Spoiled...

After being at the Gospel Coalition and seeing speaker after speaker, I realized how spoiled we are at Bethlehem Baptist Church. Pastor John Piper (Pipes as I like to call him) is such an amazing gift from God to the Church (universal). We are so spoiled to sit under expository preaching week-in and week-out. There is no "hovering over the text" with John Piper. We, Bethlehem, have a man inviting us to look through the telescope and marvel at the wonder of God's glory in his word. What grace God has given to us by sending another sinner that is faithful to His Word!

Preventable Deaths

Did you know that every minute there are 24 children in the world die from preventable diseases such as diarrhea?


That is shocking!

And if one sins...

And if one sins, we have before the Father, an advocate- Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. (my translation)

Why does John call him the Righteous One? How fitting would it have been if he said the Lamb of God or another name that was used before? My take is that it qualifies him to be the wrath-bearer for our sins. The assurance that we have in him as our advocate is based on the righteous life that he lived. What grace it is to have the Righteous One as our advocate!

The Preacher of Peace

Ephesians 2:17 says that "He preached peace to you who were far off and to those who were near." Who is he? Scroll up a few verses and see that the preacher of peace is none other than Christ himself. King Jesus Christ, who has all authority in heaven and on earth, went out of his way to preach to us who were hostile to him. But verse 14 says that he broke down that dividing wall to waive the banner of peace. He could have pressed his thumb on our heads and squashed us like bugs but God, being rich in mercy, made us fellow citizen of heaven.

Praise God for peace with him.

Happy Birthday to me!

I praise God for another year in my life. 26 years old is closer to the big 3-0 than 25. There are years that you don't feel older but I felt 26. I praise God for what he did for me in my 25th year in Christ. I love Jesus more than I did than when I was 24 going to 25. He is a fountain of blessing and pouring out an abundant stream of grace. Everyday there is new grace for me to partake in and I am indebted to Christ for that. How do you repay someone that you owe an eternal amount? You can't! To Christ, I raise my cup and ask for more grace and more blessing because he graciously reward those who seek him. For my 26th year, I will seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness that all of "these" things may be added to me. What are these these things? God knows... and he gives gifts that are good and perfect.

God has blessed me so far with friends out here. It was a good birthday! Here are some shots that I took of the God's blessing in my life:

Johnny and Angie, graciously made me a Pizookie!

listened to Thabiti on "racial" harmony

Back for the next semester

I am excited for this coming semester. I had a great break in California and gained 10 pounds. I wish I was able to hang out with more people but I was glad to hang out with many of you. Thanks for a great time in Cali and please pray that God will continue to reveal himself to me. Pray that I would be faithful in studying God's word and balance it by not making it a textbook. Pray that I would be changed by the knowledge that he gives me through his word. See you guys in May.