19 Nov
This year we have the opportunity again to host a free Christmas festival in Smyrna. The festival will be on Friday, December 4th, from 6-8pm. This year, the festival will be in the gym at John Bassett Moore Intermediate School in Smyrna. All the events are free and open to everyone. Please come out and join us! Please contact us if you have any questions about the event.
Here are some pictures from last year’s festival.
17 Nov
Have you ever thought about that before? What should we be doing with our bodies when we are singing songs of worship? Should we be still or should we move around? Hands up or hands down? I believe that these can be issues of preference, however I do think that all Christians ought to consider this. Could a lack of physical expressiveness in singing mean that at some level, you are not praising God with your whole mind, heart and strength? Do you find it very easy to be physically expressive in other settings, but feel restricted when singing to the Savior in the corporate church meeting? After all, what could possibly be more worthy of your physical expression than the God of the universe, sacrificing His Son to cover your sin?
Bob Kauflin presented a talk on this topic that is both Biblically informed, and well applied. I would encourage you to listen to this as part of your pursuit to worship the Savior.
Click here for the audio. (Right-click to download.)
Click here for the notes.
Here’s the video:
16 Nov
Psalm 77:13-14 (ESV)
Your way, O God, is holy.
What god is great like our God?
You are the God who works wonders;
you have made known your might among the peoples.
12 Nov
In James 1 we find help in times of trial and temptation. On our own, we just don’t know how to process a trial. We aren’t wise enough to see the good, meaningful purpose behind them. We are prone to be stuck “in the moment”, only able to comprehend the sorrow that we are experiencing in the trial. James addresses this deficiency in our wisdom by telling us to ask God for wisdom. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all with out reproach, and it will be given him.” (James 1:5 ESV)
It takes humility to turn to someone for help when you are in a trial. Most of us would rather suffer to ourselves than admit weakness and seek help. This attitude is foolishness, and ultimately it is pride. James urges us to turn to God and request wisdom from him. He is the gracious Father (James 1:17) who promises us to give wisdom and steadfastness when we ask for it. Why would we turn elsewhere? The wisdom that comes from God opens our eyes to see the profit of trials. On our own, we see chaos and destruction. God promises to show us purpose, but we must ask Him for wisdom, trusting that He will freely give it to us.
Let me encourage you to not interpret your trials apart from prayer. Don’t submit to feelings of hopelessness and chaos in trials. Rather turn to God in humility, and ask for wisdom. “Father, I don’t know why you would have this for me now. But I pray that you would show me, and I pray that you would grant me faith and understanding that this trial might be used for my good and your glory. I am not wise, I need Your wisdom.”
In doing so we will not waste our trials by simply enduring them, but we will learn from them, and be perfected and completed through them (James 1:4).
11 Nov
Desiring God has put together a few different packages that they suggest as gifts as we approach Christmas. They have packages for: mom, dad, missionaries, etc… These resources are God-centered, and would be a great gift for anyone that you are wishing to see grow in Christ this coming year.
Check out the sale here.
9 Nov
Psalm 73:25-26 (ESV)
“Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
6 Nov
Kevin DeYoung offers a brief article that challenges us with this fact, “Prayerlessness is Unbelief”. I was particularly challenged by this brief word. Here’s an excerpt:
“Prayerlessness is an expression of our meager confidence in God’s ability to provide and of our strong confidence in our ability to take care of ourselves without God’s help.”
You can read the rest of the article here.
5 Nov
Desiring God by John Piper is being offered, in audio format, for free this month. This is considered to be one of Piper’s foundational works. In it, Piper works out the reality that we ought to be happy in God, and that God’s desire to receive glory and our desire to receive joy are not at odds with one another. “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him”.
If you have never read Desiring God, then you are missing one of those books that could really change the way that you understand your Christian life. The book is loaded with Scripture and is very easy to listen to in this audio format. If you have never read it, please download this audio book. It’s free, so there is nothing to lose!
Click here to check it out. This won’t be free forever, so don’t wait too long.
2 Nov
1 John 2:15-17
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” (ESV)
26 Oct
1 John 1:8-9 (ESV)
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
