Pray this week

I know that many of you who read this blog are not those who stumble upon it in search for literally excellence, but instead are people you genuinely care about Jennifer and I and the ministry we are involved in here.  I want to say thank you, and I also want to ask you to pray for us this week.  The final seminary semester is winding down and deadlines abound, also my pastor is out of town this week, therefore, I will be preaching Sunday, and yesterday one of my favorite people on the planet surprisingly passed away.  These things combined with normal responsibilities, a very difficult counseling case I’m working with, and a personal meeting have caused me to stress a bit this week.  I know that worry is a sin and I know God is sufficient.  So I blog today to ask for prayer.  Pray for all the situations listed above and pray that I will also be the husband God has called me to be this week, it seems when the schedule gets crazy I drop the ball there. 

Thank you for your prayers.  If you did happen to come for literally excellence then you probably didn’t make it this far into the blog, but if you did you can send me an email with all the typos.

 

in HIM-matt

Just for Laughs

I was introduced to a new comedian the other day and thought I might share one of my favorite pieces of his work.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.  

 

 

Monday Quote

I was able to get out and watch and the new EXPELLED movie this weekend and found it well worth my time.  I encourage you to do the same as soon as you get the chance.  I don’t know how long it will be in theaters so you may need to make those arrangements soon. 

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There are a few quotes that I wish I would frame and hang in a place that I could see them daily.  Today’s quote is one of those quotes. 

“I made a solemn dedication of myself to God and wrote it down; giving up myself, and all that I had to God; to before the future, in no respect, my own; to act as one that had no right to himself, in any respect.  And solemnly vowed to take God for my whole portion; looking on nothing else, as any part of my happiness, nor acting as if it were; and his law for the constant rule of my obedience: engaging to fight against the world, the flesh and the devil, to the end of my life.”                                                                    

                                                                                     Jonathan Edwards Jan. 12, 1723

Are you Bolder than a 3rd grader?

Although I am unable to regularly fit in Jeff Foxworthy’s new game show into my Thursday evening schedule (LOST returns April 24th) I have seen it.   Basically they ask a series of elementary questions and give contestant an opportunity to win all kinds of money.  The only catch is that if they lose or if they “dropout” they must look at the camera and acknowledge, “I am not smarter than a fifth grader.”  You can actually try out our skills on the website.

While watching the show you will recognize most are not smarter than a fifth grader, but last night at church I realized most are also not bolder than third grader.  Last night after church one of my SHY third grade girls walked over to see me with her Dad.  She told me about sharing her faith not once but twice yesterday during lunch.  She carried her Bible to school and took two girls at her lunch table through the Roman Road.  Do you realize that a third grade girl just shared her faith more during lunch then many Christian men will share it in their lifetime? 

My question today is are you bolder than a 3rd grader?  This blog entry is a call to be active in sharing our faith and challenging our churches to do the same. 

 

What are your plans for Friday?

If you don’t have a pressing engagement, let me suggest the release of Ben Stein’s documentary EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed. The movie addresses the issue of intelligent design and the suppression of the facts by the “educational community.” Instead of giving you any more detail take a moment and watch this clip if you are unfamiliar with the movie.  You can visit the movie webpage here.

Monday Quote

I hope that many of you have given some time to AW Tozer’s book, The Knowledge of the Holy.  Through this book Tozer examines the various attributes of God and their meaning for the Christian life.  I remember reading this book for my Marriage and Family class in seminar.  I remembering picking up the book and thinking, “I have heard good things about this book, but I’m not sure why it is part of a marriage and family class.”  What I would come to find is that this book would be appropriate for a class on the family, senior adults, church growth, or quilting (not that our seminar offers quilting classes, I’m just making a point). 

I have often returned to this book over the last four years.  Each time it challenges me to convicts me that my view of God is too small and it does that from the opening page.

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.  For this reason the gravest question before the Church is always God Himself, and the portentous fact about any man is not what he at a given time may say or do, but what he in his deep heart conceives God to be like.” 

“Only after an ordeal of painful self-probing are we likely to discover what we actually believe about God.”

 

What is that you actually believe about God and is our life consistent with that belief. 

 

Have a good week and by the way ITS A BOY and I am pumped.

Matt

Boy or Girl?

Today at 3:30 we get to find out if were are expecting a boy or girl.  We are very excited about the Dr. visit today.  I have been asked a number of times which do I prefer?  The first couple of months my response was immediate, “a boy.”  But after some time I think the hope of a girl might have pulled ahead or at least even. 

It has been an exciting few months and from what I understand the real fun is just about to start.  Thanks for all of you who have been praying for Jennifer and the baby over the last couple of months and please continue.  We will let you know what we are expecting so that you can give us all your name suggestions. 

Monday Quote

“It is a reality of life that men are competitive and the most competitive games draw the most competitive men.”                       –Vince Lombardi

I heard Bill Self quote this before his team put a beat down on the Tar Heels.  Sorry to all my Carolina friends and neighbors.  Today’s quote is in honor of the NCAA National Championship tonight.  I hope you have enjoyed the tourney and that your brackett is still perfect.

A side note:

This Thursday (4/10) we will find out if we are having a boy or a girl?  We are really excited about it and I will let you all know Friday morning.   I don’t see how people wait to find out, but then again my wife and I can’t hold Christmas gifts for longer than a week before giving tem away.