Ryan Ferguson Recites Hebrews Chapters 9 & 10

Thanks to Steve at Vade Mecum for the link to this power video. What an awesome Savior we have. This is why I love the Book of Hebrews.

Who Am I

Thanks Carol for sharing this with us!

Who am I?
That the Lord of all the earth,
Would care to know my name,
Would care to feel my hurt.
Who am I?
That the bright and morning star,
Would choose to light the way,
For my ever wandering heart.

Bridge:
Not because of who I am,
But because of what you’ve done.
Not because of what I’ve done,
But because of who you are.

Chorus:
I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow,
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I’m calling,
Lord, you catch me when I’m falling,
And you’ve told me who I am.
I am yours.
I am yours.

Who am I?
That the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love
And watch me rise again.
Who am I?
That the voice that calmed the sea,
Would call out through the rain,
And calm the storm in me.

Bridge&Chorus 2x

I am yours.

Whom shall I fear?
Whom shall I fear?
‘Cause I am yours.
I am yours.

It’s Been Two Years Since Katrina…Recovery Continues

The following video really has touch my heart as I think back on Katrina.  Be sure to read John Dobb’s thoughts about the two year anniversary. The Long Beach Church where my brother ministers has recovered nicely. There site has picture of Katrina and also their restored building. It looks wonderful in comparison to what a few of us saw for two weeks right after Katrina. There is still so much to be done through out this area…and it is hurricane season again. Please keep these folks in your prayers.

Be Confident…A Study Of The Book of Hebrews

This coming quarter on Wednesday evening I will be teaching the Book of Hebrews along with Jim Pounders, retired minister and father of our Shana Curtis, one of our youth ministers, and Mark Gage, just a great all around guy. They ask me to take the lead due to heavy schedules, so I will be kicking things off a week from this Wednesday. I have wanted to study this book again for some time and now I have a reason to do so. It is a great book to build spiritual confidence and faith when everything around you seems to be falling apart. Here is a little promo blip we are using to advertise the class.

 These were dark and perilous times for Christians. When the Book of Hebrews was written, the ages were colliding and society seemed to be shaking. The persecution that had begun at the death of Stephen has continued for over 35 years. The Book of Hebrews is addressed to a second generation of Jewish Christians who had experienced loss and persecution as their ancestors before them. The Roman Empire permitted conquered nations to practice their original religions, but no new ones were allowed. Early Christianity had been able to slip under Rome’s radar and flourish under the umbrella of Judaism. However, all that was about to change. Christians were now being faced with a coming persecution by both Jews and the Romans. Nero will make it his obsession to wipe out these catacomb dwellers once and for all. So on the horizon looms another more devastating persecution, and this time they are questioning if it is worth the price.  

Judaizers had long tried to entice these Jewish Christians to return to the old sacrificial system of their fathers, and they had refused, but now with more persecution on the horizon the old and familiar ways of the past didn’t seem so bad after all. The splendor of the temple worship and their discouragement due to persecution became the basis for many of them to consider returning to Judaism.

Could it be that God is shaking up their world so they will learn to live by faith and not by sight? Could it be that He has a plan for their lives that will be built on the eternal and not the unstable shakable world in which they live? Could there also be a lesson in Hebrews for the 21^st Century as well?

I hope you will join us for this exciting study, in the studio on Wednesday evening.

In Case You Missed It…

He was my choice to win back on August 9th.  This guy has amazing talent.

I Should Cease To Be Amazed…But Alas!

Religious broadcasting continues to feed the secular world with religious foder. This from my weekly blast from Whittenburg Door and God Stuff.

http://www.wittenburgdoor.com/godstuff/video.html?format=wm&vid=070

Blogging, Tees, Heat and Hats

I have been on a sabbatical from blogging. I didn’t plan it that way, it just seemed to happen. When I first began blogging years ago, there seemed to be an endless list of subjects I wanted to write about, but of late, the well seems to have dried up. Oh well, they say it happens to all of us from time to time.

We have been under oppressive heat in Tennessee for the last few weeks. We are over a foot behind in rain fall and the temperatures are in or near triple digits everyday, and have been that way for weeks. I don’t ever remember it being this hot or dry. The trees are beginning to show signs of heat stress, and the grass…well it is dead.

Barb and I got away with her brother and sister in law for a few days last week. We went to Gatlinburg and just kicked back. They have a time share there and we had a blast just taking it easy and seeing the sights. The temperatures were not as oppressive as here in the Nashville area, so we got a break from that as well.

We bought all the grand kids tee shirts. It has been a few years since we were there and among the things that have changed is the nationality of the store owners. I felt like I was walking the streets of Cairo, instead of Gatlinburg. Guess we should have seen that coming as well.

Well I hope your summer is going well. It won’t be long now until cooler weather. I am ready! I bought me a new hat in Gatlinburg, one of those nice western felt jobs.

My House Shall Be Called A House Of Prayer

This is an excellent lesson I heard a year or so ago. Powerful!  I hope you will take time to listen. You WILL be blessed.

America’s Got Talent

So who do you think is going to win? Here is my choice.

Christian Women’s and Men’s Job Corps…More Information

I have been encouraged by your comments concerning the “Christian Women’s Job Corps”, and wanted to do a follow up with some additional information. First, here is a link to the national Christian Women’s and Christian Men’s Job Corps, yes there is a Men’s Job Corps also. You will find a wealth of information at this site; state directors, a store with specific selections to compliment the work of CW & CMJC. You may even find that you have a group in your area, but for sure you will find the information needed to begin your own outreach should you desire to do so.

I ask Dawn to share personally with you a brief note about her involvement in the program.

“I got involved in this program over four years ago because I saw God was working within it to transform the lives of the women who participated as well as the volunteers who helped. In his book “Experiencing God,” one of the main points Henry Blackaby makes is that to experience God you’ve got to go where he’s working.” So I did and I haven’t been disappointed. I have heard the sense of hopelessness expressed by the women as they come into the program, and I have seen the radical change of those who have been given hope – not only with enhanced job skills and education, but also with the love of Christ. Many have come to know Him as their personal savior as they’ve participated in the Bible studies and many have returned to him. And isn’t that what it’s all really about?!” ”The other reason I love this ministry is that it gives churches of all denominations an opportunity to come together for a common goal and to set aside our differences and unite around what unites us and that is Christ. His prayer of unity in John 17 calls us to do that very thing so that the world will know Him.”

Dawn and her husband Roger are special servants at Madison. Also, on a side note there are some who think that Dawn closely resembles Madison’s own “mysterious” reporter for the WMCC News broadcast each Sunday morning at second service. Take at look at this link and judge for yourself.