5 Apr 2019

If God is For Us

by | posted in: Bible, Books | 0

When I was a senior in high school, this was our school’s verse  – Romans 8:31 – if God is for us – who can be against us?  That’s when I first learned of this verse because it was on everything that year.

Now that I’m 25 years older, I find it definitely more life-changing and endearing to my Father than I did when I was 18.

Trillia Newbell is a gifted, articular author who writes a great Bible study on Romans 8.  It is by far one of the most popular chapters of the entire Bible, and she walks you through the 39 verses with precision.  She doesn’t just give you the answers and she just doesn’t tell stories.  She makes you work for it.  Bible study is work.  It isn’t supposed to be easy.

But, even if you are a beginner, pick this study up – because the beginning of the book walks you through how to be a Bible study beginner: what you need to do read, look for, meditate on, etc.  But, if you have been studying your Bible every day for 30 years, then this study is also for you – because the Bible is still for you.  And you can go as deep as you want to go and never mine all the depths of God’s Word.

Isn’t that a beautiful thing?  That we will never get all of the Bible!  No!  It is life-giving and perfect truth for us – and the Holy Spirit will always use it in our lives!

Pick up this one.  It is a 6 week study so it would be a good one for a group study or a personal study.  And have a notebook nearby so you can write down all the things that God teaches you through it.

Thanks to Trillia, Moody, and Side Door Communications for a copy of this study.  All opinions are my own.

12 Dec 2013

Hello December 12: Freedom

by | posted in: Uncategorized | 0

Glory Be

I make it no secret that I have two favorite Christian Christmas CDs: Andrew Peterson’s Behold the Lamb of God and Sojourn’s Advent Songs. I went to Sojourn when I lived in Louisville and loved singing the Advent songs. I could listen to both of these albums year round all the time!
I also have a favorite guitar lick ever – it is found in Glory Be, the second song on the advent cd.
This year, in thinking of the sins that beset each of us, and the reason that Jesus came to earth in the first place, I love this line in that song:
Sing for joy, all the earth, Messiah’s come to set you free.

It is amazing that Jesus, the eternal Son of God, who was the spoken Word of God at creation – came to earth to set me free from the bondage of sin. As Elyse Fitzpatrick says in her new book Found In Him, “He is not shocked or surprised by your weakness or sin.” (pg 30). Isn’t it amazing that this statement is true – and yet God still loves us. And sent Jesus?

What sin do you need Jesus to set you free from this Christmas? Let us rejoice!  And all for His glory.  GLORY BE!

“Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Romans 7:24-25a

12 Dec 2013

The Cross and the Incarnation

by | posted in: Bible | 2

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Oh, with Jingle Bells, Joy to the World, and Silent Night – we often approach Advent and the Christmas season with a much anticipated (and deserved) joy in our hearts, smile on our faces, and bounce in our step.  And rightly so.  The hope and knowledge that the second person of the Trinity came willingly to become a little baby born to obscure people in a remote nothing town – amazing.

As Elyse Fitzpatrick teaches us “The Son agreed to be sent as a redeemer for a race of men yet to be created, but in order to do so, He would have to become a new sort of person, one in the likeness of his fallen brothers and yet immutably God.  He agreed to do this not out of necessity, not because he was forced to or lacked something in himself that only the incarnation would provide, but because of God’s own purpose and grace…” (pg 30, Found in Him).

Jesus knew that His mission when He came to earth was to die.  Who would do that?  Certainly not you or me!

But, God did.  Jesus did.  Full of the Holy Spirit.

So, when we open Christmas presents and sing carols and drive around and look at lights…remember that the cross was in the future.  For you.  For me.  For the glory of God.

8 Nov 2013

Favorite Quotes from Comforts from Romans

by | posted in: Books | 2

Do you ever struggle to believe the Gospel? If you are a Christian or non-Christian your answer is or should be YES! Even as believers, I think we tend to struggle in believing the life-giving hope of the Gospel that is ours in Christ.

One of my favorite authors put together a month-long book of devotions going through the first 8 chapters of the book of Romans. Not only is it theologically solid, but it is also easy for anyone to grasp, and full of hope for sinners like me.

I hope you find hope in these quotes as Elyse points us to Christ – and if you haven’t picked up this book, then I urge you to do so.

“He (Jesus) emerged into the dim light of our world, bringing with him the ineffable brightness of a universe remade, having reverses the curse and defeated the power of darkness forever.” (pg 20)

“He absolutely delights in demonstrating his mercy and love. Rather than our failures frustrating him, our sin simply serves to make his mercy more beautiful.” (pg 29)

“Our gospel inheritance is meant to cause us to rejoice and to live out each day in grateful obedience.” (pg 55)

“In both our justification and our sanctification, Jesus Christ must remain in our minds where he is in Paul’s: completely, utterly, permanently, gloriously, preeminent.” (pg 101)

“God no longer has any wrath left for us because we’ve been justified by faith.” (pg 130)

12 Apr 2013

Seeing Ourselves in the Face of Kermit Gosnell

by | posted in: ethics, World Events | 2

Yesterday, my husband, son, and I had the pleasure of seeing our next child on a television screen (an ultrasound machine).  Waving arms, moving head, kicking feet, beating heart.  These things told us this little baby was alive and well.  But, we also know that this little baby is a gift of God and life is precious.  There is no way that we would ever intentionally hurt this baby.

The reports of Gosnell, the abortion doctor in Pennsylvania, doesn’t seem to have the same regard for the human life.  I’ll spare you on the details, but they are gruesome and horrendous.  If you haven’t read any of the reports, trust me on that one.  I’ve read half an article and my husband stopped me this morning, “why are you reading this” – tears flowed as I started talking about it, wondering how anyone could do this to helpless babies or women.

But, I’m not here to point fingers at Gosnell.  He has done wrong.  He will either trust the Gospel on this earth or face the judgment and wrath of God in the next life.  That is for certain.  The wrath of God goes out to those who aren’t under the salvation of Jesus Christ.

However, we are in the same boat.  So many times we can cry over the sin of Gosnell or point fingers or call him a sinner, but how often do we look at ourselves and say the same thing.  The sin that we have committed and will commit is also under the need of the blood of Christ.  Just this week let me tell you the sins that I’ve committed: anger, pride, contempt, argumentativeness, the “silent treatment”, impatience, idolatry, gluttony, and probably many more.  Why aren’t I weeping over my sing –  more often then not I justify it?  Do I really think that those sins are also in need of repentance and the gospel?

So before we go pointing fingers at the hideous, inhumane actions of Gosnell, let us also remember the truth of Romans when Paul says:

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

And let us also remember our Hope:

“And are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:24)

15 Feb 2013

Book Review: Comforts from Romans (Crossway Books)

by | posted in: Books | 0

Do you ever find yourself in need of an encouraging word and something just to tell you that your life will be ok because of Jesus?

Whenever I am in need of these things I look to two people outside of my Buddy and Little Buddy: Phyllis, my mentor, and Elyse Fitzpatrick.  They both bring the Word to my life when I need it.

This new book from Elyse is no different.  Short chapters make it an accessible read, especially for moms who may not have an hour to themselves without toddlers wanting snack food or babies needing to be fed or changed.  This book taken from the book of Romans will encourage you in the Word where the truth lies and where life finds meaning again because of our hope in Christ.

Whether you need encouragement in your:

Parenting

Emotional Life

Physical Life

Marriage

Friendships

Relationships

Church Life

Scheduling

Work Place

All the answers for these problems lie within the pages of Scripture (it is Sufficient)!  And Elyse pulls together 32 daily readings (about 4 pages long each) to help you find the answers that you might need.  Scripture as a whole can and should impact our lives as women and as believers.  The Gospel  must impact our lives in every area!

If you are looking for a book that can encourage you, convict you, and help give you practical understanding in a very indepth book of the Bible, pick up Elyse’s new one.