I am just sitting here in the basement in my study room freshly aware of God's grace. This is my "job" this week.
- Love, enjoy and honor my wife
- Love, enjoy and train our girls
- Study the doctrine of Jesus Christ from men like Grudem, Stott and Packer
- Be taught the doctrine of Christ by Jeff Purswell, the most gifted and grace filled teacher I have ever met
- Prepare a sermon from Philippians about treasuring Jesus Christ alone
- Throw in a little Greek and call it a week.
I truly have been blessed by the grace of God infinitely more than I deserve.
Parenting this week...Having my heart scheduled on Tuesday am already.
All created reality is inherently revelational of the nature and will of God...and as revelational of God, it is authoritative.
Apologetics this week, our main text is by Van Til. I have never read him before, but am loving his heart for the gospel.
Belief in the promises of God with respect to our eternal salvation is meaningless unless God controls the future.
It is this fact of God's absoluteness as expressed in his election of man that gives us courage in preaching and in reasoning with men.
More to come...
Today Becky prayed for those called to the mission field both local and abroad. Hope prayed for the Gospel to be spread and churches planted. Gracie prayed that we would see the lost saved. I then prayed for a number of our members families specifically.
Soli Deo Gloria,
Praying with our church this week. Day 2 Hope prayed for the persecuted church, Gracie prayed that the enemies of the Gospel would be saved and Becky prayed for the persecuted church. Finally, I prayed for some of the members of our local church.
Soli Deo Gloria,
Our home church, Oasis Church, is focusing on prayer this year. Not that they have neglected prayer in the past, but the pastors our helping us mature as the body of Christ is the area of prayer. After two messages on prayer, we are spending an hour each day praying as a body. While we are 1159 miles away, we can still join our local church daily in prayer. Each day after breakfast as a family we are praying with our local church. Today we prayed for:
- Our church to preach and teach the gospel with grace, yet boldness (Hope)
- Ministries of the church (Gracie)
- Other churches in the Chaska area to keep the gospel central and the lost to be saved (Ken)
- Our leaders and politicians to bow their hearts to Christ (Becky)
- Other families in our local church (Ken)
We look forward with great anticipation to see God working in His church!
Soli Deo Gloria,
We have just returned to Maryland from a wonderful Christmas break back home in Minnesota. As we start the final 22 week run of PC, I been reflection on what God has taught me over the last number of months.
Before coming out to PC, there was one theme that was constant in our preparations: God is Faithful. He may not do things my way, but He always is faithful to work all things out for my good and His glory.
While at home, the theme for my time at PC so far was obvious as I heard myself answering the question "so what have you learned at PC?" the saway every time without a second thought.
What I have learned at PC has nothing (in a way) to do with PC. I learned this: I love my local church and my pastors. I took them for granted, and I (by God's grace) hope to never do that again.
As I have been to other good local churches and interacted with my classmates and heard about their local churches, I have come to realize that God has truly provided Oasis Church with a gifted team of under shepherds.
We have pastors that faithfully week in and week out preach the Word of God to us and apply it to their lives. We have pastors that truly love their flock and sacrificially care for their flock. We have pastors who live life out with the flock, are humble and quick to repent of their sin. We have men that daily display through all their trials, failings and victories, what it means to live a life worthy of the Gospel.
I am grateful today for my local church and my pastors that care for my soul. I thank God for providing them for His church. I have much to learn from them.
If you have a faithful pastor, let them know how much you appreciate God's grace in their life and ministry, give them an encouraging word and a hug this Sunday. And if you are at Oasis, give them a hug for me too.
Gratefully,
RFB
