Interests:music and music history, reading, book binding, paper making, gardening and I'm gaining an interest in homesteading and green living. Occupation:I am an employee with Manpower
How I traveled: by car about 45 minutes or so. The Svelmoe family helped us out by taking some of our stuff.
The weather/temperature was: really nice, sunny and warm. kind of mosquitey, though.
Where I stayed: in our tent in the group camp site at the park.
Who I traveled with: Linda, Jeremiah and Judah. We went camping with our church. The Morse's and Epp's were on one side of us and the Gardner's were on the other. I think there were close to 20 families in all.
People I met: I didn't meet anyone new, but got to see people from church in a new element. It was fun.
Places I visited: Linda and I went to the nearby Cougar Store to buy ice. Thriller deal!
What I enjoyed most: Being outside and sleeping in a tent. We woke up to the sound of a nearby stream and the birds singing. I also enjoyed watching my boys have fun.
Most memorable event: having church outside in the woods. Several people that didn't come for camping showed up for church. It was really good. Sevrin preached on the topic of fellowship.
Places to remember for next time: individual tent sites at Cougar park in case we want to go again sometime. Also, the nearby stores for stuff we forget.
Special purchases: ice :)
Reflections and notes: This was Christ our Redeemer Church's first camp out. They called it "COR-Fusion". I was a little worried about going and being forced to be social. It wasn't like that at all. It was pretty laid back and a lot of fun. I visited with a few people and got to know some better. We are looking forward to next year.
This has been a difficult few weeks for me spiritually. I've been reading and praying a lot. I've not given up hope.
I learned something the other day while reading John 6. I am like Peter the disciple. I am also like the Jewish community in Jesus' time. They believed in Jesus, but He didn't meet their expectations. They knew He came to meet their needs, but not the same needs they had in mind. I have a hard time keeping spiritual things in first place. I always focus on the physical and earthly wants and needs. I guess it's because that is more tangible. It's in your face. It is demanding and if you fail, you will see and hear about it out loud almost immediately. On the other hand, spiritual consequences seem to be more subtle or a little slower.
Lord, I see that my will and yours don't match. I am well aware that your way is better and that your will is higher and ultimately good. My will is worldly and temporal. O Father, please change my heart. Restore and renew me. I need you. Please help me to be humble. Please be glorified in my life.
What I mean when I say I am like Peter is that I believe in and am willing to follow Jesus. But when things get difficult and start to go in a way that I don't like or expect, I deny Him by withdrawing from Him. Instead of going to Him, clinging to Him and praying, I become a spiritual recluse. I deny, by my actions, that God is sovereign and all powerful. Jesus, please grow me. Thank you for being merciful. I want to stay with you.
I think I am seeing that my faith has to be mine. It can't be my pastor's, not Prairie Bible College's. I need to believe the word on my own and search it out for myself. Maybe I need to see the burning bush for myself or go through the fiery furnace for myself and feel the heat on my own skin. Could this be part of working out my own salvation?
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Here's what you're supposed to do...and please do not spoil the fun. Copy, paste in your notes, delete my answers and type in your answers. Then tag a few good friends! Don't forget to tag the person that tagged you. The theory is that you will learn a lot of little known things about each other.
A. Three Names I go by 1. Jeff 2. Jeffrey 3. Dad
B. Three of my favorite things 1. Coffee 2. Being with family 3. chocolate
C. Three Places I have lived 1. Spencerport, NY 2. Vancouver, WA 3. Woodland, WA
D. Three TV Shows that I watch 1. I don’t watch TV
2. but when I do I like
3. home and history shows
E. Three places I have been 1.Orlando, FL
2.Geneva, Switzerland 3.Three Hills, AB, Canada
F. Three favorite foods 1. pizza 2. pastries 3. blood oranges
G. Three friends I think will re-post 1. Three 2. people 3. who haven’t already
H. Three things I am looking forward to 1. summer and the beach 2. gardening 3. working full time
I. Three things I dislike 1.rancid food 2.rap and/or country music 3.crowds
Still More on the Resurrection and Sanctification That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. (Phi_3:10-11) As we are getting to know our God of resurrection (by learning about and then partaking of His resurrection power, Christ's sufferings, and conformity to His death), our lives are being changed. We are attaining to "the resurrection from the dead." This phrase brings to mind the final resurrection of the redeemed in the last day. "When you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just" (Luk_14:13-14). Yet, the final resurrection cannot be in view in our meditation verses. The overall teaching of the scriptures would lead to this conclusion. One's place in the final resurrection is determined by one's relationship to God. That issue is settled through exercising saving faith in Jesus Christ. Those who trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior have a part in the last resurrection, unto eternal life. Furthermore, the immediate context of Paul's statement indicates that attaining to "the resurrection from the dead" was something he was reaching out for now, hoping to grow into it increasingly during this life. "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me" (Phi_3:12). Paul confesses that he had not fully gained the type of resurrection about which he is writing. Yet, the final resurrection was already his expectation, through justifying faith in Jesus. So, Paul is pressing on for something else. Earlier, the Apostle had revealed what He was seeking after. "I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ" (Phi_3:8, Phi_3:10). This is why Paul wrote, "that I may know Him." This was the one passion of his life. "Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do" (Phi_3:13). The one thing that Paul was aiming at was a growing acquaintanceship with his resurrected Lord. He desired to know His risen Lord so well that he might attain to "the resurrection from the dead." He wanted his developing relationship with the risen Christ to produce a resurrected lifestyle in him. He wanted to face each situation of life with a heavenly, resurrected perspective and attitude, a way of life completely different from the dead and dying world all around him.
Dear Jesus, my resurrected Lord, I praise You for providing for me a place in the final resurrection. Now, I pray, help me to get to know You better, that I might live a resurrected life day by day, in Your mighty name, Amen.
3 or 4 weeks ago, I was talking with a friend of mine. In a nutshell, he challenged the authenticity of my salvation. He was very caring and genuinely concerned. In fact, I wish he had been flippant so I could just blow it off. But, he had reasons and scripture to back up his thoughts. So, I took it to heart and it knocked me for a loop. I had a lot of thoughts and some questions, but had a hard time talking about it. Still do. Here are some journal entries I made after that conversation. I'm sorry it's so long and a little rambly, but that's how I was for a couple days.
March 4 This is Sunday. Last Thursday morning I got together with a friend of mine. After some small talk, he asked me about my and Linda's budget, my job search, etc. He then told me , based on 1 Timothy 5:8, that I may not be a Christian. He also shared John 15: 1-8, 2 Thessalonians 3:10, Romans 12: 10 - 15 and a quote bu John Murray. So, my salvationis in question because I'm not providing for my family and I'm not bearing any fruit. My friend shared these things with me in a very loving way and with scriptural back-up. I know that he cares for me and would not go out on such a limb if he didn't. I am not mad at him, but I do have mixed feelings about all of this. I confess, too, that my faith has been wavering. I have wondered if God cares for me. I have wondered if His graces apply to me. I've felt alone and abandoned, like I was cast to the side for something I don't know or understand about. But, to have someone say I may not be saved really shocked me. Have I been wrong for 27 years? I remember the day I accepted Christ. I don't have all the details like I would like, but I remember the day. I have a cassette tape of the service I got saved at. I have clung to my knowledge of that day through quite a few hard times. I didn't understand, but I knew God was there and He would help. When I think about that I may not be saved, I wonder about all the prayers I've prayed, times I took communion, shared Christ with others, served in different ways. I wonder what was happening. If I wasn't saved on that day, can I be saved at all? If I wasn't saved on that day, is Christianity real? Am I misunderstanding something, or is Christianity misunderstanding me? Something is wrong, that's all I know for sure. If I'm not saved now, was I saved before? If my salvation is called into question because I'm not providing for my family, will getting a job save me? How much fruit should I be bearing and what kind? tithing, donating to Christian charities, giving to needy, serving in ministry? I am well aware that I am going through a dark time. I will be first to admit that I need repentance. My faith is not what is should be. Will getting a job change that? What (specifically) will make my salvation evident? I don't know what to think or how to feel. I have mixed emotions. I don't want to be defensive, but I am feeling that way.
