"Do Our Loved Ones in Heaven Miss Us?"

By: Jim Umlauf

In this brief video, take a tour of my childhood home in beautiful, snowy Chicago and hear an encouraging response to the question, "Do our loved ones in heaven miss us?"

"No, You Are Not the Center of the Universe"

By: Johnny Coggin

"The heavens declare the glory of God..." (Psalm 19:1)

This brief video is a humbling reminder of just how grand his glory is!




(HT: JT)

Christmas Concert

By: Johnny Coggin

This Sunday night at 6:00pm is Grace Evan's Christmas Concert, an annual, church-wide, musical celebration of our God becoming a man in order to accomplish his great rescue mission. It's a ton of fun, and many of your friends and family have a part in it.

Musically, the styles range across the board - from bluegrass to choir/orchestra, pop/rock to a cappella, Transiberian Orchestra to Guitorquestra.

That's right, Guitorquestra. 60 or so guitar players, young and old, male and female, moms and dads and sons and daughters. All strumming in unison to the glory of Emmanuel. (watch a past video below, or click here.)

To quote Jim Umlauf:

Are you often amazed at how good the special music is at our church, week after week? Imagine if you could listen to a whole concert of that. And imagine if it were all Christmas music, some of it just like you remember it, some of it new, and all of it exciting and fresh.

You’ve got a one time shot this Sunday at 6:00. This is one of those whole-church, body-life events, so don’t miss the opportunity to include your family in the greater family as we celebrate the birth of our Savior in a fun and unique way.

So come on out at 6:00 this Sunday, December 13!

Some Thoughts from the Christmas Story

By: Jim Umlauf

Some thoughts from the Christmas story.

Why "Before the Throne" Would Make a GREAT Christmas Song

By: Jim Umlauf

A few thoughts on the lyrics of "Before the Throne of God Above," and why I think it would make an awesome Christmas song.

Song of the Week (11.04.09)

By: Johnny Coggin

Shane & Shane (also known as Shane Barnard and Shane Everett) released a new album yesterday entitled Everything is Different. If you already like Shane and Shane, you'll probably love it because it's classic S&S fare. If you're not familiar, here's a free sample!

Today's featured song is called "For the Good." This morning while I was running and listening to the album (yes, I really do exercise, I promise), the lyrics really jumped out at me. The theme centers around the familiar concepts of Romans 8:28 ("And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose"), and God's goodness and glory even in the storms of life.

You can hear the entire song for FREE here. (The full album is available for download from iTunes and Amazon.)

And the lyrics are below. Hope the message will minister to you as well.

For the Good

by Shane & Shane

When darkness is surrounding me

By Your Spirit, Lord, help me see

That You are working all things out

And Lord, I really need to hear You speak

So remind me in the waiting

You are working all things out

For the good of those who are called by You

For the good of those who are in love with You

That's why we sing:

Holy God of light

I lay down my life

Holy is the Lord

Even in the storm

Be glorified

We like to take the blessing from You

Shall we not take the trouble too?

You are working all things out

And we like to take prosperity

Shall we not take the suffering?

You are working all things out

For the good of those who are called by You

For the good of those who are in love with You

That's why we sing:

Holy God of light

I lay down my life

Holy is the Lord

Even in the storm

Be glorified

Feeling Guilty?

By: Johnny Coggin

We're all prone to feeling condemned and guilty in light of our many sins against God. You may even question your salvation, lacking any real assurance that you're right with God.

Brothers and sisters, the following response needs to be deeply and permanently woven into your mindset:

“…when the devil comes and says, ‘You have no standing, you are condemned, you are finished’, you must say, ‘No! my position did not depend upon what I was doing, or not doing; it is always dependent upon the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ.’ Turn to the devil and tell him, ‘My relationship to God is not a variable one. The case is not that I am a child of God, and then again not a child of God. That is not the basis of my standing, that is not the position. When God had mercy upon me, He made me His child, and I remain his child. A very sinful, and a very unworthy one, perhaps, but still his child!

And now, when I fall into sin, I have not sinned against the law, I have sinned against love. Like the prodigal, I will go back to my Father and I will tell Him, 'Father, I am not worthy to be called your son.' But He will embrace me, and He will say, 'Do not talk nonsense, you are My child,' and He will shower his love upon me! That is the meaning of putting on the breastplate of righteousness! Never allow the devil to get you into a state of condemnation. Never allow a particular sin to call into question your standing before God. That question has been settled.”

(Martyn Lloyd-Jones, The Christian Soldier, p. 255)

Basic Bible Study Tools

By: Jeff Sample

Dr. Young introduced the subject of how to feed your soul from God’s word on Wednesday night. Later I will post the important preliminary principles he covered with some brief explanations. In the meantime, though, here is a short list of essential tools to help you become a better student of God’s word with the end of deepening your relationship with him and applying his truth to life.

1. Use a good study Bible with reliable annotations for reading insight. Suggestions would include – The English Standard Version Study Bible or the NIV Study Bible; both are excellent but we predominantly use the ESV which is a great, reliable, but readable text. Another to consider would be the Spirit of the Reformation Bible.
2. Have a concordance at hand in the translation from which you are reading (ESV, NIV, NKJV, or NASB); if you have something other than those don’t tell anyone – (jk, but not much.)
3. You may want to have a solid whole Bible commentary. Purchase, New Bible Commentary by Wenham, Motyer, Carson, and France, 21st Century Edition to help you understand as you read.
4. Add a solid theological dictionary like New Bible Dictionary; want to spend more? Add the International Standard Bible Dictionary (Revised); and/or New Dictionary of Theology.
5. Did you know there are literary guides to the Bible? Here’s one that is a standard: How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Fee and Stuart. For Christmas have someone purchase for you, Is There Meaning in this Text by Kevin Vanhoozer.
6. You might want to throw in a good map of Bible lands unless you are the manly type (we never use maps or a GPS, which is why we get lost!). Even if you are the manly type throw in the Moody Atlas of Bible Lands by Beitzel; you will be tour guide before long!
7. Just for fun why not add O. Palmer Robertson’s Christ of the Covenants to your library.
8. Have a plan. You can follow a Bible reading guide. Use the pulpit series; a class topic or series and read systematically. You might read 1 John everyday for 30 days to soak in or you might read the gospel of John a chapter a day or a paragraph at a time but follow a plan.

In another post, I will add to the library and suggest additional means to deepen you devotional life.

Living Like Jordan

By: Will Savell

Do you remember when Michael Jordan decided to play baseball? I will never forget the ESPN commentators pleading with him to put a stop to his nonsense. Jordan, basketball's greatest, was failing at his new endeavor...but why?

You have a man who was undeniably crafted for the game of basketball. By the time he finally ended his career he was able to claim...

Member of six NBA championship teams (1991-93, 1996-98)
Five-time NBA Most Valuable Player (1988, 1991-92, 1996, 1998)
Six-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (1991-93, 1996-98)
Ten-time All-NBA First Team (1987-93, 1996-98)
Nine-time NBA All-Defensive First Team (1987-93, 1996-98)
NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1988)
NBA Rookie of the Year (1985)
NBA All-Rookie Team (1985)
Holds the NBA Finals record for highest single-series scoring average -- 41.0 ppg (1993)

Those awards just scratched the surface of everything he was credited with.

The fact is, MJ was a basketball player - not baseball. And when he tried to do something that he wasn't, he failed. The experts, the fans, and deep down (though he won't admit it) even Jordan recognized that.

What pulled Jordan away? If he was obviously a basketball player, what made him decide to go and do something that he wasn't?

What pulls us away from who we were created and called to be?

You see, our primary function is to be one who is in union with Christ. And it’s not merely our function, it’s who we are on a fundamental level. It’s our ultimate calling, and if we neglect it and move away from it, we fail.

Paul urges us in Ephesians 4 to live consistently within our calling. Check it out. It begins like this... "I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

Stop deviating from the path that God has intended you to walk. Live... function... be who you are called to be. Are you confused as to what that might look like? Why don’t you finish up chapter 4 in Ephesians.

Song of the Week (10.28.09)

By: Johnny Coggin

I first heard this song about two months ago, and liked it immediately for two reasons:

1. The melody is so simple and catchy that I could immediately sing along with it.
2. The message is so simple - yet profoundly central to worship - that it immediately resonated with me.

The theme is the glory of God, and a heart of worship that seeks to live solely for his glory. 1 Corinthians 10:31 comes to mind: "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

The song is called "Glory to God Forever," written and performed by Atlanta-based worship band, Fee.

You can hear the whole song in the embedded video (for email/rss readers, click the song title if the video doesn't show up). The song can be purchased at iTunes or Amazon.

Glory to God Forever
by Fee

Before the world was made
Before you spoke it to be
You were the King of kings
Yeah you were, yeah you were

And now you're reigning still
Enthroned above all things
Angels and saints cry out
We join them as we sing:

Glory to God, Glory to God
Glory to God forever!

Creator God, you gave me breath so I could praise
Your great and matchless name
All my days, all my days

So let my whole life be a blazing offering
A life that shouts and sings
The greatness of our King

Glory to God, Glory to God
Glory to God forever!

Take my life and let it be
All for you and for your glory
Take my life and let it be yours

We sing:
Glory to God, Glory to God
Glory to God forever!