Category Archives: Relationship w/ God
what study Bible do you use???
My wife has said that I have become a collector of Bibles. I have several different versions that I enjoy reading from and studying. But when it comes to which one I take with me to church and use for group studies, I really haven’t been able to make up my mind which I prefer. I do prefer in all of my studies to us the ESV translation as I really appreciate both it’s accuracy and readability. It’s the study Bible portion that really confuses me as to which I like.
I originally had an ESV study Bible that Erin got me a couple of years ago that I loved. The problem with it was that it was like lugging a huge piece of luggage around with you. Great for home study, but not so much for travel to church. Recently they have came out with a personal sized ESV study Bible and I have been using it for the past few weeks and really like it, but sometimes it’s almost too small of a Bible for taking notes. I also have enjoyed using the Ryrie ESV study Bible. While I agree with most of the notes and theology that Ryrie holds to, I often find it frustrating that he doesn’t go into more depth on some challenging scriptures the way other study Bibles do. I always find myself wanting more from Ryrie’s notes I do really like the size and ease of carry of the ESV Ryrie study Bible. The last study Bible I use regularly is my ESV MacArthur study Bible. MacArthur does a great job of giving me detail
I guess that for the time being I am going to stick with my person ESV study Bible and see if I can get past the lack of note space. But, what about you? What study Bible has made the greatest impact on your personal and corporate Bible study? I’d love to hear your thoughts….s in his notes and also the size of the Bible is not overwhelming to carry. This may sound crazy, but the thing I don’t like about using my my MacArthur study Bible at church or in other Bible studies is the fact that so many people have them, that when you try to have a discussion, everyone has the same notes they quote. I like to be able to get a different perspective than the rest of the group had to foster deeper conversation rather than immediate agreement with out discussion.
pizzas, history lessons, and a frie eating fussy girl…
We often have totally random days here in our ministry in Kentucky, and today was one of those fast paced days where it seemed like every five minutes something new was going on. When I got to the Rec Center this morning we had a couple of work crews going working on our bathroom addition. A group of local contractors were finishing up the plumbing rough in and then some volunteers from one of our supporting churches in West Virginia were busy insulating and starting to hang dry wall. It has been a huge encouragement to see life in the bathroom addition this week and to know that we are moving closer to the completion of this much needed addition.
Shortly after opening up, we had a special olympics bowling group from Breathitt County come in to bowl and eat pizzas. It’s always fun to see these “kids” enjoy themselves and have a blast bowling. While I was busy making the pizzas for special olympic kids, several more orders came in and things really got hopping. Normally, Wednesdays are a bit slower, but this morning was hopping which was a good thing for the Rec Center finances.
In the afternoon, I worked with my homeschool student on trying to finish up some of his classes. Lee County schools get out on May 4th and so we are working hard to get our student done at the same time. We have a lot more to do in the next week and a half to get done, so pray for us not only to finish, but to finish well. We want him to learn and really take in information and be able to apply it to his life in the future. Mainly, we want the Bible portion of the studies to make a difference and impact him for Christ. Please pray!
Tonight we went to church and both Maeven and Judah had a great time in the nursery. Maeven of course loves playing with the other kids and saying her new favorite word, “hello”, to everyone. By the end of church though it was a little too close to her normal bed time and she started getting a little fussy. When we didn’t let her stay and play ball like she wanted after service we had to carry a crying little girl. On the way home I got a sweet tea and fries and Maeven had to have some. However, she can’t ask yet, so every time she finished one of my fries I would hear a cry from behind me until she got another one.
Judah has had a good night sleeping all the way home from church until about 10 pm tonight. I can’t believe he is already five weeks old and is getting so big.
Even when days are hectic and as fast paced like today, I am so glad for the family that God has given me. And I am glad that I get to spend time with them whether they are happy, fussy wanting my fries, or sleeping all sweet and cute. I am truly blessed!
last huddle of the year…
Today we held our last FCA Huddle of the year at Lee County High School. I challenged the students to continue to seek to honor Christ in all they do this summer and to take every opportunity to share Him with others. With summertime comes the opportunity to get lazy and lax in going to church, so I challenged the students to also stay faithful to church and their youth groups this summer. We had a really great group of students in our huddle this year and I am excited to see what God is going to do in their lives and through them for His Kingdom. Please join me in praying for our students that they wouldn’t get distracted this summer and that their relationship with Christ would grow deeper.
why so unhappy???
In recent months I have noticed something sad among many of my fellow believers…a lack of true joy. Whether that lack of joy manifests itself as grouchy, angry, or just plain old miserable it’s truly a sad thing. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says that whatever we do we are to do all to the glory of God. How can we have just a lack of joy in our lives with all that Christ has done for us. How can we complain about the mundane tasks of life and work when we are supposed to be doing everything for the glory of God? Doing everything as a way to reflect Him to the world around us? In Jeremiah 29:11 we read that God has plans for us, plans to give us a future and a hope. So why aren’t we living as though we believe this?
Today in a staff meeting at KMM, my dad challenged all of us to really look at our ministries. Are we doing them just to be doing them to the point they are more of a job rather than a tool to share Christ? Or are we really viewing them as something that is being done to the glory of God? When I thought about this and at the same time about some people that have popped into my mind who just have seemed so very unhappy lately it really challenged me. When I look at the Rec Center I want to always see it as a tool that I can use with bowling and the other recreational activities to reach my community for Christ and not just as a place where I am stuck filling hours in the day. Yes, making pizzas and dealing with the occasional grouchy person can be draining and not always what I envisioned for my life when I was in Bible College. Yet, I have a duty to do those tasks to the best of my ability to bring glory to God. And not only that but I need to be happy and joyful about the fact that Christ has chosen sinful me to be His tool to show love and share Him with those I come in contact with. I have a calling and a gift to share. As a believer you do too! So get rid of the frown and the misery, and not to be insensitive but some may need to get over yourself! Do all that you do for the glory of God! Reflect the joy you have in Christ well!!
