Wednesday, May 20, 2009

What's your synagogue?

Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God. John 12:42-43

This passage convicted me the other day when I read it during my devotions. How often do we as Christians--men and women for whom The Savior died--choose the approval of men over the approval of God? What synagogue are we afraid of being thrown out of when we show our devotion to Christ: the clique at work or school, neighborhood gossip club, unsaved friends that might be "offended" if we talk about Jesus, even family members that think you're too uptight? Name your synagogue. We've all got one.

If you're a Christian, Christ died for you. But He's not just your Savior. He should be your King.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Ahhhhhh...

...the rainy season has finally arrived. After almost 8 months with no measurable rain, you can hear the collective sigh of relief after our recent thunderstorm. There's nothing like the smell of fresh, rain drizzled earth after a drought...

Sing to God, sing praises to His name;
Lift up a song for Him who rides through the deserts,
Whose name is the LORD, and exult before Him.
A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows,
Is God in His holy habitation.
God makes a home for the lonely;
He leads out the prisoners into prosperity,
Only the rebellious dwell in a parched land.
O God, when You went forth before Your people,
When You marched through the wilderness, Selah.
The earth quaked;
The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God;
Sinai itself quaked at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
You shed abroad a plentiful rain, O God;
You confirmed Your inheritance when it was parched.
Your creatures settled in it;
You provided in Your goodness for the poor, O God.

Psalm 68:4-10

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

The mountain is on fire!




These are photos of the mountain behind our home. At this time of year the brush is bone dry, and smoke is ever-present from all the fires around the lake.