I’m taking a break from blogging for a while.  Mostly this is due to the time I’m devoting to some family endeavors (i.e. home based businesses), and the shepherding and preaching responsibilities at church.

You can keep up with our family activities and observations by way of Hope, Karen, and Matthew, at their respective blogs.

Blessings,

James

I grew up in a small town located in the Hudson River valley, just a bit south of West Point.  My home was situated on the side of a small mountain; there was a road cutting across the side of the mountain, a drop to a small valley, where my house was located, and then another drop down into a flood plain where a stream made it’s way to the Hudson River.  This flood plain was wooded, and loaded with wildlife. 

I spent a lot of time fishing and wading in the stream, and exploring the woods through which it ran.  Located right behind our property and a bit north was a large pool of water, in the midst of which was a large boulder, half of it submerged.  By wading carefully on one side of the boulder, one could make their way to a section of the rock that could be climbed, thus gaining access to the top of the rock in which was a large fissure.  If you sat in the just right, you could conceal yourself in the rock.

I spent many a day sitting in this hidden area in the rock, many times fishing, but more often just contemplating life and my purpose in it.

It was a perfect, secret place, where life’s puzzles could be considered.

I was reminded of this place when meditating on this verse:

Psalm 119:114  Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.

To the psalmist, God is this hiding place, this place that is secret.  But’s it’s not a physical location.  It’s a relational place.  It’s a relationship where things happen to you that happen to know one else.  God teaches you, comforts you, ministers to you, disciplines you, and on and on, in a unique and personal way.  It is a private relationship. 

That’s like the secret place in the rock where I spent my boyhood.  That experience is now burned into my soul which will forever be a picture of what my relationship with my Lord should and must be.

Do you have a secret place in your life?

In considering the life of Christ, and the purpose of that life, I noted earlier that there are many things Jesus saves us from.  He also saves us to certain things.  Consider these: 

1. We are saved to a life of faith.

Gal 3: 6  Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. 7  Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

2. We are saved to a life of obedience.

1 John 2: 3  And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4  He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5  But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

3. We are saved to a life of holiness.

Heb 12: 14  Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

4. We are saved to a life of fruitfulness.

John 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

5. We are saved to a life that is passionate about good works.

Titus 2: 14  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

6. We are saved to a life that gives the deepest meaning and significance to marriage.

Eph 5:31  For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
32  This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

7. We are saved to a life that is headed for heaven.

Rev 21:3  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

Knowing these things ought to produce some things in us.  What would those be?

1. Having been given faith, we need to exercise it.

We need to learn to trust God for things.  We need to be dependent on Him.

a. Sacrifice to the point of need. (2 Cor)
b. Pray for needs (Give us this day…).
c. When God gives you real needs, don’t react negatively.  He is giving you these needs to that you will depend on Him.
d. Engage in practicing the One Anothers.
e. Keep looking forward.

2. Make sure your obedience to the commands of God are:

a. Immediate (without delay).
b. Complete (finish what is begun).
c. Without complaint (do it with joy).

3. In consideration of a holy life, what steps have you taken to remove the old and replace with the new, in every area of life?

This is one reason I love this time of year.  This time of year reminds me about the newness of life in the Christian.  A birth is all about newness.  When we finish a year and start another, it is about newness.  And no part of your life is exempt.

4. Do we consider how to best go about being fruitful? 

Remember, we are judged according to our fruit, not our gifts.

5. How passionate are you about practicing the One Anothers?  Do you know what the One Anothers are?

Click here to view the One Anothers of Scripture.

6. Is your marriage fulfilling the purposes of what a marriage is supposed to be?

What are the purposes of marriage?

a. Purity.  Marriage is a picture of the purity of a relationship.  One man, one woman, for life.  This pictures the relationship of Christ and the church, which ought to be just as pure.
b. Fruitfulness.  The having of children is a purpose of marriage (how ever many God gives you). 
c. Companionship.  There is a mutual affection for and help of one another in a marriage.

7. Do you long for heaven and are you preparing your place there?

We prepare long and hard for a great many things.  What about heaven?  Do we think about things in light of eternity?

Abigail poses for the camera with her friend Hannah.

During your observance of Christmas, consider the birth of Christ in light of the cross, and the fact that the purpose of Jesus’ birth was to save His people from their sins.

Matthew 1:21  And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Why was it necessary for Him to save His people?  Here are a few reasons:

1. He saved us so that we would no longer be enemies of God.

Rom 5: 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

2. He saved us from being in bondage to sin.

Romans 6: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

3. He saved us so that we would not be fearful.

Hebrews 2: 14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

4. He saved us from a corrupted conscience.

Heb 9: 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

5. He saved us so that we would not have to satisfy the legal demands of the law.

Col 2: 13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross…

6. He saved us from an eternity in hell.

Matt 25: 34  Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world… 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels…

Thanks be to God, for His wonderful and precious gift to those of us who are His, a life freed from these things and set apart for His purpose.

Last night right before leaving on a family outing, just as I was about to step into my car, I noticed the moon rising through the trees.  It was such a beautiful site, I just had to run and get my camera to snap a picture.

This photo is untouched; the moon really did have a yellow/orange glow to it as it rose.

I remember that one of the first things I did after obtaining a 35 mm SLR camera was going to the top of a local mountain and waiting for the sunset so I could take some pictures.  On that particular day there were several other photographers waiting for the same thing, and we all obtained some nice pictures.

This picture was taken in 1981 and was the ninth picture I took with my new camera.

Pictures like these ought to continually remind us of the creative work of our Lord, and I’m thankful he has given to us a beautiful world in which to live and serve Him.  We would do well to take better care of it.

Psalm 115:16  The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.

On a recent afternoon while out with the family, I noticed this unusual animal in someone’s backyard.

I’m pretty sure I saw a camel.  In Texas.

What made it funny is that when I stopped my car and got out to take a picture, there was a boy around 10 years old in the yard.  I asked him if the camel belonged to him.  He responded yes, as if it was the most natural thing in the world that he owned a camel.

Why we should live in a spirit of thanksgiving all the time, instead of just on Thanksgiving Day.

1 Chr 16:8  Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.

Psalm 30:4  Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

Psalm 30:12  To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.

Psalm 79:13  So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will show forth thy praise to all generations.

Psalm 100:4  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

1 Cor 15:57  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Cor 2:14  Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

Col 1:12  Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

Col 2: 6  As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:   7  Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

Col 3: 15  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
16  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

1 Thess 5: 18  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

During our annual and traditional Thanksgiving Day festivities, I had much time to reflect on some of the many reasons I am thankful to our Lord.

This year presented some unusual trials, one being that for a period of time, my health had deteriorated to the point that I wondered how much longer God was going to allow me stay on this earth. 

There’s nothing like physical trial to bring one to the point of being cast upon the Lord.

God graciously preserved me through this trial, and yet is still teaching and pruning me because of it.  For that I am thankful.

I am also thankful for my wife and children.  God has wonderfully blessed me with a full quiver of children and a helper who wonderfully enables me to fulfill my God-given purpose.

I am thankful for privilege that I have many times this year of preaching the gospel, and to continually be able to live it out.

And, I am thankful for our Lord Jesus who loved me with an everlasting love, and mercifully chose me to be one of His.

Here are a few pictures of some of the traditions we observe on Thanksgiving Day.

Most years, many contribute various dishes and desserts for this day.  My usual task is to prepare and bake the turkey.  This year, Emily helped me in this effort.

Emily demonstrates how to brush the turkey with butter.

Annie seems amazed at the size of the turkey (this was actually a small turkey for us, only 15 pounds).

Once we gathered around the table, we spent time recounting how and why we were thankful to the Lord during the past year.

Charles Spurgeon on Psalm 119:105 - Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

We are walkers through the city of this world, and we are often called to go out into its darkness; let us never venture there without the light giving word, lest we slip with our feet. Each man should use the word of God personally, practically, and habitually, that he may see his way and see what lies in it. When darkness settles down upon all around me, the word of the Lord, like a flaming torch, reveals my way. Having no fixed lamps in eastern towns, in old time each passenger carried a lantern with him that he might not fall into the open sewer, or stumble over the heaps of ordure which defiled the road. This is a true picture of our path through this dark world: we should not know the way, or how to walk in it, if Scripture, like a blazing flambeau, did not reveal it. One of the most practical benefits of Holy Writ is guidance in the acts of daily life: it is not sent to astound us with its brilliance, but to guide us by its instruction. It is true the head needs illumination, but even more the feet need direction, else head and feet may both fall into a ditch. Happy is the man who personally appropriates God’s word, and practically uses it as his comfort and counsellor, — a lamp to his own feet.

Are you using God’s Word personally, practically, and habitually?