"A religious, decent, moral life, derived from self and not ‘born of God’ is as sinful as the worst of sinful lives."

-John Owen,
Reversing the Curse, The Holy Spirit's Work in Bringing Sinners to Faith in Christ

To Whom do you Belong?

We studied Acts Chapter 27 in church recently and learned many things from the text. One of the greatest lessons of the text is an affirmation of the sovereignly of God over all things. God is in control and to Him all things belong. If you don't recall the story, Paul is aboard a ship as a prisoner and is being taken to Rome for trial before Ceaser. Paul counsels against the voyage for loss of life and property, but the Centurion disregards the words of his prisoner. Providentially and just as God planned it, a massive storm develops sending the ship out of control and off course. There is a total loss of hope among the crew. The payload is jettisoned and all attempts are made to save the ship. You can just imagine the fear and the chaos that must have engulfed every occupant of the ship. Except for Paul. He somewhat sarcastically and in an 'I told you so' fashion reminds the Centurion, the Pilot and the Captain that he had in fact warned them.

When they had gone a long time without food, then Paul stood up in their midst and said, "Men, you ought to have followed my advice and not to have set sail from Crete and incurred this damage and loss. Acts 27:21

Then he drops the bomb that shatters the earthly authority of his captors.....

"Yet now I urge you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. "For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me, saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.'
"Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told. Acts 27:22-25

A couple of observations about Paul's proclamation....

First, can you imagine the frustration at this point felt by the Centurion? Here is Paul, a prisoner and then this Centurion in a position of great authority and trusted with the welfare of other men....and then Paul proudly and quite calmly announces that he belongs to another and not to his captors. To give credence to his claims he announces the solution to the current problem. What a mighty work must have been done in the heart of the Centurion, because he listens to him! He stops his current futile efforts to save the ship and follows God's instructions as spoken by Paul. I think often times we as Christians in our post-modern humanistic world sometimes feel prisoner to the secular humanistic dogma of our day. But the reality is we should be engaging the culture like Paul, proudly proclaiming the God to whom we belong. We should know that God is in control and that He will work His will.

Second, what a liberating condition Paul was in as he was tossed about the ship sailing toward Rome. His perspective was immediately one of subjection to God's will. Paul was completely content in his situation despite the seemingly high probability of death. He was completely sure of the One who owned him. This is where we need to strive to be with God. Wow, what an impact fathers could be for God if they could just be content with what God gives them in their families, carreers, and bank accounts....forsaking their own worldly desires and fulfilling their God ordained roles as priest, prophet, and king....discipling their families in the Word, providing for their welfare, and protecting their honor.

I thing this is one of the major struggles of Christians today....especially for fathers. So, when you feel like a prisoner to the world, remember who you are and keep up your courage and know that God is in total control.

Happy Independence Day

On July 3, 1776, the day following the approval by Congress of the Declaration of Independence, John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail:

"I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty."
-from "America's God and Country Encyclopedia of Quotations" p.200

Remember that as you celebrate Independence Day, it was in its declaration, considered to be a day of deliverance from an evil tyrant, by the protection of Divine Providence.

To this you were called....Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad

Have you ever had one of those marital moments when you just didn't understand how people stay married longer than one day? Fortunately by the grace of God those moments have been few for Heather and me. We have both been instructed by the examples of our own parents and daily guidance by the Holy Spirit. On June 30th, my parents celebrated their 44th wedding anniversary. Happy Anniversary mom and dad! While I have never been a witness to any real strife in their marriage, I know they will confess that it hasn't been easy and that without the amazing saving grace of Jesus they would not be married today.

The family and marriage were the first of God's ordained earthly institutions and so He has much to say about it. Ephesians 5 tells us that the relationship between a husband and wife is a great mystery and that it is a picture of the relationship between Jesus Christ the bridegroom and his bride the church, requiring a wife to be submissive to her husband in the same way that we all are to Jesus and for husbands to love their wives just as Jesus loves the church. 1 Peter 3 reminds us that this won't be easy.

"Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands..." 1 Peter 3:1

The "in the same way" refers us back to the previous chapter where Peter writes of suffering for Christ just as Christ suffered for us.

"...But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps." 1 Peter 2:20-21 (emphasis added)

So, in the same way (suffering for Christ) wives be submissive to your husbands and husbands in the same way (suffering for Christ) be considerate and respectful of your wives.

"Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers." 1 Peter 3:7

There's more....in addition, we all are admonished to live in harmony with sympathy, love, compassion, humility, refraining from evil deeds and insults, but giving blessings one to another (1 Peter 3:8-9).

There are many directions to go from here, but I want to stay on course. By the grace of Jesus Christ my parents have done this for 44 years. Not on their own, but only by the grace of Jesus Christ, guidance of the Holy Spirit and a firm reliance on God.

The result of the husband being considerate and respectful to his wife as unto Christ and her submission to him and by following the additional admonishments in 1 Peter 3:8-9 is the inheritance of God's blessing. The blessing that your days will be prolonged by the multiplication of descendants. Pieces coming together yet? Consider this from Hebrews to tie it all in.

"When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14saying, "I will surely bless you and give you many descendants."And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.

"Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." Hebrews 6:13-20

It's all through the grace of Jesus who interposed on behalf of our sins on the cross that men and women achieve 44 years of marriage in a fallen world. Thank you mom and dad for your Godly example in love, life, and marriage.

Indescribable!

Check out this video of the wake up call broadcast into the International Space Station on Day 7 of NASA - STS-117.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5wEtMV5sSY

And here's another from Day11 sent to me by Rick Muse. Thanks Rick!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h61xEWJ-bWo&mode=related&search=

Do All things Diligently

Today, in London by the grace of God a plot to destroy, maim and kill was foiled. The first was by an observant ambulance crew who noticed a suspicious vehicle nearby their emergency call. The second, after some version of a meter maid or London street cop identified an illegally parked car and had it towed to an impound lot. Both incidents have been described as flukes and discovered by the benefit of luck. I submit that this was the result of diligence and attention to duty on the part of the servants involved.

"A slothful man does not roast his prey, But the precious possession of a man is diligence."
Proverbs 12:27

God's word commands us to work heartily and with diligence, as for the Lord rather than men.

"Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men; knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve." Colossians 3:23-24

Do you think the meter maid on a dark and rainy street in London was chomping at the bit and embracing the work day with the anxious thoughts of towing another car and writing another parking ticket? Probably not, but the job got done. As a result of some servant's faithful diligence, service, and attention to duty that normally goes unnoticed, many lives were probably spared.

God uses seemingly insignificant and small acts to produce the greatest results. As you consider your work days before you, seek to complete them heartily as to the Lord.

Wanted - Thief in the Night

This drawing was penned by my son Grayson. The subject is wanted for larceny (that's just plain stealing) of cat food in the night....each and every night.... from the Vestal's deck. If anyone sees him please consider deadly force. This coon's hitting me in the wallet.

P.S. We believe he actually has four legs

National Story on Jamestown Celebration

Here's an aritcle posted yesterday to the MSNBC/Newsweek site on the Jamestown Quadricentennial: A Celebration of our Providential History.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19413835/site/newsweek/page/0/

Why I Went to Jamestown

When we started thinking of where to go and what to do this summer for vacation, we considered several locations, but settled on attending the Vision Forum Celebration of the Jamestown Quadricentennial. There's always the mountains and the beach simply by virtue of the homes of our respective parents. But, we always try and take one other vacation to some place we've never been and preferably with some real history and that will have a lasting impact on our family. Wow...did we hit the jackpot! We've been to Jamestown before, but never like this.

The Jamestown Quadricentennial was a celebration not a commemoration. It was a celebration of the providential hand of God in the formation of the United States of America that started at Jamestown. These truths have been erased from the post-modern secular public schools and quite honestly, I had no idea of the real significance of this place and of the people who labored there. The settlers at Jamestown have been referred to as money hungry baffoons and are often regarded as invaders versus settlers. An analysis of the primary sources reveals a much different picture. The Virginia Company of London who obtained the charter from King James I sought and obtained their charter for several reasons, certainly personal wealth and business was a strong motivation. But , named first before all others the charter recognizes the desire of the Virginia Company, by the providence of Almighty God and for the glory of his Divine Majesty, to propagate the spreading of the Christian religion.

"Wee, greately commending and graciously accepting of theire desires to the furtherance of soe noble a worke which may, by the providence of Almightie God, hereafter tende to the glorie of His Divine Majestie in propagating of Christian religion to suche people as yet live in darkenesse and miserable ignorance of the true knoweledge and worshippe of God and may in tyme bring the infidels and salvages living in those parts to humane civilitie and to a setled and quiet govermente, doe by theise our lettres patents graciously accepte of and agree to theire humble and well intended desires;"
The First Virginia Charter April 10, 1606

In addition the men on that voyage received instructions on what to do when they got there. Written at the end of those instructions are the words, " Lastly and chiefly the way to prosper and achieve good success is to make yourselves all of one mind for the good of your country and your own, and to serve and fear God the Giver of all Goodness, for every plantation which our Heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted out." That very phrase is inscribed on a monument placed at the Historic Jamestown site on the 300th anniversary in 1907. You'll find no such references at the site this year.


The resulting providence of God in Jamestown led to many "firsts" on what would later be American soil rarely noted by governmental authorities and modern day historians. Most obvious Jamestown was the first permanent English colony in America, the first church and the Bible, the first Christian conversion (Pocahontas), the first marriage which by the way was an "inter-racial marriage" (Pocahontas and John Rolfe), scripturally based common law, and representative self-government. The principles laid in Jamestown couple with those in Plymouth thirteen years later, would shape the beginnings of our nation.

It was Jamestown where there was first liberty and freedom proclaimed under God. That is where America began and it began on the foundation of God.....not on someone's claim to greatness, personal wealth, or greed....but under the desire to do all things to the glory of God and to carry on the great commission...to spread the Christian message.....a living example of Acts 2:38. Because of the obedience of those early colonists and many to follow, God has blessed our great nation.

That's why I went to Jamestown....to teach my children that they have an undeniable and unchangeable Christian heritage. That their nation was founded on and by the providential hand of God. So that when they hear "one nation under God" they know that it is true, that it is not made up, that it is their history, and that they learn from those generations before them. So, that they know that because of the foundation on God laid in Jamestown, the founding Fathers of the United States placed "a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence" (Declaration of Independence 1776). Are you getting it? The framers put the whole thing in the hands of God, which goes right back to Jamestown, which as an extension of the charter of those first colonists.... goes right back to the cross.

So, if you want to know why I went.....I went for my children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, so that if the Lord wills it and he tarries we will all attend the 450th celebration of Jamestown in 2057! So, that they will know and not forget. So, that they will hear lies, know them for what they are and speak Truth in return. And mostly so they will rejoice in God and give Him the glory for what he has done.

Pursuit of Happiness

Former Senator John Edwards was interviewed recently by You Tube and in a lightning round asked if certain things were "rights" or "privileges". See the interview by clicking here. There were six questions.... Edwards answered that five of them were rights and only one was a privilege. Here are the six category/questions:

1) College education
2) Health Care
3) Livable wage
4) Owning a handgun
5) American citizenship for someone that was not born here but that has worked here for five years.
6) Access to the internet.

Notice that the interpretation of four of these questions can be very broad and subjective except for two of them, owning a handgun and the citizenship question. To which question was the answer a "privilege"? You guessed it....owning a handgun....the only Constitutionally guaranteed right out of the group and this former Senator and Presidential hopeful believes that this 2nd Amendment protected right is a privilege! I think Mr. Edwards should go back to Civics class. All of the other categories would certainly fall within that unalienable Right of the pursuit of Happiness, but it's their pursuit which is guaranteed and not their apprehension.

The Fulfillment of Scripture in America's Disobedience

Wow!! Listen to these two broadcasts on Focus on the Family's website from John MacArthur. This is one message in two parts delivered last month on the National Day of Prayer. This message details MacArthur's position that America is currently under the wrath and judgment of God revealed by his abandonment of our land. I agree completely.

Here is a painfully accurate statement from the second half of the sermon...

"There's no surer indicator of a corrupted, wicked and abandoned society under God's wrath than when that society does not tolerate anger against sin." - Rev. John MacArthur

Sound familiar? It was just last week that our own Congress attempted legislation that would begin to silence publicly spoken opposition to many "politically correct" social and moral issues labeling it as hate speech and with the stroke of a pen making your thoughts and words criminal in the land.

The evidence comes from the fulfillment of Romans 1:18-32. God has given America over to a reprobate or a depraved mind. As I listened to this message I struggled to find any public example to refute this condition. This is pointed and in your face preaching that the Church desparately needs to hear and embrace.

There is hope that God desperately seeks to deliver.....look at these words from Psalm 81. God requires obedience and hates sin. His reward for walking in His ways are great!

13"Oh that My people would listen to Me, That Israel would walk in My ways! 14"I would quickly subdue their enemies And turn My hand against their adversaries. 15"Those who hate the LORD would pretend obedience to Him, And their time of punishment would be forever. 16"But I would feed you with the finest of the wheat, And with honey from the rock I would satisfy you."

Psalm 81:13-16

http://www.oneplace.com/Ministries/Focus_on_the_Family/Archives.asp?bcd=2007-6-4

It's not long till Jamestown

My dad the preacher

I heard my dad preach this past Sunday, May 27th, for the first time since July 2006. For nearly my whole life and for about as long as I can remember my dad has been a Baptist preacher....delivering the Word of God each Sunday morning, visiting the sick, needy and lost throughout the week, counseling those in need....But most importantly to me he was just my dad. It was so good to hear him from the pulpit again.

Grandchildren are the crown of old men, And the glory of sons is their fathers.

Proverbs 17:6

Sunday's message was preached from Psalm 127 and John 10:10. It was a message on the multi-generational faithfulness of God to his children....and how He provides for us to have life more abundantly through Him as we live and function in families built on God's word. God designed and ordained families to carry out His work and through families the Church is built. Christ the "builder" uses us, the "building materials" to labor in the Lord as we build our "house" on a biblical foundation. All other efforts are in vain! Jesus said in Matthew Chapter 7 that any man who hears his words and acts on them is like a wise man who builds his house on the rock. And when the storms come the house will not fall. But, any man who hears his words and does not act on them is like a fool who builds his house on the sand. When the storms come his house will fall. And the fall will be great! Does that sound familiar?

How many families in our world are built on the Word of God? How may families are in total despair and chaos from disobedience to God? The family today is experiencing a total attack. I'm afraid that most are like the house built on the sand and their fall will be great. We see this all around us everyday. It is the need of the day. It is imperative that we labor in the Lord to build our families and to build our churches strong in the Lord on a foundation of the word of Jesus Christ.

Mission Home Baptist Church
Fleetwood, NC

Sticks and Stones...

"Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones"
Proverbs 16:24

We've been studying Proverbs in our daily devotions and recently covered this verse. We had to stop and memorize it as a family. What great wisdom from the Lord.

A Positive Reason in the News to Homeschool

I think this story about two teens in Idaho was at least partially meant to make homeschoolers look like gun toting, back woods, socially recluse, paranoids....but it actually does the opposite. The quotes from the young man are indicative of a very well grounded and highly educated person able to stand firm on his own. In other words....this eighteen-year old seems to be able to form ideas, relay the information in an intelligent way and defend his position based on personal belief, historical precedent, and constitutional, common, and statutory law. This is exactly what homeschool parents are seeking to develop in children....the ability to be functional members of our society and not dependent dys-functional ones.

It's a shame that the shooting instructor in this story simply fails to get it. It's obvious he's missed the point. He questions the need for these teens to carry firearms in town even though legal to do so...maybe he should check the news that just broke in his state where a lone gunman killed a police officer, wounded a deputy, killed an innocent civilian and wounded another before killing himself. That's right sir...looks like nobody in Idaho needs to exercise their right to carry arms just because they can. I applaud these young men for exercising their rights and having the courage and conviction to do so in the face of obvious local pressure and misunderstanding.

Some reasons in the news this week to homeschool

Just a couple stories from the week. And just what about socialization?

http://www.wral.com/news/news_briefs/story/1424496/

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,273942,00.html

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,273949,00.html

First Splash!!

They just couldn't wait any longer...

Snow in April on Vestal's Mountain

These pictures are from dad taken at the Cabin on Sunday 4/15/07....Wow! The temperature in Wake Co. when these were taken was 76.

Leaving Raleigh

Leaving Raleigh

Tomorrow my parents will move from their home of 21+ years and from Raleigh after having spent nearly half a century here. They will leave for their beloved “vacation” home in Virginia ...the Mother of Presidents, “Stonewall” Jackson and Robert E. Lee. Dad always said he was born two hundred years too late and he probably should have been born a Virginian. Now he gets to live there everyday…but that’s all for a different discussion.

They leave tomorrow, 3/30/07, with some uncertainty, but in willing obedience to God. They will not leave with their heads lowered, but raised high looking ahead with the knowledge that they have served God faithfully and will continue to do so as long as He shall will it. They find themselves with more questions than answers and rely solely on God’s providential hand for guidance. It is their example for my entire life that I wish to honor today and ask each of you spend a moment to do the same.

My parents have spent most of their adult lives serving others for the Glory of God…never for themselves…seeking only to be obedient servants. Their Godly example in our family is that for which I am most grateful. They taught me to love from the very beginning and diligently led me through life to love and cherish the Lord Jesus as Savior and Deliverer from my sins. They taught me to rely solely on Jesus for strength, guidance, and direction. They taught me principles, developed character, showed me right from wrong and never stopped praying for me. My mother’s diligent prayer was always for my salvation. The thing is….they are still doing all of these things today. I am so grateful to God for obedient parents. That sounds funny…it should be said the other way around. We so often emphasize the need for obedient children which is indeed God’s commandment. The failure of this world is to skip the lessons of the multi-generational faithfulness of God. God blesses those who are obedient to His word.

“so that you and your son and your grandson might fear the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged.” Deuteronomy 6:2

They have always taught me that Jesus is the corner stone onto which everything else must be built in life (Psalm 118:22). Jesus said that everyone who hears His words and acts on them is like a man who builds a house on a foundation on the rock. That house will survive, it cannot be shaken….it will survive. But the man who hears and fails to believe, fails to act accordingly is like the man who builds his house without any foundation. That house fails in the storm and will collapse. The destruction of it is great! That should give you pause, cause you to tremble and knees to bend.

“Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.
“But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.” Luke 6:47-49

By God’s grace and through no achievement of my own I’ve followed their example and I seek to teach my own children in the way that I was taught. Provide for them a home centered on Christ’s love. Provide for them a foundation of knowledge in the Word of God on which they can stand in all walks of life. And to provide them with a desire to see all things with a biblical vision, forsaking their own wants and needs, for the glory of Christ Jesus in everything that they say, think, and do.

The foundation laid by my parents was always in the Word of Jesus. Therefore, tomorrow they are leaving the physical structure that they’ve called home for a long time, but the house still stands on the Rock wherever they go...I am so grateful to God for my parents. Thanks mom and dad. I love you.


Tommy

Moving Out

One load at a time....

One load at a time....