closer to that gratitude every day. Today was my son's first day in Awana.  I think I understand a little better about the big party in Indonesia, though they have taught me even more in this short video.

Thanks for your generous prayers and comfort.

As they say in the Kimyal language:

Al weig buna’ ag bulamlange
ab Domba Me ab se,
sig aga meibna’ ab,
gibna’ ab, bebnag ab, migib ab,
unum-unum se ulamla.

“To him who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb, be blessing
and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”

Read more here....
http://www.challies.com/christian-living/gods-greatest-gifts