So, I haven't posted in a while, but here I am again. Camp was a lot of fun. The entire band had a lot of fun leading the worship at camp. It was an amazing time of worship and Chris did an incredible job with the messages for the week.

Something that has blown me away more and more is the crucifixion. I wish I would have understood this better a few years ago. The more I actually study the Bible about this topic the more blown away I am at what God has done. Notice that I said what God has done. It seems that a lot of people throughout history have not understood this point. This was in God's plan, God used what some people intended for evil for good. And if that sounds familiar, it is because God does not change. In Genesis 50:20 we see something really cool. Joseph's brother's who had sold him into slavery were now talking to Joseph they had thrown themselves at the feet of Joseph saying they were his slaves for what they had done to him. Genesis 50:19-20 But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. We hear the same thing many, many, many years later after Jesus was crucified. Peter and John began praying and this is what was said about the crucifixion of Jesus. Acts 4:27-28 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed. They did what Your power and wll had decided beforehand shold happen. Isn't it funny that things did not change with God from the book of Genesis to save many people with Joseph and now in the present age to save many lost people with Jesus.

Paul goes a bit further with the book of Romans in telling us that it was actually God who killed His Son Jesus Christ. Romans 8:31-32 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave him up for us all- how will he not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Romans 3:25 God presented Him asa sacrifice of atonemet, through faith in His blood. He did this to demonstrate His justice, because in His forbearance He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished-.
God is the one that placed Jesus Christ on the altar and also the one that did the killing. He used evil for good. He knew what the soldiers, Pilate, and all the other people would do that day. This is amazing to me. God being perfect in all of His attributes, justice being one of those attributes, had to do something about past sins, present sins, and future sins, and it was God's plan all along to kill Jesus we see this also in the book of Genesis. Genesis 3:15 when God is handing out punishments for what had been done in the garden says to the snake(the devil) And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel. The first prophesy about Jesus defeating Satan, striking his head, is in Genesis 3.

The reasons for the crucifixion of Jesus are misinterpreted by the church of today alot. I don't care how many songs you have heard that say that the only reason that Jesus died on the cross for your sins was because He loved you. That is not true and not even close to true. In the books of the prophets we see some prophesies about Jesus, the one that fills us in the most it seems about the purpose of the new covenant is Ezekiel 36:22-37. Ezekiel 36:22-23, Therefore say to the houseof Israel, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. I will show the holiness of My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes.
We all know John 3:16 which tells us that Christ died out of love for us, but this isn't the only reason Christ died, He also died for His father's reputation, which sounds a little funny to say, but here it is in Romans 3:26 He did it to demonstrate His justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. God did this so that He could both justify us, and be just in His judgements. God's wrath had to be poured out on someone. Jesus drank the cup of God's wrath that day on Calvary for both of those things.

This makes living for God's glory make more sense. The reason given in Ezekiel for the new covenant is God's name being "profaned among the nations" and the "nations will know that I am the Lord" This puts sin into perspective. Sin is not something that affects us in a bad way, even though often times it does. Sin is an offense against a holy and righteous God.
I Corinthians 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. That is the reason Christ died for our sins now we must go and live that way.

Dwain Minor

Have any of you seen Madagascar?

Have any of you seen Madagascar? Well, I haven't, but I am sure I am just like the giraffe. In the previews he says "Ahhh! Nature, it's all over me!!!!! Get it off!!!!" Well, today Dwain and I went to Mt. Magazine for a bit of hiking and fun in the sun to cure our cabin fever (and in an effort to do what Dwain enjoys.... the outdoors....) Well, we got there and there were some beautiful views right away. It was magical! What a wonderful moment to enjoy God's creation..... But it only lasted a moment before the knats were swarming in my ear and the ticks were crawling all over me, and I was tripping over rocks that somehow got planted in the ground (who plants rocks anyway?!?) We went on a trail that was 2.8 miles one way (and for some reason it didn't loop back. Grrr!) So about a hour in we (and by we, I mean I) decided I had had enough nature and proceeded to beg Dwain to go home. He complied because he is wonderful and we made record time going back to the car. Awwwww.... How beautiful the car looked after all the bugs.

Oh and when we got home we proceed to pull ticks off Cole, Dwain and me for 30 minutes..... I really hate bugs!

So we had an adventurous day......

I believe I will end this post with the same quote I started it with, "Ahhhh! Nature!!!! It's all over me, get it off!!!!"

Amanda

Regeneration

I must say I had a lot of fun playing volleyball and dominating on you guys on Wednesday. I was pretty amazed at my wife's dedication as she dove for one. She took one for the team. I think it was probably a little bit distracting to talk outside rather than inside, I am not sure if everyone was actually able to pay attention that well. I was talking and I couldn't concentrate that well because I was getting bit by bugs. I am also really excited that the girls are going to start the Captivating book study. I think Amanda is looking forward to leading it. It will be really good.

There is something that I have been bothered by and I feel like God has given me a real burden to talk about and it is regeneration and how it relates to the lives of people today, because it almost feels like a lost doctrine in the churches today. It is that thing that no one talks about. I feel heartbroken as I write this, but statistics are telling us now that only 20% or less of the people in our churches today are actually born again/regenerated. If we take the Bible seriously, as I hope you do, then we see that there is a very large number of people in our churches today that are not saved. This is probably the reason why other countries are now sending missionaries to the United States.

I am not sure exactly where the problem lies, or who to cast the blame on. I see a problem that is not going to be easy to get rid of, false religion in the church. Repentance and faith in Christ are the way to salvation, not simply repeating a prayer that someone else told you to say. The more I study the Bible the more I realize that a radical change occurs when someone is born again. That is missing from the Gospel preached by the church today. We have created in our minds a God that can justify us, but doesn't have the power to change us. And the thought of such a thing is actually blasphemy.

Here is sermon that John Piper preached on being born again. It is pretty incredible and I hope you will enjoy.

http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/2007/2490_You_Must_Be_Born_Again_Why_This_Series_and_Where_Are_We_Going/
You can read, watch, or listen to the sermon from here.

If you want to hear more from John Piper you can visit his website at http://www.desiringgod.org/ you will find other sermons and books that he has for sell and books you can download for free in pdf format on your computer.




Dwain Minor

Wednesday Night Talk

We had a very interesting talk tonight in youth about today's American idolatry. It is crazy to look at America and see how much of it is even in the churches. I felt compelled to speak on this after I watched a video of Mark Driscoll and after reading the chapter on God's Jealousy in "Knowing God" by J.I. Packer, and if this weren't enough I am reading through the book of Ezekiel in my quiet time. It seems that the subject has just overwhelmed me this week.

As I took all of this information in, I really got the sense that God was angry with American Christianity over this very thing. Our God's are not carved images, but our Gods are T.V., food, popularity, relationships, money, power. We have placed a lot of things before God, and as said in the books of the prophets we are "playing the harlot" in our relationship with Him.

Here is a link to Mark Driscoll talking about American Idolatry on You Tube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCjHm9kzHBg

Dwain

Blessings through Trials

God is Good #1

Lately, as I have driven my car, it has been jerking some.... More and more as the days go by. And yesterday it took forever for it to get up to 70mph on the interstate. I was scared. I hate when cars mess up (especially when I am the one driving. I would much rather be sitting in the passenger seat while Dwain maneuvers the crazy vehicle.) But that just wasn't the case. So I made it home with my jerking car and was a bit worried but not freaking out. I was just nervous (which if you know my worrisome personality, you would know what a huge deal it is that I wasn't freaking out.)

I have been reading a book called Worship 365. It talks about how your prayer topics change through spiritual growth. As a baby Christian, you pray for your needs: "Lord please make it to where my family doesn't starve." or "Lord please help me pay the bills this month." Whereas through spiritual maturity you learn that God will provide you with your "needs" and you pray for your spiritual growth.

I didn't freak out about my car. It was going to be okay if it broke down and we needed to be a one-car family for a while. God will provide. He will take care of us.

Low and behold today Dwain took my car to get the oil changed (thinking that might help since it was overdue) and put some fuel injector fluid in it to clean it out. My car now runs like a dream. Hallelujah!!!! God took care of us! I knew he would and am glad that it turned out to be such a minor fix. Praise God!


God is Great #2

Dwain passed his ear training course!!!!!! That is the worst class ever! I am so proud of him!


God is Glorious #3

Dwain passed his piano exit exam!!!!!! I am still incredibly proud of him!!!!!


God is Absolutely Amazing #4

Dwain graduates tomorrow and will have his bachelors degree. He is ready to pursue seminary as soon as we have the funds to send him. God will provide (see "God is good #1".)


God is All-Knowing #5

I had the pleasure of serving God's purpose this week with a friend of mine. This one must remain anomous; but I was so honored to be used by my holy and glorified God.


God has given Dwain and I a wonderful end to a rather difficult week. And best of all, He is being glorified through all of it. Remember, our sole purpose on this earth is to glorify God.


Amanda Minor