Searching for the Truth

Welcome back! :) I too am attempting a renewed eff...

2009-11-05T18:28:51.385-06:00

Welcome back! :) I too am attempting a renewed effort at blogging, at a new location (if you haven't already gotten the link). I'm hoping my blogs will have a little more purpose and direction than my xanga, which ended up being silly blatherings about my day rather than something edifying, encouraging, or entertaining. (Doh! I just alliterated!)

Absolutely not. You just run the risk of being se...

2009-04-09T15:09:00.000-05:00

Absolutely not. You just run the risk of being seen as such. You pull it off though. Your overall wardrobe allows you to make the cut. :)

I always forget that I've got them on, and they en...

2009-04-08T18:45:00.000-05:00

I always forget that I've got them on, and they end up in my pant pocket with lots of finger prints on them.

And, are you calling me "metrosexual" or "homosexual" for carrying a bag with me at all times?

I actually enjoyed this movie...not for the very g...

2009-04-06T10:53:00.000-05:00

I actually enjoyed this movie...not for the very graphic scenes, but for the story of heart and realistic life struggles in that day. And, since Mesoamerica is my most knowledgeable area of academia, I enjoyed seeing something that was actually pretty realistic instead of the hokey Discovery-channel-esque specials that we usually see about these people groups that are full of doom and gloom and spooky music.

Wow, Stephen! That's awesome! Thanks for sharing...

2009-03-24T11:08:00.000-05:00

Wow, Stephen! That's awesome! Thanks for sharing that!

I LOVE my Bible-reading plan! Love reading 10 cha...

2009-02-18T16:18:00.000-06:00

I LOVE my Bible-reading plan! Love reading 10 chapters a day, covering the Pentateuch, History, Poetry, Major & Minor Prophets, Gospels, Church History, Pauline Epistles, General Epistles and Prophecy!

Check out:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=46416541831

GREAT blog! NEAT perspective!

2009-02-18T16:06:00.000-06:00

GREAT blog! NEAT perspective!

Ditto what Erica said. :)It's encouraging to know ...

2009-02-08T14:26:00.000-06:00

Ditto what Erica said. :)

It's encouraging to know that I am not struggling alone. Thanks for sharing your heart with us!

Hi, this is a comment.To delete a comment, just lo...

2009-02-08T10:46:00.000-06:00

Hi, this is a comment.
To delete a comment, just log in and view the post's comments. There you will have the option to edit or delete them.

I love this! You really do need to become a writer...

2009-02-08T10:32:00.000-06:00

I love this! You really do need to become a writer!

This is exactly how I have been feeling! Like I am trying so hard to seek God and understand Him yet the ways I am doing that (reading the bible, church, bible studies) aren't enough or aren't working. And I know He is there but He is always out of reach in the dryest (sp?) times.

Thank you for sharing this! I will be praying for you.

Working on it. :) I do own Mark Dever's books, so ...

2009-02-02T13:08:00.000-06:00

Working on it. :) I do own Mark Dever's books, so I may have to dig in there to jump start my time with the Lord.

I attempt to live by these principles, but alas li...

2009-02-02T10:38:00.000-06:00

I attempt to live by these principles, but alas life takes over once again...New mercies though, right?

You should be able to see it now, and you should g...

2009-02-02T10:35:00.000-06:00

You should be able to see it now, and you should get a plan : )

I can't see your calendar... says I don't have per...

2009-02-02T01:15:00.000-06:00

I can't see your calendar... says I don't have permission.

And my Bible reading plan... what plan? (That's code for "not well". hehe)

SWEET! I am so excited about this also! I looked a...

2009-01-03T12:13:00.000-06:00

SWEET! I am so excited about this also! I looked at the websites you saved on the right side of your blog. I was also overwhelmed and wondered what was up with the time lines (90 days, a year etc.). I personally am in no hurry...but I feel I need a plan so that I don't miss anything. Otherwise I will keep doing what I have been doing which is hanging out in the old testament re-reading everything.
I like the Track 3 plan on the Zondervan website. It says one chapter a day for 3 years. I won't have a set amount to read everyday. I will just be sure to read the book it says I need to be in and depending on what the Lord has for me I will read X amount.
That's the plan until I see your options :)
Thanks again!

Thanks for the comment. I did this kind of hastil...

2009-01-03T07:22:00.000-06:00

Thanks for the comment. I did this kind of hastily and found some typos as I went back and read. Let me know if you find anything blatantly obvious that I may have missed. :)

GREAT blog entry! I really look forward to reading...

2009-01-03T07:08:00.000-06:00

GREAT blog entry! I really look forward to reading what you have to say to so many of us who've been asking the same questions as you!

I read this book last year right before Adam and I...

2008-12-29T06:07:00.000-06:00

I read this book last year right before Adam and I got married. The concepts in it have really given me a lot of sanity in our first year of marriage. If I had been trying to live the lifestyle which was my habit before we married, I would be certifiable by now. But trying to "make room for life" has been an incredible blessing. Glad you're touched by this idea too. :-) Indeed, Glory be.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! That's awesome t...

2008-11-20T15:21:00.000-06:00

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! That's awesome that God can speak and be glorified through such a wide variety of media. :)

I appreciate the comment, Mike. I am sorry it too...

2008-10-02T19:47:00.000-05:00

I appreciate the comment, Mike. I am sorry it took me so long to get back to you. I would agree with most of what you said. This book came at a time in my life when I was beat down by sin and tired of being displeasing to God. I felt like I could never live up to the commands that he made of me. For me, this book was a breath of fresh air in the deep end of legalism. I cannot, however, agree with this being a feel good book. If one is truly a believer in Christ, the grace extended to us produces repentance. It's God's kindness to us that leads us to repentance, not the other way around. The faith to believe in grace and the cross is even a gift (Ephesians 2:8-9). While a wildly quoted verse, it is one of the most misunderstood. Repentance is necessary for relationship with Christ, but repentance is not what justifies us before God. Repentance is a right response to the grace extended to us after we come to faith. The flow chart, as I understand it, would go like this: Grace, Faith, Repentance and turning from sin.

At the request of a friend whom I respect I delved...

2008-09-16T08:21:00.000-05:00

At the request of a friend whom I respect I delved into the Ragamuffin Gospel with my typical "teacher's attitude" regarding a new author, movement or dogma. I found much that many will like about this book, especially those whose commitment to the teachings of The Christ is superficial. There is much to make one feel good about themselves and little to encourage one to strive for a deeper relationship with our Lord. While reading I was taken with memories of one of my previous pastors who stated unequivocally that just because my Mom and Dad were saved, my salvation wasn’t automatic; that just because I attended church my salvation wasn’t assumed; that just because I read the Bible didn’t mean I was “born again”. I have difficulty with the concept that forgiveness and grace comes before repentance. I have even more difficulty with the concept that God is neither a disciplinarian nor a judge of man’s actions. This is contrary to New and Old Testament scripture. When combined with Manning’s clear lack of understanding of scripture (taken in context as opposed to single verse examples) which is demonstrated on many occasions, I must reject the philosophy presented. This is another of those “feel good”, Universalists manuscripts that attempts to convince us that if we accept ourselves as we are, God will also. Unfortunately for those who praise this book, the truth is that either the teaching is all true or it’s false. Salvation is not composed of accepting the sacrifice of Jesus plus anything else. Repentance must come before forgiveness or salvation is a farce and we all have missed God.

We need to finish our conversation from last Sunda...

2008-08-23T03:15:00.000-05:00

We need to finish our conversation from last Sunday! haha Sorry for the interruption.

I'm reading that book right now! So I actually di...

2008-06-17T13:47:00.000-05:00

I'm reading that book right now! So I actually didn't read your whole post, because I didn't want to cheat and read ahead. :)

Oops... i meant Ruthless Trust, not truth.

2008-05-28T18:26:00.000-05:00

Oops... i meant Ruthless Trust, not truth.

I own his other book Ruthless Truth if you would l...

2008-05-28T18:23:00.000-05:00

I own his other book Ruthless Truth if you would like to borrow it to read as a follow up. I still haven't read it. After the intensity of Ragamuffin Gospel I needed a break, haha. It's been a very long break, but you're welcome to borrow it if you want.