Pace

Life is interesting sometimes…

This past weekend I “got out of Dodge” and spent a little time with my mom at the South Dakota State Fair. It has been eight years – close to a decade – since I had last been to the Fair. Doesn’t that seem like a long time!?! It was nice to go back though. I watched a few 4-H shows, went on a ride, and ate all the food you should only consume once a year! This time did remind me how much I need to share the following thoughts.

Pace – that’s the title of this post. (I know I’m using up all the running metaphors, but I think this will be the last! And the picante sauce logo just seemed to fit!) And kind of fitting to share on Labor Day! So, HAPPY LABOR DAY everyone!

Three weeks ago yesterday, my wife and I returned with 22 others from Jamaica. Jamaica, as I’ve mentioned in previous posts, was a truly wonderful experience. It was a chance to grow in my relationship with the Lord and an opportunity to extend that relationship to others.  One thing that settled on me as we spent time in Jamaica was the pace of life. It went, but it certainly wasn’t hurried. After all the busyness I had this summer before arriving, it was a very nice change of pace. I enjoyed relaxing a little bit and letting life go on without my constant watch gazing. We all worked hard; but it was about the quality of work, not the quantity. I needed that chance.

Fast-forward to when we arrived home. Here’s a little of all that I’ve accomplished in these three weeks:

Arranged a group and shared about our experience two days after getting back, caught up a week’s worth of class work in a graduate level course, finished that course, finished another course (so, writing lots of papers), wrote curriculum, devised new policies for work, gardened a ton of food!, removed rock and dug up area alongside our house where we used to have bushed (a.k.a. landscaped), made new bulletin boards, arranged files, figured out budgets, planned meetings, etc…

I think you get the picture. Often, it’s not felt like I’ve had a moment to breathe in these past three weeks because everything around me is telling me to go. I have felt the most unhealthy in all my life these past three weeks and all because of the pace of everything.

Why are our lives so cluttered and busy?

Why are we filling them with stuff?

Can we not just enjoy the quiet?

Scripture reminds us that our life is but a breath and that we are here only a brief moment. (See Psalm 8:4; 39:5; 103:15) Why should our time be spent of frivolous things that just wear us down? (I do want to be clear that not all the things I’ve been doing have not been for naught; nor are the things we can find our hands on.)

We move too quickly in this world. While we are often up to good things, are those good things pushing out God in our lives? This is where I’m coming from and have experienced some these few weeks. One of the things I’ve learned this summer (which I plan to share soon in another post) is that God inhabits the ordinary and mundane places of our lives the most. When we’re moving so fast that we don’t even have time to notice, where is He? But when we calm down and just be, then we can find Him.

It’s a true gift from God to be at rest. And He just might put you there!

So, it was truly fitting that getting away to go the State Fair would be a solace for my soul. My parents just enjoy life out at the Fair – they don’t push things but just are present. I needed that and I got that. God spoke to my heart and showed up as I rested in Him.

Find your rest today in Him. Set aside the labor, take in this moment of your life because it has such purpose, and enjoy God for who He is! Love Him and let His grace transform you!

Providence

I know I was going to tell of this story a little while ago and it never happened. I’m sorry about the service being lost and never getting to share this story! But I am sharing it now and it is such a wonderful testimony of how God works in the midst of our troubles and trials. It also showcases just how good He is at answering the prayers prayed over us before we left for Jamaica.

Here goes:

When we left for Jamaica and sent our bags through, one bag did not get labeled with a name and address. Lesson 1 learned: make sure everyone has their bag labeled to prevent someone else from taking it off the carousel.

When we arrived in Montego Bay, all our bags made it to Jamaica, but two were taken. We then got to spend about an hour trying to file a claim. Not the greatest way to enter into a new country. These bags had prayed over for safe travel, along with all of us, to make it to Jamaica. Well, they made it, but not to their intended destination.

That evening was sent in patient silence asking God to bring our bags back. Both included donations for the trip, and one had all of our plateware and utensils for the trip. We kind of needed to get those bags back.

In the morning, our devotionals asked us to read Proverbs 3:5-6, which goes: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight.”

This was a morning where I had to trust God to have good purposes for those bags and just allow Him to handle the whole situation. In that moment of simple trust I found strength for the day and let the chips fall where they may.

It just so happens, that is all God was asking of me. Moments later, I received a phone call that one of the bags would be dropped off at the front desk that morning! God provides!

Bag #2 is a little bit more exciting! Waiting for our ride to show up, one of our youth, Ethan, made a comment to Rachel, who had lost her unlabeled bag (yup, I’m not giving it up!), that a bag over with another girl looked a lot like her bag. When she looked over, she was a little surprised and agreed. So, she went over to this other girl and asked her about her bag. And whose bag did it end up being? Rachel’s!

It turns out that the girl who grabbed Rachel’s bag was on her way back to the airport to turn in the bag and hopefully get her correct bag. However, her ride to the airport was running late. Coincidence?  I think not! Talk about God’s providing for us when we are forced to trust Him! God works in powerful ways!

Transformation

"It wasn't supposed to go that way..."

Ever thought that? I know I definitely had that thought a couple of times this past week! To start - I was supposed to have cell reception in Catadupa so I could update everyone as the week progressed along. That didn't happen. As soon as we left Montego Bay, my phone quit.

"It wasn't supposed to go that way..."

But, as it turns out sometimes it is just what doesn't go our way that God uses for His good work in us.

As we prepared for our time in Catadupa, we focused a lot on the transformation that occurs as we seek Jesus. Our hearts are enlarged and changed and made more into the likeness of Him. As I reflect on our past week in Jamaica, I know I had the thought that transformation would happen, but it would be when I was in Jamaica. It's not to say that transformation didn't occur, but I was banking on the majority of it to be then and not any other time.

I think this might have been the case with some of the youth who went along as well.

Today, as I was thinking about what God has done in my heart, I was reminded of Jesus' words from Luke 17:5-6:

The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" 

He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you."

What the disciples wanted was their faith to grow - which isn't bad - but what Jesus shows them is they were missing what they already had! He was letting them know that the faith they had was already sufficient enough to do mighty things.

Isn't is surprising how we can miss this? We keep looking for what we already have. This past week, I was looking for transformation and the evidence of it. I did see it, but I also saw that it had a foundation already started that allowed for that evidence to be showcased. It took time for that transformation to make itself visible.

I think for a lot of us we were looking for the evidence and wanted to see development in an instantaneous way. What God was showing me was transformation has already taken place. All the months leading up to the trip and the work we did in our small groups helped lay that foundation in order for that faith to mold and increase. God did mighty things through us but only because we sought God prior in relationship with Him and one another.

I am so excited for all the ways that our relationship with God will continue to shine forth His goodness as we seek Him. Transformation continually happens in our hearts in relationship, and what has happened this past week is only the beginning to the mighty things He has in store for our futures. To Him be all the glory!

Arrival

We have arrived! What a trip we've been on already! While all the flights went tremendously well, it did take a little while to get to the hotel. But we're here now; we're all safe; and we're resting tonight. With all the trials and frustrations today, it is exactly God's timing thathat I heard the words of Proverbs 3:5-6. Trusting Him for this whole trip will be our strength. Tonight, we're going to enjoy this place and trust God for our start tomorrow in Catadupa. Thanks for all the prayers family! Brandon

Run

I love running! I have been running for years and it has now been a decade endeavor in my life. I really started engaging in running when I was 16 and it has benefited my life in tremendous ways. It's also challenged me like I would have never imagined. It's brought out a competitive energy within me as well, and this has taken me to compete in various 5K's, 10K's, long-distance relays, a half-marathon, and a full marathon. It's crazy what starting something to lose a little weight has done in transforming my life in such a tremendous way!

As I think about running this morning, I am preparing to leave tonight to travel to Jamaica on a mission trip. This will be my first endeavor to Jamaica. I've always thought of it as a very cool place to visit. Over the past few months, I've learned so much more about the nation. The place we will be going to is called Catadupa and it is a place where hope has been taken but is slowly starting to rise. I pray that our time there would continue to build up that hope that comes in Jesus Christ.

Running has taught me many things about faith, AND putting that faith into action. Jesus Christ has called us to the narrow path. You have to walk to be on that path. That requires movement and an action. In running, you have to move your legs in order to get somewhere. Running requires movement and action. We can't be stagnant - we won't get anywhere!

In our group's mission opportunity, we're moving. We could have taken the moments of these next 10 days and rested on the lake. I know I could use a few days off! But my faith calls me to action. And my faith has pointed me to Jamaica, along with all these youth and adults. I don't know how God will show up in our lives, but I do know He will! And I'm excited to share when He does on here! Catadupa is a place on my path as I run after Christ. With this, I wanted to point out some verses that I've been thinking deeply about the past few weeks. I really like these verses, and something more might show up on this blog in the coming weeks. As I've learned how to run, these verses have spoken truth to the correlation of life in Christ:

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. - 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

I'm going to run after Christ with a perspective of making Him known and affecting eternity. How are you going to follow after Him?

Purpose

Good morning everyone! This will be short, but I hope it is helpful! Welcome to my blog!

As a lot of you parents know, I am taking your children to Jamaica in a week! This will be the spot where I will post some updates and help you learn all that we are experiencing. I have written a number of things on this blog in the past (yes, it has been a while...), so feel free to check them out.

Also, I have another blog if you get curious for reading at atonementfargoyoungadult.blogspot.com. I'm excited for all God has in store for us this next week! Thanks for your prayers! Love, Brandon

Jeremiah 9 - 22

Hi everyone,

It's been a little while since I posted, but I am reading Jeremiah! And I am challenged by this book. Like I posted last time, I have read the book before, but I am seeing the verses with a new refreshment and I am enjoying being challenged.

What I am most gaining from reading Jeremiah is his heart for a lost and broken nation. These people completely disregard what he has to tell them from God, and yet, he still cries out for them to return to God and be healed. He despises their rebellion, but he does not want their destruction. He sincerely loves these people though they reject him.

It's got me thinking - how do I love the people I'm around? In my city? In my neighborhood?

Do I love like this?

Truthfully, I don't. I lament where our nation is going and I hate what so many young people have to go through. But I hate it from a distance.

Jeremiah didn't do this. He was right in the heart of the action and spoke truth. He had an audience that rejected him, but he still stepped out in obedience. And that's what God asked of him. Am I willing to do this?

In these chapters, there have been a few passages that I want to point out. The first is Jeremiah 10:23 - 25. This is Jeremiah's prayer and I love it. It says:

"I know, O Lord, that a man's life is not his own;
it is not for a man to direct his steps.
Correct me, Lord, but only with justice -
not in your anger,
lest you reduce me to nothing.
Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge you,
on the people who do not call on your name.
For they have devoured Jacob;
they have devoured him completely and destroyed his homeland."

What I love about this prayer is Jeremiah's humility and acknowledgment that the whole world revolves around the sovereignty of God. It is His plan that is being accomplished in all our lives and it is His ways that will come to fruition. We have a spot in that, but ultimately, He lets succeed what He wants. Jeremiah surely praises the sovereignty of God in all situations.

Do we look at God the way Jeremiah does? When the world around us is going down the toilet, do we believe that God's sovereign hand is upholding His children? I do. Even as I think of the United States right now, I firmly believe that we are not going through anything that God has not ordained for us. He has challenged us to seek Him and be obedient to Him. In this, He promises blessing. But it's for full obedience - not half-hearted obedience.

This is a call to Christians in America. Have you been fully obedient to God? Have you submitted to His will and plans for your life, or have you only given Him a piece? If we've only been going about giving Him a piece, then we rightly deserve what we're getting. We're not fully obeying God. We're making our own way and fitting God to our idea of what's supposed to happen. In this, we're really not letting God be our God, but rather, we're making ourselves God and calling on God to acquiesce to us. How shameful of us! Christian America - REPENT! REPENT! REPENT! We are not God - God is God! He is sovereign, we are not! He is Holy and His plans are always righteous and good. Not ours.

And this brings me to the second section of Jeremiah I wanted to bring about. Chapters 18 and 19 are some of my favorite in the whole book; chapter 18 possibly being one of my favorite in the whole Bible because of how greatly it challenges what I've thought about God and how I view others. In chapter 18, God tells Jeremiah to go to the potter's house and look at the pots. When Jeremiah gets there, he sees the potter reshaping a pot because it didn't turn out just the way he wanted. The potter creates the pot to his liking, not the pot's.

This chapter tells of how God is sovereign. He does what pleases him. Now, some of us might look at these verses and think of how wrathful God is. It's true, God's wrathful character against sin is being displayed. But consider this point - if God hadn't reshaped Israel, we wouldn't be allowed to know God. If He hadn't opened up a way for Jesus to be for more than just the nation of Israel, we Gentiles would not know salvation. In His reshaping, we've been brought the opportunity to know Jesus and have a relationship with God.

God has created every person for noble purposes and for destruction. We never know who is created for what purposes, but isn't that a scary thing to think of? When I examine these verses, I see that there are possibly people around me that God has created to be separated from Him. That's very sad, but it's also His plan and purpose. Though He yearns for every person to come to salvation, He is also omnipotent to see how sin has clouded and dissuaded these persons. We must not forget that not everyone is saved. This should move us to care about them knowing the Gospel of Jesus! We should be sharing and being obedient in sharing truth. God longs for our obedience! Let's give it to Him!

Lastly, I just want to mention one passage. Being obedient to God is not easy. But we have to continue to push after it. And God will work. His Holy Spirit will burn within us! Jeremiah writes in chapter 20:8 - 9:

"Whenever I speak out, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction.
So the world of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach all day long.
But if I say, 'I will not mention him
or speak any more in his name,'
his word is in my heart like a fire,
a fire shut up in my bones.
I am weary of holding it in;
indeed, I cannot."

God will not let us go! If we pursue after Him and fully surrender in obedience, He will not let us go down to eternal destruction. He will uphold us and defend us!

If you're pressing into Him, but having a hard time understanding, DON'T GIVE UP! DON'T GIVE UP! Strength will rise as you wait for Him! And let these words that Jeremiah declares about our God flood your soul with praise:

"But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior;
so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail.
They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced;
their dishonor will never be forgotten.
O Lord Almighty, you who examine the righteous
and probe the heart and mind,
let me see your vengeance upon them
for to you I have committed my cause.

Sing to the Lord!
Give praise to the Lord!
He rescues the life of the needy
from the hands of the wicked." (Jeremiah 21:11-13)

God is fighting for you! He love you and yearns for you to lovingly follow after Him! Draw near to Him and let Him work mightily!

Love you all,

Brandon

Jeremiah 1 - 8

Good afternoon,

For all of you who know - I love to read! Hence, this website! But I've decided to change up what I'm sharing on this blog just for a little while (mainly because I'm in seminary and am reading many books at one time and it's very time consuming!). I've decided to share with you some Scripture that I've been reading and what I'm getting from these passages. I promise you this won't be every day - but I'll try to make it here once a week to share. (Also, because I can get through a lot of Scripture in a month, and that wouldn't be beneficial for anyone!)

So, here is what my newest pieces will be on - the book of Jeremiah from the Old Testament. I've read Jeremiah a few times (not many) and there is a lot I don't understand that the prophet wrote. That gives me a chance to learn from him, and hence, a reason to share of God's goodness. It's a hard book and I am not claiming to be an expert; but, I hope to challenge you to think as I interact with the text and share insights and thoughts from the passage.

Okay, let's get going!

I'll start with what I do know from Jeremiah. Jeremiah was called when he was a young man to be a prophet to Judah and he was a lifer! He prophesied to Judah about their downfall by the Babylonians and continued with them into captivity. His life was long and God called him to a very hard task. This was not an easy calling in any sense, but Jeremiah responded with obedience. He took the calling and went for it, even though it would be utterly painstaking.

Jeremiah had a unique gifting to call the people of Judah on their outlandish rebellion against God and also to feel what God was feeling for His estranged people. Jeremiah is known as "the weeping prophet" and for good reason. Just from the little bit I've read, there are two voices that come from the text: God's, which is powerful in judgment and forthcoming wrath, and Jeremiah's, who's is tormented by why the people reject God. But Jeremiah's voice is God's even there. How hurt God is by our sin. Just like Judah, even today, He mourns our rejection of His ways.

Jeremiah shares what God desires, in chapter 6, verse 16:

"Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls."

God yearns for His people, in context, the nation of Judah, to walk with Him and walk in obedience to Him.

God has been faithful to Judah, and He reminds them in chapter 7, verses 22-23:

"For when I brought your forefathers out of Egypt and spoke to them, I did not just give them commands about burnt offerings and sacrifices, but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in all the ways I command you, that it may go well with you."

God is clearly deserving of praise from the people of Judah. He has proven faithful, and He just yearns for the people to see Him this way.

But Judah doesn't. Sometimes, we can be so ignorant of God's call. He is offering mercy to repent and confess our folly. But we block it out. We disregard what He wants to do, and hurt ourselves. "Are they not rather harming themselves to their own shame?" (Jer. 7:19b)


This is the situation that Jeremiah is called to. This is where he will be preaching and prophesying. This will not be a successful calling. This will be hard.

Sometimes, we think that God will never call us to failure. I know I'm guilty of it. The book of Jeremiah says otherwise.

Just an example of this from the Scripture, let's look at chapter 7, verse 27:

"When you tell them all this, they will not listen to you; when you call to them, they will not answer."

What a hard calling! But, from our perspective, we see a beautiful side of God that we don't otherwise get to understand. He is mourning our sin. When we do not turn to Him and repent, He is devastated, for His justice must triumph. What Jeremiah felt is what God feels. How He longs for His children! How greatly our God loves!

But sin must have it's punishment. There is separation and it needs a payment to bridge the gap. That's why Jesus came. In the context, Jesus is not part of the picture; but we're not a part of that audience. We get to read Jeremiah from a standpoint of immense hope for our situation! We are called from our sin just the same, but there is a greater redemption for us through the death of Jesus! "By His wounds, we are healed."

Jesus' death paid the penalty for our sins and now we can walk in the ancient paths of obedience to God! We can have "rest for our souls!"

Are you yearning for that rest? Turn now to Jesus. Ask Him to take your heart of stone and give you His heart of flesh. Ask Him to forgive you for your sins and be cleansed!

Lastly, when Jeremiah was given his calling, he was shown that it would lead to immense hardship for his life. His career would not be defined by his following, but by his obedience to God. And that was all to show him that his strength was not his own, but was God's. God was showing Jeremiah just as greatly that He is always faithful and is ever-present. "I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled...I am with you." (Jer. 1:12b; 19)

The same is true for us. It might not always be easy for us - and we might not be called to greatness in anything. That doesn't matter. The point is faithfulness in obeying the call God has given you. Are you?

Bart Millard, lead singer of the band MercyMe, is quoted to have said, "Don't stoop to the level of a king if you're doing what God has called you to do."

Love and God's blessings to you,

Brandon

Father, your word is good and powerful and always true. Thank you for your word. And thank you for the view we get to see of Scripture - especially, Jeremiah's story. His story matters. Help me as I share from my interactions, to always bring you glory through this. Lord, would you allow hearts to continually be drawn to you? You are good. I will praise you. I love you Lord and it's only for your glory that I write this. Amen.

Desiring God - introduction and chapter 1

Hi all,

I hope you are all well and blessed by the Lord!

First, off - WOW! This book is hard to read, but WOW! It is truly remarkable what it does have to show us about our God! Last night, my small group started discussing these first two parts of the book - and let's just say, that was one of the best conversations we had. How joyous we found ourselves thinking about the Lord and our strength in Him. Beautiful.

I want to start with the big point that John Piper makes in the introduction about a hedonist. Hedonism is an ambiguous word that carries some negative connotations, but Piper flips our common definition on our heads! Hedonism, by definition, is the doctrine or way of life that puts pleasure or happiness as the highest good. And it is true that there have been negative uses of this style of life. But Piper calls us to pursue out a life of happiness in joy in what will ultimately always satisfy us. And that is God!

God calls us to delight always in Him and His perfect will. But, we're humans, and if you tell us to pursue pleasure, we're bound to get it wrong in our own effort. And we do. Piper quotes C.S. Lewis, from his astounding sermon The Weight of Glory, about our human state and our "great" ability at pursuing what ultimately fills us:

"Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promieses of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospel, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak...We are far too easily pleased." (p. 20)

And thus, this is why Piper has written his account of why God must be our primary desire and how we can living a life seeking pleasure in Him. This book is to help us see how to increase our desire to be filled with the strong things of God and to lose sight of the unfulfilling pleasures of this world.

If we're going to start taking stock in pleasure in God, we've got to see something about God: that He takes pleasure in Himself. This is Piper's goal to show us from Scripture in the first chapter. If God wants us to be for Him, He needs to be for Himself as well.

God takes great joy in His glory and He preserves it. Even with the drenching amount of sin and evil in this world, God still takes delight in His glory.

Piper uses a great analogy revolving lenses in the sense of the amount of evil here and His greater plan. How can God still be joyous in who He is and His will when there are such devastating things going on in this world? Because He is sovereign. In the example of the lenses, Piper shows that we are often stuck with the narrow lens and cannot see the grander picture. In this position, much evil occurs, and God is grieved over that. But God also has a panoramic lens that shows the bigger picture. In the bigger picture, He can see the good of His plan that will come to fruition. And He is jubilant about this!

God takes great pleasure in Himself because He is the best! He is sovereign, completely in control of all things, and it is all for joy in Him.

When we realize that He is always at work for good, we can enjoy His plan, though the circumstances might not be enjoyable. And as we enjoy His plan, and in essence, He in Himself, we glorify Him. It expresses itself in our life and God is praised!

That's good stuff. This was our starting ground, and we discussed how we can start enjoying God more this week. So, I pose the same question we were posed last night: What are you going to do this week to just find joy in God? It doesn't have to be anything great, but simple and pleasurable to you. Then thank God for allowing you to find joy in Him and praise Him in this world.

Until next week...Love you all,

Brandon

New Book for the Summer!

Hi all!

I know it's been awhile since I last posted on this blog but I wanted to share with you again what I'm learning. I actually have been reading a lot these past few months, but I have stopped sharing what I'm learning. I'm sorry.

However, I do want to mention a few books I have read and recommend them to you as well:

"Radical" by David Platt - excellent book! I can't recommend this one more. It has really shaped how I've been thinking about ministry lately and that's exciting!

"Radical Together" by David Platt - this book addresses how we change the world together. It is written for people working in ministry but if we can get together, we can do mighty things for the glory of God!

"Do Hard Things" by Alex & Brett Harris - good youth book and challenging in how we take up the calling we've been given by Jesus to rebel against what this world is telling us to be and being what we were made to be!

"Embraced by the Spirit" by Charles Swindoll - get to know the Holy Spirit better through this excellent read by renowned pastor and author, Charles Swindoll. What a great man and what great lessons we can learn from him about the Comforter and Counselor!

"The Millennials" by Thom and Jess Rainer - this was a great book to read regarding the youth coming up and my generation. It really opened my eyes to the future and how I have a responsibility in making a difference, especially in the faith lives, of many of my peers. Very convicting!

"The Hole in our Gospel" by Richard Stearns - what a powerful book that exposed the world to me and the role I have to play. There is no option. Another convicting read.

BUT...

Now, I want to share what my next few months of posts will be on.

This summer, I and a group of my friends will be working through the book "Desiring God" by John Piper. I am very excited to read this book with my friends and am excited to see how I will be challenged and changed in my desire for God. This is going to be a very busy summer for me personally, but I'm still committed to growing closer to Jesus. So join me as I share what God lays on my heart through this book. Or better yet, join our book study! There will be information on the website www.atonementfargo.org! We would love to have you join us!

God has mighty things in store to show me this summer I know! I know He has mighty things He yearns to reveal to you as well! Let this summer be a time of renewal, growth, and greater desire toward the One who loves you so immensely!

God bless you all!

Brandon

Chapters 7 - 8

Good morning everyone! It is a great day to be alive and it is exciting to be writing to you all. I hope this post finds everyone enjoying life and loving Jesus more and more.

Today was the last morning of my discussion group on "Muslims, Christians, and Jesus" and I was a little sad. This has been an excellent book to study with the men and I know they have greatly appreciated what they have learned. And a lot they have learned. Their hearts, as they shared this morning, have been changed toward those we tend to have so much fear of in our community and world. I reached a goal I had with the group and I am excited to see how they will impact the world because of what they have learned! God is good and He is doing an amazing thing in these men. I, too, am grateful for the many years of faith they express and how they have shared their great devotion to Jesus Christ. It is remarkable and worth lifting up.

Onto the meat of these last two chapters. These chapters, and even as the men expressed, are two of the best chapters in the entire book. I think Chapter 7 is worth the price of the book itself for what it shares concerning Muslims who follow Jesus.

The whole premise of chapter 7 is helping the average American Christian understand that following Jesus can happen in any culture. Carl Medearis, the author, explains that being in a culture does not make you a follower of a certain religion, it just makes you a member of that culture. Take America for instance. We have an American culture. Those who live in America and abide by that culture are called Americans, just like someone living in other parts of the world would consider themselves members of that country. The problem we do run into though is that although we do have a distinct culture in our country, we don't necessarily have a different name for it. Along with Christianity. We have a Christian culture, and those who abide by this culture could call themselves Christians. However, following after Jesus is what is most important. This is the same in Muslim contexts. They live in a certain country, so they are members of that country. They also are members of a certain Muslim culture, making them culturally Muslim. Then, there are practicing, faithful Muslims. Often what we see are only the cultural stuff; we don't get to the heart. Medearis has us look at this a little deeper. In this chapter, he asks us to examine if being called a member of a culture is what has to define us. He believes, and I wholeheartedly do as well, that you can follow Jesus and still be a member of a culture. I can follow Jesus and live in a Christian culture. A Muslim can follow Jesus and still live in a Christian culture. It can happen. This is the point Medearis is making.

The men really enjoyed this picture laid out by Medearis. It helped them examine who they are as followers of Jesus in this culture, and also, who others can be in their respective cultures. The whole point is about knowing and following Jesus. It's about living as He did and obeying His commands.

In this, we are reminded that no matter what someone calls us, if we are in Christ, ti doesn't matter. Paul said it best in Galatians 3:28, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." This is what we stick to and must abide in.

Chapter 8 was Medearis's wrap up chapter that reminded us of all that we had learned in the book so far. Medearis covers all the material from the previous chapters and adds a little more for the readers on how to interact with Muslims. In this chapter, he includes a list of 21 do's and don't's for followers of Jesus to remember as they have interactions. These tips were good for discussion among the men and they enjoyed knowing these. It also tied back to our sermon we heard this past Sunday.

In the sermon, the pastor told a story about Gandhi, who once considered following Christ. He was studying in England and as he went to a church to explore Christianity with a pastor, a deacon denied him access. This turned him away from salvation, and from many others following Jesus.

As I reminded the men of this story, the men realized how important it is that we know some of the do's and don't's to help us with our witness. We have so many doing destructive things toward those they don't understand. Why should we not be trying to change this!?!

And this is how the book ends, with a call to really examine our hearts and how we present Jesus. Jesus is the most important thing about our faith. He is who we must share. He must increase and I must decrease. Medearis calls us to be under the banner of Jesus, not the banner of Christianity. We can live for Him and love Him and show Him to a word so desperately in need of Him.

We all really enjoyed this book, and I think you'd benefit from reading it too. It will really expand your thinking and help you to build very beneficial relationships with Muslims.

God bless you all. Love you.

Brandon

Chapters 5 - 6

Good morning! Oh my goodness it is COLD out there in Fargo! Holy Buckets! I am read for spring to be here NOW! It is freezing out there!

Well, because of that bitter cold, we have some good coffee ready for our discussion this morning. We were a small group of men, but we got to the heart of a few things written in these chapters that are very significant. Let's jump into some of what I read (and learned!) and what we discussed.

In chapter five, author Carl Medearis writes about common questions most Muslims ask or have about Christians and/or the Christian faith. There were five main questions addressed, from if the Bible has been changed, to looking at whether Jesus was crucified or not, to our thoughts about Muhammad being a prophet. In each of these questions, Medearis provided a short, succinct optional answer in how to approach these questions. These the men found very interesting and helpful. The men did agree that there are points that have to be understood in believing in Jesus - and I don't disagree at all. However, Medearis helped all of us in a little understanding as well. He writes,

"...we often forget that Jesus died at the end of his earthly life, not the beginning. We do present 'Christ crucified' but not necessarily on day one. Let the story be one with a beginning, a middle, and an end...A complete study of the life of Jesus will bring the student to understand his death and resurrection in the right time and the right way." (pg. 110)

I believe, as did the men, that these words are all vital to helping us understand Muslims, and even ourselves as disciples of Jesus Christ. It is a process, and it must be celebrated as a process.

In Chapter five, Medearis also tells a story about his interaction with a Muslim leader through prayer. This story provided great discussion for us this morning, as we looked at the power prayer has in our lives. Prayer can do immense things, and as Medearis shared, it has a great effect in Muslims' lives as well. They are not used to our Christian way of impromptu prayer, and this can be used in our benefit of sharing the Gospel. The men liked knowing they have this tool in their toolbox!

Chapter six was very informational to the men this morning. It provided backing behind the idea of jihad in the Muslim faith, and it clarified much of their misunderstanding. (I celebrate them sharing this information this morning because I have been patiently waiting for this!) Much of jihad is based on "the cousins in conflict" as Medearis writes.

In reading this chapter, I must say, I had a very hard time. Thinking about all the people that have been killed because of one person's rampage devastates me. I remember as I read this portion of the book, I had to stop. Then, something inside of me wanted a little more understanding, so Google helped out! But learning this information led me to tears. I had to stop again and pray, asking God to forgive us (America as a nation, Christianity as a religion, and myself, personally) for all the ways I have waged or contributed to war that has harmed other people for my benefit. I know Christianity is not the base for jihad, but Christianity has done things to harm so many. Even down to the things I buy that have been made in other countries where the workers are underage or overworked and underpaid is a form of oppression that I participate in. This chapter showed me how I'm not much different.

My own apathy has had its involvement in the ways I fail God. Paul commends us in 2 Thessalonians 3 to keep away from idleness, which leads to apathy, and he even goes so far as to say, "Never tire of doing what is right." (verse 13) We must turn from our apathetic ways. This people group are people too. They breathe, they eat, they bleed, they fart, they love too! We must not forget this as we work to share the message of Jesus Christ with them.

Our hope is in Christ alone. We must not forget that He is our hope, and only He can save. We have to throw off the blanket of security that we so easily hide under. We must be about the cause of Jesus Christ, which is bringing the message of hope to all the nations.

I hope you have a great day. Be challenged, but be blessed. Love you all.

Brandon

Chapters 3 - 4

Good morning once again! I hope you are all well and enjoying life! I just finished a great conversation with the men this morning about chapters 3 - 4 of the book "Muslims, Christians, and Jesus" by Carl Medearis. We had a wonderful conversation, mainly, on the topic of chapter three - the Qur'an. Medearis writes a lot of interesting things in this chapter and they are helpful in our understanding of Muslims and how we can share the Gospel of them.

First, I have realized that for some members of the group, this book has been like sandpaper to them, and they're not enjoying. And then there is the opposite - there are men who are very glad to have this book and are learning immensely how to reach the people around them. I'm so thankful the men have stuck with it though and they are honest in how this book is working for them.

Chapter three, as mentioned earlier, is on the topic of the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam. Right away, as Medearis has already been mentioning, Medearis again mentions the misunderstandings and contempt that is there when discussing this book. He writes, "This can be difficult at first because of the amount of bias against and misinformation about Islam and its followers...there are misperceptions about it's holy book." (pg. 65 - 66). With this statement, Medearis then writes how this is our "greatest inroad" to reaching Muslims. A lot of what Medearis writes is the similarities between our the Qur'an and the Bible. And there are points that line up! Included in this chapter are seven pages of passages in the Qur'an that speak of Jesus (Isa). This is amazing! What a goldmine of places we can start to talk about Jesus with Muslims!?! This note was made by the group as well, and they found this interesting. They noted that sometimes we think we need to bring Jesus to people, and in fact, He's already there.

I wish I could say conversation continued very smoothly for the group, but it wasn't always this way! One point was one of caution as we shared. Their thoughts were on discernment, and trying to reason if this book is trying to do more than help in our understanding of Muslims or get us too close in a dangerous way to them. (I don't personally believe this at all, but I can understand where they're coming from.) I do agree that Medearis has spent a long time with Muslims, and he is a little favored toward them. (I say this to point out a fact; it's not a bad thing, but it one thing the men have recognized and are working through.)

From this, though Medearis does write about the contradictions that occur in the Qur'an. When you look at these contradictions, you see what doesn't work. A common thing that most everyone will know is that if you have contradictions within yourself, you don't have legs to stand on. This is a point to the validity of the Qur'an. Medearis's chapter has been insightful in looking at both sides, and taking an approach of using what they know to be effective in "seed planting."

One last thing from this chapter that was interesting was Medearis's approach to Muslims on a common level and not an apologetic level. The men spoke of how this strong approach isn't well liked by anyone, even themselves. Continuing on this, they noticed a flaw in American Christianity. It has become very common among practicing American Christians to have the mentality that they're right and they can argue all the points as to why they are. It has become very easy for us to be argumentative rather than have respectful discussions. Because America is such a place of individualism and arrogance, when we as Christians come at peoples of other cultures with the Gospel in an apologetic front, we not only breed into the ways of America (fanning fuel into the flame), we also are very hurtful in how we prove ourselves. Jesus never came across this way. He knew where He stood (He knew who He was!) and He cared for the people where they were at, all the while revealing who He was to them. This is something we can learn from.

As the men discussed this flaw, they also brought up a similar example that came about in the '70's, when, apparently (I don't know, I wasn't alive then), many Christians took this approach toward converting Jews to Christianity. They spoke of how this hurt a lot of Jews and turned them off to Christianity. Talk about spiritual abuse! It just goes to show that we have a special position, and we must be careful with how we work to reach the peoples of this world with the message of Jesus.

Chapter four deals with the women of Islam. This is a glaring piece of Muslim societies, and they know it. The chapter discusses the roles of women in Muslim societies and the way they live in these societies. There was not much discussion about the women, only on their dress and how they have been viewed as lesser. As men, we often like to give suggestions as to how things can be fixed, but the men didn't have anything to add this morning.

Lastly, there is one point that dominated conversation that is worth looking at. Our discussion revolved around one stumbling block to Muslims and many other people in the world: the Cross. Medearis did not write much about how to approach this topic in the book, but he does state this is something the Qur'an disputes.

The thoughts the men had revolved around the question, "Can you really discuss Christianity without the Cross?" This is a great question. The Cross of Christ is where we find our forgiveness, where we find our atonement, where we look so we can know who we are and what we've done. We need the Cross. And without the Cross, we don't have the resurrection, where all our hope is to be. This is a very profound question that I don't have an answer for, so I leave you to think more about it.

I'm glad to be having this discussion with these men and I'm glad to be reading this wonderful book. Medearis is sharing a lot of wisdom and, I only speak for myself but I do know, is creating motivation to be a real witness of Jesus - not only to Muslims, but to all peoples in need of Him. He is worthy of all our praise and affections. He is the one we are made to worship. I hope you are enjoying these posts, and I hope you can go pick up a copy of this excellent book!

God bless you all! I love you all.

Brandon

Chapters 1 - 2

Good morning! Like I said I would, I am here to share a few things I've learned from the first few chapters of the book "Muslims, Christians, and Jews." I also had a great conversation with the older men of our congregation, and I think we will learn a lot.

Carl Medearis begins his book with the opening statement, "Some people feel they need an enemy." (pg. 13) As we began with this statement in our group, we looked at how this mindset has proven very true among many Americans regarding those of Muslim persuasion. Our conversation began that looking at the fact that Muslims are people. People need respect, they need to know they are cared for, they need to know they are loved. This is the premise of the book - seeing Muslims as people. And what they most need is Jesus.

Jesus is our hope and He is the only one who can change us. As our conversation this morning continued, we looked at how Jesus is who we must be following and how He in our lives will have the most impact on anyone. One man spoke of how the words of these first chapters slightly rebuked him. He spoke how that is what we must be about and we must be living that before not only Muslims, but all people. This is the point Medearis is meaning to make in the entire book, but especially these opening chapters.

We then proceeded to look at the first two chapters. They dealt with the topics of Muhammad and the pillars of Islam. As we discussed Muhammad, the men expressed a respect for Muhammad. They, too, were a little surprised. They felt he should be respected for his zeal, albeit a little off, to bring people back to holy and decent living. They could not fault him for desiring that the crooked world return to a more conservative manner of life. They even expressed the basic tenets are good things that our society could learn from. Medearis writes how Muhammad was a leader of his people. And he did have zeal. Medearis shares what is learned about the life of Muhammad and how his desire for people to submit to God did change over his life into a political agenda. The book clearly delineates his change and desire, and finally his sway by wealth. And sadly, these last few things are what have stuck with some extremists of the Muslim persuasion.

However, they clearly, as does Medearis, made the distinction that much of Islam is based on works - righteousness, which is clearly in opposition to what we know about Jesus's saving work. The pillars of Islam are good things that are not out of line with our Scriptures and how we are to live. The men were a little surprised about this, and even how Muslims do have an understanding of who Jesus is. Again, the distinction was made that, rightly, that the attitude of the heart of these pillars is skewed. Whereas Christians perform (and they really should be!) these actions, we do it because the Holy Spirit is living in us and is the one actually doing the work. We are not doing it to appease God, but to show Him how much we love Him and want Him to be praised by this world. The attitude a Muslim does take toward God is one of appeasement.

Our last discussion was on the name of "Allah" and on characteristics of God. The book very clearly speaks of where the name "Allah" comes from, delineating from "Elohim", one of the Hebrew names for God, meaning "strong one" and presents the image of God as a judge and ruler. As the men expressed, and as Medearis lays out (magnificently, I might add), that this is a name, just as our name "God" is a name. They do not represent two different deities, but characteristics of the same Creator and God we worship. Then we discussed the differing views we have of God. Whereas a Muslim sees God as high and almighty, with a completely predestined will that none of us have any say in and being one who must be appeased and is unknowable, we see a God of love who longs to interact with us and be known. We discussed how the American church (and I speak in generalities) has brought God down too low and how Muslims have brought Him too high. We discussed how their view is not wrong, it's just not complete. This is one of our duties to our Muslim friends - to show them a more complete view of the one true God.

The depth of understanding gained by those who read this book grows vastly as we learn who these people are. They are people in need of Jesus. He alone is the one who is worthy of worship and praise. If He is worth it for our lives, we must believe He is worth it for all Muslims' lives as well.

And Jesus has given us a mission. It won't be easy, but it is worth it. I know I've said this before, but we must be adamant that He is worthy and worth all our lives. If we want to glorify Him, we must edify and build up the body! We must see that He is known to all and we are given a priority to the people around us.

I love reading Medearis's passion for the Muslims and I'm excited to share more with you as we learn together!

God's blessings to you this day! Love you all.

Brandon

New Year, New Read

Hi everyone,

Just giving you a little teaser this evening, but I thought I would show you the cover of the book I'm currently reading. It's called "Muslims, Christians, and Jesus." I'm currently leading a book study on the book and I will post tomorrow some of our conversation as well as insights I have from the first two chapters of the book! It is an excellent read though - you should check it out!

Until then, y'all have a great evening! God bless you all! Love you all very much.

Brandon

Going Forward

Good afternoon everyone! I hope you are well and having a good week! I'm having a nice day and so far the week is good too!

Today, I come to you from a heart that is persevering. It's not easy in the battle, but it is for my good, and I write from this knowledge. I have found rich hope in the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:57 - 58, and that is where I write from today.

"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

In our time of struggle, we must begin with praise to God. God is so worthy of praise - He his holy, righteous, true, legitimate, glorious, and worthy. Today, I take time to remember how good our God is. We must remember this - and I urge you as well to remember how good God has been to you. Recount His faithfulness before Him and find hope. Trust in Him, no matter what is going on in your life. And through Him we will find the great victory.

Now, to the battle, we are called to stand firm. We cannot become lazy or relaxed with our temptations or transgressions; we must be constantly on-guard and prepared. This can be hard, but it is going to be worth it. Continue on. I write this as a reminder to myself, as I am wanting to be lazy and not push through things I'm going through, and I can't turn down or away from my Lord. I need Him and His help to be strong. I cannot ease away from what I must do, but must keep on!

As I recount this, I know the things done for Jesus are never done in vain. Paul reminds us of this. We have to trust, and keep going forward. He is faithful and will work for our good. I hope this small discourse blesses you all.

Love you all!

Brandon

The Great Omission

Hello everyone! It is a good morning - but it is super cold in my office! Uffda! So, I'm drinking lots of coffee today!

But besides that, it is a great day to be alive! There is an abundance of grace that God is shedding on me and He is speaking very clearly! It is beautiful.

Okay, so on to what I'm here to do - share about this book I'm reading. It is very good, to start off with. There have been lines that Willard has written that I'm very convicted by and want to challenge people I lead with. And I am challenged to.

The name of the book is called "The Great Omission" and in the first two chapters, I've learned about the urgency to be disciples. God has called us out from the old life we lived, but many people are not. They are attached to their old lives, even though they've "prayed the prayer." "Omission" refers to the lives that so many American Christians have decided to follow, and how many have bought into it. When Jesus left us, His last words was that we would be in the world teaching and making disciples. Somehow, we've left this out, and just decided to make converts. There is such a drastic difference, and we've forgotten that we are to not only be justified, but to be sanctified. This means we become like Christ - and that only happens through discipleship, through disciple and dedication. We cannot continue this way.

There are a few quotes that Willard makes in the opening chapters that I have been blown away by, so I'll share them with you now:

"What the 'church' - the disciples gathered - really needs is not more people, more money, better buildings or programs, more education, or more prestige." (pg. xiv)

"The disciple is one who, intent upon becoming Christ-like and so dwelling in his 'faith and practice,' systematically and progressively rearranges his affairs to that end." (pg. 7)

"...there is absolutely nothing in what Jesus himself or his early followers taught that suggests you can decide just to enjoy forgiveness at Jesus's expense and have nothing more to do with him." (pg. 13)

I realize right now I'm only giving you a taste from this book, but I'm learning as well! I hope you are encouraged as we look to this book a little more. God bless you today as you work or do whatever you do! Hope to share more with you soon!

Love you all.

Brandon

New read - "The Great Omission"

Hello all! Just a quick note that I have started a new book and will have thoughts for you very soon. The book is titled "The Great Omission" by renowned author Dallas Willard. I think it will be another great read and will really challenge me in my job. I hope what I can share from the book also challenges you to become disciples, followers after the true heart of our Jesus. I was blessed last night to read the first chapter and I believe that Willard will have much to say to speak to the Christian church on God's plan for us to fully embrace our role as disciples of Jesus.

So, be on the lookout for words and I pray they encourage and bless you all! Hope you have a wonderful night on this snowy evening! Spend some time with a great Christian read! God bless you all!

Love you!

Brandon

"A Call to Prayer" (part 2)

Good afternoon! I'm excited to share with you how my heart has been challenged over the past few days as I finished reading J.C. Ryle's "A Call to Prayer."

First off, I did finish this short book! And it was excellent. Throughout the second half of the book, Ryle really gets down to the short end of prayer - it's all about communing with God and growing in our relationship with Him. If we are not praying, we are not really living as He wants us to. I was personally challenged to "present all requests to God." Ryle posed to his readers that we can be a little apathetic in asking God to strategically place us. I couldn't have read this at a better time. Currently, my fiance and I are looking for home, and we had not been praying about this as much as we really should be. Reading this changed us. Ryle asks followers of Jesus to be asking Him where we will best serve Him and to seek out that wisdom. We need to be presenting to God our questions of where we should live, what we should be doing as for vocation, and how we can be used. God wants to use us for His will, but He longs for us to be acting in response to His calling on our lives! He knows best where He wants us and we have to listen to Him! Otherwise, we can miss out on something great for His glory and God has to work longer with us to fulfill something that could have easily been done before. I was very challenged to be asking God for wisdom in all the situations and circumstances I'm in.

Ryle finishes his discourses on our prayer life, continuing to pose the question: DO YOU PRAY? This is still not a simple question to answer, but he ends his book with a discourse to all people on the importance of prayer.

He first address those who do not pray or know God at all. He challenges them to begin to do so and to want to know God. The only way we can receive the salvation God so freely gives to us is by asking Him in prayer. How can we trust without coming to God and asking for His forgiveness? We cannot. The first writing is a call to come to the Lord and trust Him as Savior.

His second address is to those who are saved but don't pray. He exposes the lies and deceptions Satan has used to separate the beloved from God by moving them to not pray. He shows the ineffectiveness we have in our physical lives because we do not take care of our spiritual lives. There is a rich amount of wisdom in the lesson that Ryle teaches to unprayerful believers.

Lastly, Ryle encourages and strengthens the body. He urges those who pray to continue to do so and let the peace and joy of Jesus Christ continue to fill them. He blesses them to not give up but press on after the heart of God. He shows us how prayer is our lifeline and we cannot go without it. We need prayer to draw us to the Father and to heal our broken hearts.

This was a wonderful little book that shows God's heart for us to be in constant communion with Him. We cannot neglect our prayer lives, but must be adamant in seeking after the one who loves us so ferociously. And He loves us immensely! Our return of love comes through our prayers, petitions, and praises to Him! To Him be the Glory forever!

Jesus, you are the restorer and healer. You have given us so much and you fill our hearts with love! Thank you for using my brother, J.C. Ryle, to speak truth to all believers to be seeking you out. We are called to be in communion with you, and we so often neglect it. I'm sorry Father for the way I've turned from you when I knew what I needed most was you. And thank you for not condemning me, but waiting patiently on me. Forgive my trespass against you Lord and fill me with your Holy Spirit. Apart from you there is no God. Apart from you, I can do nothing of worth or of value. Show me Lord how I may glorify you in my life. Lord, I want you. I want your ways and I want to shine your light so abundantly. Be near to us Lord, shine forth your great glory, and lead us to your mighty heart! I weep much Lord, because I am loved much. And that weeping is to your glory and praise! I love you Jesus! Amen.

I'm reading (and writing about it) once again

Hello everyone!

It has been far too long since I last was on the blog to share about my personal growth and development through reading. To be honest, I haven't been the best at reading since I started seminary. Now, I have been reading, but those books probably would not perk your curiosity! So, I've been justifying my reasons for not sharing with you as I had wanted to.

But all that is changing! I am finding such a rich, new deep love for reading and it is inspiring! The last book I read, which was "Immanuel's Veins" by Ted Dekker (an absolutely brilliant fiction tale - go read it!), really enriched my view on how much God deeply loves us and longs for us! He is yearning for us and paid such a redemptive price to give us new life in His Son Jesus, and we are set free in a new and beautiful way! God is so good!

But I don't want to just sit there for now! As much as I loved "Immanuel's Veins," that is not the book I'm going to share about. The book I recently started reading is called "A Call to Prayer" by J.C. Ryle. J.C. Ryle was an English bishop in the second half of the 19th Century. He had passion for people to know and love Jesus Christ in an intimate and personal way, and then to share that passion with others! He had much fervor for the Kingdom and is an example for us currently in the 21st Century.

So, I have now begun this wonderful little book on prayer. Why do we pray? Why should we pray? Does prayer do anything? These are all questions Ryle lays before the reader and answers. He also encourages us to move beyond simple, common rituals of prayer, but to actually be in communion with God. Over and over, he asks the simple, yet difficult question - "Do you pray?"

I ask now - do you pray? Prayer is such a necessary, yet often forgot tool that Christians neglect. We cannot just let our hearts be satisfied to say an easy prayer in the morning, move on, and then come back at night to another ritualistic prayer. We must be constant in our prayer. We must cover our lives in prayer and saturate ourselves with the Holy Spirit. Prayer is a tool to just be in the presence of God. When we pray, we truly worship.

All this is what Ryle expounds on in his book. Now, I know the book is very short. I also can tell you that I'm only half - way through. But I encourage you to look for the next half of the book, and to explore this book yourself. I also have found a wonderful new gadget! It's Kindle for your PC. For those of us who cannot afford a Kindle, or any other reader for that matter, we can still access a bevy of books for a reasonable cost, all on our computer. It's a great resource and is a wonderful tool for myself. Go check it out and get some of these wonderful classic books for a cheap price or for free!

Love you all - and so I do pray. And I pray for you.

Jesus, Lord and Savior, thank you so much for being a wonderful God - a God we can call on, a God we can trust, and a God who loves us so much in return. Jesus, you cover us and you long for us to just be with you. We often forget this. Yet, we need to be reminded. Jesus, you never leave, you never forsake, yet you give wisdom through your Holy Spirit. And your Spirit is what I long for. It is what I long for all the people of this world to know. Lord, there is such rich abundance and comfort in you. You give the peace that passes all understanding. Thank you. Lord, be with all those who read this - and those who don't. Please be revealing yourself in mighty strength and glory to us. We need to see you. Come Lord, and renew us. Lord Jesus, thank you also for the example of a saint - thank you for J.C. Ryle and his example of deep faith to us all. We rejoice today in You and in the day You have given us. Be near us now. In Jesus' name. Amen.