Can someone tell me about bible colleges in Indiana? Preferably within a reasonable commute to Jasper. I know about Oakland City University, but it’s a little pricey. Know of some others? I’m exploring options for a very good friend. Thanks! 
Darrel’s and my cousin, Rusty, who has been on our prayer list, is scheduled to leave Afghanistan for home on Friday. (This is both a praise and a request for prayer that he does get out of there.)
Happy Anniversary, Darrel & Holli!
Anyone have others they’d like to share?
First, name the film the title of this post comes from.
The CCJ Praise Band now has a name. Thanks for everyone’s input.
We are …
NARROW PATH
(not necessarily with all caps, just wanted to make it dramatic).
Daniel posted a while back on his blog “Billy Graham: A Portrait of Grace.” Well I borrowed form his title a bit to say a little something about Billy Graham. Graham just completed what may be his last Crusade ever in New York City over the weekend. After decades of service I think he is an amazing servant of Jesus Christ. Truly I feel he is the greatest evangelist in modern times. If you know much about church history that is saying a lot. Guys like Martin Luther, Campbell, Moody, Sprawl and many more have been some of the greatest. None any better then Graham at staying on message.
He has never strayed one bit on the gospel message that all were sinners doomed to hell but Jesus Christ died to pay for our sins if we only accept Him as Lord and Savior. That is Grahams message. Never self-promoting. Never political. Never judgmental. Never money. Never anything but the gospel. Graham never claims to be anything but a sinner saved by grace. Yet by his walk not his talk he has lived a life worthy of modeling. He has been a faithful husband, father, advisor, preacher and man. No real scandal has ever been able to ensnare him.
I still remember the first time I ever heard Graham speak live at a crusade. I left feeling closer to Christ then I came. I left amazed at God and what he can do through a willing servant. One mans faithfulness has led to millions accepting Jesus Christ. The last time I saw Graham speak in his weakness I know only the Holy Spirit could have empowered Him. I heard him on the Today Show last week say, “When I stand and touch that podium, the Holy Spirit comes, in power, to help me.”
One thing that amazes me is how relevant and on message he stays. One of my biggest fears as a preacher is that I become an old preacher that is boring, unrelavant or even worse become side tracked with some other message as many great preachers do. I want to keep the main thing, the main thing. So I look to Graham and others like him with encouragement that it does not have to be that way. If its the Lord will I hope to preach a fired up gospel message on Sunday and die on Monday.
Thanks Mr. Graham for your service. May you keep on preaching and someday hear the words, “Well done my good and faithful servant.”
Which of these topics interest you most. Rank from 1 to 6
What Does God Think About Homosexuality?
Life or Death…Who Chooses?
Is There An Unforgivable Sin?
What Will Heaven Be like?
Once I Am Saved, Am I Eternally Secure?
Are Miracles Really True
Additional Topics
Sharing Lives…
“Bring your prom attire to wear for the closing ceremony” of a week out of a teen’s summer vacation spent learning all about government! How lame.
But when the band started playing, the American flag was presented, and the 726 high school senior girls filed in (in their formal wear) escorted by uniformed State Policemen, you couldn’t help but get goosebumps! Surprisingly, I had to fight back tears.
Remember when you learned to recite The Pledge of Allegiance? Most of us probably have the same rhythm and pauses to our way of saying the pledge. (There’s a poetic term for the cadence, but I can’t remember what it is right now). Anyway,
“…one nation (pause), under God (pause)…”
Today I attended the closing ceremony/honor program of the 2005 Hoosier Girls State where my daughter, Alisa, participated in American citizenship, government, and political activities for the past seven days. I learned to say “The Pledge of Allegiance” the HGS way. All the same, but with no pause between “one nation under God.” I was very impressed.
When one of the officials from the American Legion Auxilary recapped the weekly events for us she ended by saying that she hoped each girl now had an understanding of the importance of city-county-state government, respect for their flag and veterans, and more love for God and their country. What a positive influence.
In addition to campaigning for offices, participating in meetings, writing and passing bills and laws, the girls had vespers each evening and Alisa even volunteered to pray at one of her city’s services. Not something I would have expected, but she truly did grow close to all of the girls on her floor (city) and many others, and they all learned to respect each other and honor God together.
She came away from this experience with so, so much more that I ever expected. I see maturity in my child, I see a heart for others and for standing up for what you believe in. It doesn’t all come at once, but little by little they learn. I am so thankful for the privilege Alisa had of being involved in this worthwhile event that taught her the obvious and also to be compassionate and passionate and to fight to keep good and God in her life. And to be grateful. And thankful for her blessings. I see respect for her country and a desire to be a positive influence.
With these encouraging experiences, we can be hopeful that our parenting can be reinforced by the good outside influences that our children come in contact with. It carries weight with an impressionable teen when other people she respects share her family values.
To be honest we had both heard that for some, Girls State is very boring– lots of meetings, large amounts of government and political mumbo jumbo–too much “schooling” for most 17-year-olds’ summer vacations. Maybe for some. And Alisa might have headed in to the week with a little skepticism of what a great time it was going to be. But it ended, Alisa said, as “the best week of my life!”
So far.
I love movies so much that I have a hard time rating my top favorites. I have a hard time naming my top movie of any given year. But I will try to do it anyway and I am sure I will leave one of mine off. Remember these are just my favorite not best movies based upon artistic value.
1. Raiders of the Lost Ark
2. Return of the Jedi
3. Rocky III.
4. A River Runs Through It
5. Hooisers
5. Reservoir Dogs (Sorry Mom)
6. Revenge of the Sith Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
7. Revenge of the Sith
8. The Godfather II.
9. Rudy
10. Top Gun
11. Empire Strikes Back
I know I will correct this in a bout an hour but its a start. What about yours?
The band has some outside gigs coming up and we’ve decided that it is officially time for a name.
We will take ideas and suggestions here.
our heavy metal side-project name is “smite.”
I watched a movie over the weekend that really got me thinking. The movie was Batman Begins (Which I rate as my #1 super hero movie of all time.)
There was an aspect of the movie which really intrigued me. What is the difference between revenge and justice? Whenever we hear of some evil in the world we all want justice to be done and when someone does something evil to those close to us sometimes our first reaction is revenge. Justice is something that is deeply desired in this world and we know that God’s justice will ultimately be realized.
In my view revenge is a selfish reaction designed to make ourselves feel better by giving personal retribution. (It never does) Justice on the other hand is leaving the right pay for crimes and wrongs to a higher impartial being or process such as the court of law. In other words justice is left to the system or the higher appointment. In the greater sense to the great judge God in heaven.
Many times we want revenge but we must instead leave justice to the appointed judge. Why? Because justice is not about payback it is about making things right. We all should really appreciate that because we all deserve death but because of Jesus Christ who paid for our sin we get a pardon. Justice demands payment and Jesus met that demand.
Romans 5:5-8 says, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Now that should remind us that revenge is not our jobs because we deserve wrath as well. Have a good week.
Prayer request
My prayer request are for the new Twentyfour7 the College Years which meets tomorrow night for the first time. Also pray for the church and future planning and decisions that will be made. Pray for the Aug 6 Close Encounter. We have a lot of people on our prayer list so please pray for them. Kyle’s ankle. One last prayer is for a man in jail. I don’t have his name in from of me but tomorrow I plan to post his cellmates address. He has no one to write him or support at all and we could really demonstrate Christ to him.
Praise:
2 new CCJ Members
A great first five years
The new land
Daniel and all he does
A great church family
What is your prayer request and praises.
Do you think our society marginalizes fathers today? I do think at least from a entertainment media standpoint it does. Most every show on television gives us this doofus dad. I read a article today that reminded me of that very thing. Raymond is totally incompetent. The Soprano’s dad is deeply troubled. Homer is incompetent. The list could go on. There are so many dads like that on the tube that it surprises me when I see one like on the movie I watched last night that was caring and nurturing. While I realize some of these descriptions are true of some dads, and I believe they make for good laughs, could we not have a few decent fathers? I certainly sometimes qualify as the doofus dad and husband but I hope I am always loving and considerate of my family.
My point is this; Don’t allow our society to doofus-ize fatherhood so much that it seems they are unneeded. Our society really needs some real fathers. We need some godly fathers. The statistics are unmistakable how much a difference godly father presents makes. God bless and happy fathers day.
Cherry Coke is quite possibly the best drink ever. There is no debate on this
Giving up responsibilities to others is a freeing feeling. Last night I felt the burden of many things and I gave a few of them up to others (read: I quit being so anal about everything for a few seconds). Today, I feel so much better. That’s pretty cool and unexpected. Let go & let others (and of course, let God).
There is no better bundle of computer software than Apple’s iLife Suite. there is also no debate on this. I mean, iMovie, iPhoto, i Tunes & iDVD are reason enough for all of you to switch from Win D’ohs! to the superior Macintosh brand of computers. Mary will back me up oin this. The iPod is also the single greatest musical invention of the last 20 years I believe.
If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have one CD with you, what would it be (no mix CDs)? Mine would be Johnny Cash’s “American IV: When The Man Comes Around.” Brilliant album in so many ways.
Cherry Coke is quite possibly the best drink ever. There is no debate on this
Giving up responsibilities to others is a freeing feeling. Last night I felt the burden of many things and I gave a few of them up to others (read: I quit being so anal about everything for a few seconds). Today, I feel so much better. That’s pretty cool and unexpected. Let go & let others (and of course, let God).
There is no better bundle of computer software than Apple’s iLife Suite. there is also no debate on this. I mean, iMovie, iPhoto, i Tunes & iDVD are reason enough for all of you to switch from Win D’ohs! to the superior Macintosh brand of computers. Mary will back me up oin this. The iPod is also the single greatest musical invention of the last 20 years I believe.
If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have one CD with you, what would it be (no mix CDs)? Mine would be Johnny Cash’s “American IV: When The Man Comes Around.” Brilliant album in so many ways.
Cherry Coke is quite possibly the best drink ever. There is no debate on this
Giving up responsibilities to others is a freeing feeling. Last night I felt the burden of many things and I gave a few of them up to others (read: I quit being so anal about everything for a few seconds). Today, I feel so much better. That’s pretty cool and unexpected. Let go & let others (and of course, let God).
There is no better bundle of computer software than Apple’s iLife Suite. there is also no debate on this. I mean, iMovie, iPhoto, i Tunes & iDVD are reason enough for all of you to switch from Win D’ohs! to the superior Macintosh brand of computers. Mary will back me up oin this. The iPod is also the single greatest musical invention of the last 20 years I believe.
If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have one CD with you, what would it be (no mix CDs)? Mine would be Johnny Cash’s “American IV: When The Man Comes Around.” Brilliant album in so many ways.
Cherry Coke is quite possibly the best drink ever. There is no debate on this
Giving up responsibilities to others is a freeing feeling. Last night I felt the burden of many things and I gave a few of them up to others (read: I quit being so anal about everything for a few seconds). Today, I feel so much better. That’s pretty cool and unexpected. Let go & let others (and of course, let God).
There is no better bundle of computer software than Apple’s iLife Suite. there is also no debate on this. I mean, iMovie, iPhoto, i Tunes & iDVD are reason enough for all of you to switch from Win D’ohs! to the superior Macintosh brand of computers. Mary will back me up oin this. The iPod is also the single greatest musical invention of the last 20 years I believe.
If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have one CD with you, what would it be (no mix CDs)? Mine would be Johnny Cash’s “American IV: When The Man Comes Around.” Brilliant album in so many ways.