Amazing!

Our Revival continued yesterday evening with an challenging reminder from Brother Levi Sides. He reminded us of the Amazing nature of God's Grace. Through the years many appropriately defined Grace as God's unmerited favor toward us or in the form of this acrostic: God's Redemption (Riches) At Christ's Expense. Bro. Sides gave us a new acrostic to consider as Pillars of the Grace of God:

G - Goodness of God: God's goodness is all around us. The simple fact that the earth, when tended and cared for, provides what we need. God's goodness is especially evident in His gift of His Son.

R - Redemption of God: Redemption is a great theological concept that many of today's generation do not fully grasp. Levi gave us two great examples; 1) Captured African Natives bound for the US and Great Britain in the 1800's being bought back by family before the ship left port. 2) A man whose family gives all they have emotionally to keep him from leaving them for a lover. As I thought more about this illustration on my Morning Drive, I kept thinking of the prophet Hosea and his bride, Gomer.

A - Acceptability of God: God longs for all to be saved. He is not willing that any should perish, He is not a respecter of persons. There is nothing you can do that will prevent God from wanting to save you, nor keep Him from being able to save you. Consider Saul of Tarsus.

C - Conditions of God: Grace is God's offer, yet there are simple conditions of acceptance. These conditions are those of active obedient faith.

E - Enjoyment of God: Once we experience God' Grace, like the Ethiopian in Acts 8, we continue on our way rejoicing in our life in Christ.

Scott.

Notes from our Revival

We are in the middle of our Fall Gospel Meeting at Parrish. This year our theme is "The Road to Revival." Our focus is to renew our own zeal and dedication. Levi Sides (pictured at right) is the guest speaker for this series of meetings. He presented three great lessons Sunday, and we are looking forward to the next three tonight through Wednesday. Drop by if you can, services start each night at 7:00 - you can even join us for a meal at 5:30.

During our regular Bible Class hour yesterday morning, Bro. Sides presented a lesson on The Lord's Supper. He stated that remembering what Jesus did for us on the cross is the beginning of revival. He suggested that each Sunday as we partake of Communion we should have individual (and therefore, congregational) revival as we each examine ourselves. He also reminded us that as we gather for the privileged of communing with the Lord in His supper, we are not coming to a SHRINE, or to an IDOL, nor are we making a PILGRIMAGE, but we are coming to the LORD'S TABLE as His invited guest.

Consider the following quote from Levi Side's outline: "It is the DUTY and PRIVILEGE of the LORD'S PEOPLE on the LORD'S DAY to gather around the LORD'S TABLE in the LORD'S KINGDOM, to eat the LORD'S SUPPER in remembrance of the LORD'S DEATH until the LORD'S COMING."

Christ has set His Table, prepared His guest list, and participates with us as His Supper is eaten.

Did you commune with Christ this Sunday?

Scott

Another Eye Chart

Philippians 4:4.

Scott

Top Ten Human Relationship Tips

From the bottom of a pile of papers on my desk comes today's Top Ten Human Relationship Tips (a.k.a Top Ten Ways to Make Friends or Keep Them).

10. Speak to people: There is nothing as nice as a cheerful word of greeting - Phil 1:3

9. Smile at people: Some suggest it takes 72 muscles to frown and only 14 to smile - Phil 4:8

8. Call people by name: The sweetest music to any one's ears is the sound of his or her own name - Matt 7:12.

7. Be friendly and helpful: If you would have a friend, be one - Prov 18:24.

6. Be cordial: Speak and act as if everything you do is a genuine pleasure - Eccl 9:10.

5. Be interested in people: You can like everybody if you try - Gen 1:27.

4. Be generous with praise while cautious with criticism: Praise when you have opportunity - Prov 3:27 and season all your speech - Eph 4:29ff.

3. Be considerate of the feelings of others: They will appreciate it - Eph 4:32.

2. Be thoughtful of others opinions: You are not right 100% of the time, so listen to them - Phil 2:3-4.

And the NUMBER ONE Human Relationship Tip. . .

1. Be ready and willing to SERVE - 1 Pet 4:10.

Space, the Final Frontier

Just wanted to share a pic from yesterday's trip to Huntsville, Alabama. Amy and I took Andrew and his friend Hunter to the Davidson Space Exploration Center and Space and Rocket Museum. There was a lot to see and explore, if you ever get the opportunity stop in.

I spent a little time reflecting on the vastness of space. One exhibit was a 52" HD TV with pictures from Hubble. I stood amazed at not only the quality of the photographs, but the glory of God's creation. The order, the beauty, etc. can only come from the hand of the Creator!

Larry and Lecil

This morning halfway through my walk I stopped at the local Veterans' Memorial and talked with Larry and Lecil. They have been friends since childhood and now are retired from underground mining. They had great stories to tell and some good advice to share. Their advice had to do with work and what they considered a dying work ethic.

For Larry and Lecil life was hard as they were growing up. Their parents worked at a job all day and in the field all afternoon and every weekend just to scratch out a living. They had it a little better than their parents. UMWA made certain that miners were taken care of. They gardened in the afternoons and on weekends to supplement their diet with fresh vegetables and to put some pack for the winter. Store-bought stuff just isn't as good. What they see today in their children's generation (and I am the same age as their children) is laziness. We have a good paying job, many of us sit at desks, then we go home to climate controlled houses and watch TV, we rarely go outside, we pay someone to tend our yards, we buy market fresh vegetable at the store or from a weather-beaten wearied farmer on the side of the road. Larry and Lecil's concern is about what we will do if: What will our generation do if the economy continues to slide? Do we have the skills or the desire to labor for our needs and not our desires? They shared some advice with me that I am taking to heart:

1. "Work the land." Grow a garden, not just peas to attract the deer, but vegetables for your family.
2. "Don't be idle." When you get home from your job, keep working, inside and outside the house.
3. "Find something constructive to do." They are planning to replace the clutch on Larry's tractor this weekend.
4. "If you stop working you die early." When you retire, don't sit around, get busy. Their plan for today was to mow the grass, trim the landscaping, and weed-eat around the Memorial. They also planned along with other retiree's to poor concrete, and set up a miniature (8 ft tall) Statue of Liberty on a five foot pedestal next to the Memorial.
5. "Teach your children to think for themselves." Do not do for them what they can do for themselves.

Lots to think about . . .

Scott

Can You Read This?

hint: Psalm 118:24

Scott