Good day

Although there were things that I wished I could have finished today, over all it was a good day.

It didn't start well. I was sound asleep when I was woken up by a barking dog, and worse yet, it was one of ours. Riley had to go outside and when he went out, Sassy had to follow. When she is outside, she feels this need to protect us, and barks at passing dogs, people, and other things she thinks should not be there. So I woke up before I should have, and was very grumpy (sorry hun, I know I was a grumpy bear this Morning). Thankfully, that is not where things ended.

We took Justin in to the hospital to have the tubes checked and see how his hearing is now that they are in. His hearing went from about 50% to completely normal. God is good :) It is amazing how fluid in the middle ear can so hinder hearing.

While we spent all that time waiting, I spent my time working. I got a lot done of my sermon preparation, and that allowed me to get the first draft of my Sunday morning sermon finished when we got back. I also got some other work done as well while we were at the hospital, so it was far from wasted time sitting in the waiting rooms.

After I was done my work, I went back to working on our Sunrunner and our Mazda Protege. The Sunrunner needs new brake lines and the Protege needs a new belt put on. I worked on the Protege for a while, and then got frustrated because things were not working. I then went to work in the Sunrunner.

I have been working at it for a while because the brake line fittings are so rusted they are difficult to get off. I got one end off earlier in the week, and got one line out completely fairly soon after, but the other end of the second line I need to replace just did not want to come loose. I tried the propane torch on it, and even that didn't work. Eventually even the flare nut wrench rounded off the fitting, so I had to go to vice grips. I tried the torch on it one more time then using the vice grips at last I got it off. So all that is left is bending the new brake lines, installing them, refilling the brake fluid and bleeding the system. Probably the hardest part of all of that is the bending of the new lines. I hope I can get it all done by next week Monday.

To top the day off, we had our prayer meeting. We have few who come out, but the time together in prayer is still very good.

So, it was a good, productive day of work even though it didn't start that well.

Just Tried Out Skype

I had heard about Skype for a long time, but I had never thought of trying it. Today, however, was different. I decided at last to try it out. I have to say, I like it.

If you don't know what Skype is let me tell you. It is a free voice over ip (voip for short) phone service. If you have high speed internet access, you can use it to make phone calls. It is completely free if the people you are calling also have Skype. Even better, you can also call normal phone numbers for a small fee. I have not paid out for this feature yet, but I probably will in the very near future. As with the other voip providers, you can even get phones that will work with it so you can have that comfortable handset that you are so used to.

At the moment I don't know anyone with Skype, but I am going to encourage some of my friends to get it. The sound quality while doing the test call to set up my microphone was excellent. Now I just need to get some people I know onto this so I can call them for free.

I encourage those of you with high speed access to the internet to try it out if you haven't already. Oh, you will need a microphone that can be used with your computer as well.

No Thursday Thought This Week

For some reason this week has been very busy for me. There isn't any one thing that I can place my finger on that has made it busy, but I am behind in the vital things like sermon preparation and writing. That means, no Thursday Thoughts this week.

I also ask that people pray that God will give me what I need to get the two sermons I need to write this week done. Right now my mind doesn't seem to be able to really grasp the scriptures as it should, and I find there is a great sense of something there but not accessible to me. That is also why I have not posted much else on the blog this week either.

Inexpressible Joy - 1 Peter 1:6-9

In this continuation of our evening series on 1 Peter we look at the fact that Christians can have joy even in the midst of their troubles and afflictions.

Inexpressible Joy -- 1 Peter 1:6-9

Standing In Troubled Times

Standing In Troubled Times -- 1 Timothy 4:1-16
Morning Service February 18, 2007

Reasons To Praise God -- 1 Peter 1:3-5

I am a little late in posting this sermon. It was preached last Sunday at our evening service.

Reasons To Praise God -- 1 Peter 1:3-5

Surgery All Done

It is all done. Surgery is past, and Justin now has tubes in his ears. Sure enough he had another ear infection, so he is on antibiotics, but this time they are drops that are put in his ear, not oral ones. Thanks be to God all went well, and while all of us are VERY tired (this pretty much wrote off today as a day I would get work done), Justin his happy and seems to be feeling pretty good.

I knew everything had went well and Justin was feeling good when I asked if he was out of recovery yet. Only one parent is allowed in, so Annette went. The receptionist said that he was about to leave, and just then I hear Annette back in the pre-op area saying, "Justin get back here." Right then and there I knew he was feeling good and alert.

Justin's Surgery

Justin is scheduled to have his surgery to put tubes in this ears tomorrow at 8am. While I know this is a minor surgery, this is one of those firsts as a parent that I would much rather not have to go through. I ask for the prayers of those who read my blog, that God may be honored and his hands direct the surgeons that they may be effective and that this procedure may go well.

Thursday Thoughts

Over at johnrmccraken.com, John posts a helpful tip on Evangelism and small groups.

Another blog that I have started to read, and find very encouraging, interesting, and helpful, is Sharing Jesus. This blog has both helpful hints on sharing the gospel every day, and the person doing it practices what he teaches. He is out there doing it. Some may question the value of some of the things he does, but he is out there doing it. Are they? Two helpful posts of those I have read are The Gospel of John as as Tract (which has a useful link to a source for free Gospels of John) and Starbucks Coffee Shop (which reminded me that places like coffee shops can be a place to meet with unbelievers and talk to them about the gospel)

With all the talk about Global Warming, it is interesting that unlike those in the spotlight want to claim, actual scientists who are not sponsored by big oil companies are questioning the truth of human caused warming. Here is an article in the National Post. Also check out these radio interviews of men with actual credentials who point out some of the shortcomings of the IPCC. Finally, yet another article. When other types of pollution are much more harmful to people right now (think of the horrible smog found in many large cities around this world that not only contains carcinogenic compounds and causes severe asthma attacks in those susceptible to them not to mention the wastes from industry that kill wildlife) focusing on warming that probably has more to do with Solar cycles than Carbon released into the atmosphere seems to be far from the most Christian response to good stewardship.

Over at Ebenezer Reformed Church blog, there is a good post on the problem of pursuing morality as an end in itself.

All I can say is 'Yuck!'

Over are Reformation21, Rich Phillips continued his posts on Biblical Masculinity with Biblical Masculinity #4: Integrity and Biblical Masculinity #5: Self-Control. I missed both of them last time, but happily noticed them before they disappeared from my RSS reader.

Above All Earthly Powers

I finished reading through David Wells Above All Earthly Power last night. I don't really know what to say about it. I find that I am amazed, in a negative way, at the prevailing world-view around us right now. In fact, I find that even reading something like this book, that seeks to clearly explain how people think, I still have a hard time grasping it. On the other hand, there are places where I find that I am affected by it as well. There is a part of my that throws my hands up in the air wondering how the gospel will ever spread in such a climate. Then another part of me reminds me that the world has always been opposed to the gospel. The modern world-view was just as opposed to the Christians world-view as the post-modern one is. The only reason to not despair is the same one that forms the title of this book, we follow one who is above all earthly powers. To quote Him, "In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

How to Put Audio Files Online

I was asked how I put my sermons online. There are few ways to do this, but there are some basic steps that are part of this.

1. Getting your sermon onto your computer.
If you want to get your sermon onto the Internet, you need to get it into a digital format. How I do this is by using the audio from the digital video tapes we make of our services. We make these tapes because we also broadcast our services twice a month on the local cable access channel. This is a very easy way to do this as all one has to do it have a digital video camera, a firewire interface card, and a video editing program. When I capture video this way I can save it out with my video editing software as an mp3 file.

However, realizing that many people will not have this sort of equipment, another option is to hook a computer up to the sound system using an adapter cable that will allow you to plug it into the audio input that most computer sound cards have. If you already do audio tapes of the services, then a simple y-connector that will split off the signal that is going to the tape-deck will work with the correct cable to switch to the plug that will go into your computer. Then you will only need some software to capture the audio. Windows comes with software that does that, but I don't believe it is very good. Perhaps checking over at TUCOWS for audio software would be the place to start looking. There is probably something there that is free. The program I often hear mentioned in connection with Pod-casting is Audacity, which is a free audio editor and recorder program. The advantage to Audacity is it not only will allow you to record the audio, but to edit it and save it as an mp3 file.

2. Getting Your Sermon Online.
Again there are many ways to do this. What I do, since I have a broadband connection and Linux, is use the Edna mp3 streaming webserver. That allows me to simply save the sermon audio to the directory the mp3 files are included in, and they are online right away. However, many people will not have this option. It also has its drawbacks such as if I want to podcast, I would have to write up the podcast xml file myself every time I add a new sermon. For me that would two a week. More work than I want to do.

That leads to the other option. Free hosting on the web. I use this as well, but it also has its limitation. Usually there are limits on the number of files they will host free, and the quality of the audio is based on how they compress it. Having said that, the advantages are that they do the xml file for podcasting for you, so you can add it to the various pod-casting aggregators so more people may come to know about it.

The free service I use is Sermon Cloud. This is a free hosting site for sermons. Basically they provide space for one year (52) sermons, and then the oldest ones will be replaced by every one that is added after you reach that limit. When you upload the audio to their site they re-compress it to meet their standards, but the sound quality is still good.

As you can see, this is fairly simple to do, and only requires a little bit of computer knowledge. If there are additional questions, feel free to ask as I was putting this together quickly and may not have been as clear or complete as I would have liked.

Of First Importance--Part III

The final of three sermons dealing with beliefs found at the centre of Christianity.

Of First Importance--Part III 1 Corinithians 15:1-11

Building a New People For God -- Part 1

Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
Ephesians 2:11-22

Over at Voice of Vison I was reading this post about how we as Christians are not to think we can do it on our own. As I considered that post, and looked at the various comments that have been made, it reminded me of a pastor friend of mine who often struggles with the fact that some families in the congregation he serves have left for a church that is larger and has more youth programs. Particularly they have need activities such as, if I remember correctly, a rock climbing wall.

As I considered that in the Meta, I asked the following:

I wonder, in the long run, will that rock climbing wall keep those young people in the church? Does it do anything to nurture and build up a child in the faith. Is it an example of a way the body builds itself up, or is it only a way to keep the kids occupied?

As I considered this more and more, it brought to mind this section of Ephesians. It brought it to mind because is says so much about Christ building a new people. I don't think in one post I can deal with the whole passage, so I will try to work through it in several posts.

As this section starts, it starts with a reminder about what things are like in a world dominated by sin. It is a reminder because those Paul is writing to are already believers, but in that reminder it also points to what things are like for those who do not believe in Christ. We read, "Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

Here Paul looks at those Gentile believers, and says in essence, remember what you were. Remember that before you believed you were separated from Christ. You were alienated from the people of God and that promises that they have from God. You were without hope. You were without God. You were in the world with all its emptiness, alienation, and all that means.

That was what they were, and that is what any person who is outside of Christ is now. If you do not trust in Christ and what he has done, you are living in a world where you are alienated not just from the people of God, but from one another. You are living in a world where you cannot get to God, and where ultimately there is no hope. That is true for all those who are outside of what Christ has done, and the only way to receive that is through faith.

Many people don't realize this, at least not in a way they can put their finger on it. Others, do realize it. They look at their life and the world around them, and they see no purpose, no hope, nothing bigger than the futility of one life in a world of billions. A life that when it ends will have no lasting meaning. So they start to look for that meaning in the various spiritualities around them as if they can find it that way. Yet, the real problem cannot be solved that way, because no matter how much you look in yourself for answers, it is your very self that will keep you from finding them. Others, who may or may not realize they are without God and without hope in this world, may seek to deal with this through entertainment, work, or a whole host of other distractions; but as soon as they are alone with themselves, back it comes. It comes back, because that sense of aloneness, alienation, separation, etc. is part of what it means to be separated from Christ and from God.

This is why it disturbs me that we somehow think that rock climbing walls, sports programs, movie nights, and all the rest are what will keep young people, or not so young people, in the church. It disturbs me because not one of these things will move a person from being separated from Christ to being joined to him. Not one.

Now again, don't get me wrong. I am not against fun or enjoyment. I don't think any of these things are wrong in themselves, but when a parent or congregation thinks that without them there is no hope for their children, then I say you are missing the point, because these things may keep your kids in church for a while, but when they grow up, if they have not received Christ in faith by the grace of God, then they will find that the world does a much better job at entertaining them than the church ever did. If they do not love Christ, trust Christ, want to worship Christ for Christ, then they probably don't believe, and no rock climbing walls, cool gymnasium, or any other entertainment will change that. They are separated from Christ, alienated from God's people, without God and without hope. It is in realizing that, that you can start to see that the only solution is to point them to Christ.

It is only there that this situation be changed, and that will only happen in a congregation where the Word of God is preached. Where the Bible is proclaimed and lived out as the very word of God written. Where people strive to learn and understand what God is revealing in the written word which all points to the living Word Jesus Christ.

None of that requires all those other things that so many are thinking are important today. It does, however, require that you as a believing parent realize the importance of being part of a church where the things that really matter happen, even if it doesn't have a lot of children, or rock climbing walls, or a gymnasium, or all that stuff. It also requires that you realize how you treat church will have a lasting effect on how your children treat church. If you act as if it is optional, or you constantly complain about it then don't expect them to value it or what it stands for.

If you find a church where the Bible is preached as it should be, don't look and decide based on the excessive number of gray or bald heads, don't decide based on the lack of various 'fun' activities for children, decide based on whether they will be taught of Christ and challenged to put their life in his hands. Anything else will never deal with the real problem.

Ever Heard of Lock Bumping

It is a way to open a lock without having the proper key for it. Apparently it does not work on all locks, but it does work on many of them. Check it out.

Thursday Thoughts

It has been a slow week in terms of blogs or news that I have found interesting.  To top that off I have been busy this week as well, so there is very little in Thursday Thoughts. So enjoy the only thing I have to share this week.

Some people just have too much time and too much technology on their hands. These two guys had a Nintendo Wii and a robot, and decided to see if they could control the robot with the Wii. The result is a tennis playing, sword swinging accident waiting to happen.

Banner of Truth 2007 Conference Information Online

As those of you who know me are already aware, the one conference I try to attend yearly is the Banner of Truth Minister's Conference in Grantham PA. It is a conference for men who are pastors or elders to come and learn and be strengthened through solid preaching of the word of God and Christian fellowship with one another. The first year I attended the Banner conference I was so greatly encouraged that I could not imagine missing one.

Today I received an e-mail reminding me that the Banner conference information is now posted online. The conference is planned for May 29th to 31st, and will be held at Messiah College in Grantham, PA. You can click the picture to be taken to the conference web-site, or below are direct links to the brochure and online registration.

To see the conference brochure in PDF form, Click Here

If you want to register online--Click HERE

Lord willing I will be there.

Knowing The Fear of The Lord

Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others.
2 Corinthians 5:11 (ESV)

As I was reading scripture this morning, many thoughts about what is being said in this chapter of 2 Corinthians were flying through my mind. However, not many came to rest. This is probably an indication of how distracted my mind is over my abysmal failure at fixing my video editing computer. As a side comment, I find it amazing how something that really isn't that important, a computer that I have done without for several months which still isn't working, can so easily distract me. I don't think it should be that way.

However, as I said, this sentence did come to settle, thanks be to God. Paul had just finished speaking of the new heavenly body that believers will receive, and the implication from that, that believers should strive to please God now in our moral bodies. The ground for that was that there is a judgment coming where people will receive what is due for what they have done in the body.

It is immediately following this that we find this sentence. "Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others."

What struck me is that an implication of this statement is that if one is not seeking to persuade others, if one is not active in spreading the good news of Jesus Christ, if one is not, if one is not functioning in what is later in this chapter called the ministry of reconciliation, that would mean they very likely do not know the fear of the Lord as they should. They do not really know what it is to hold God in reverence and awe. To fear him as he should be feared as the Holy God. Nor, probably in many cases, do they fear him in the sense of realizing that outside of the way he has provided for people to be saved, a person is doomed to punishment for the evil they have done in the body.

It would also seem to imply that if we are lacks in seeking to persuade others, we should pray that God will fill us with that holy fear that will move us to do so. That we will come to know what we need to know, not just cognitively but experientially, and so be moved to greater activity in being about the great commission Christ has given us.

I am sure this needs to be expanded on, but at the moment my brain is tired.

AARG!!

For those of you who followed my blog when it was back on Livejournal, you may remember when my video editing computer died on me when the CPU overheated. Well, at last I got around to getting another CPU on E-bay, a new power supply (because I put the old one into another computer, and a new fan and heat sync.

I received the CPU today, and after letting it warm up for a while, I installed it into the motherboard (ECS K7S5A). It looked like it is in good condition, unlike the previous CPU. I attached the heat-sync to it, and plugged in the power supply. Turned it on, and the fan on the heat-sync started to spin, but nothing else was happening. Turn it off, made sure the connections were all good, they were, turned it on again and the power supply, the new one, blew up (loud cracking noise and sparks). Turned everything off. Took a power supply out of another computer. Plugged it in, and the fan on the heat-sync spins, but again, no power up, no signal to the monitor.

So, I run into a conundrum. Either the CPU is DOA, always a possibility with used products and it has a DOA guarantee. And/or, the new power-supply fried the motherboard and the CPU was fine. And/Or, the problem was the motherboard all along. It could be any one, or any combination of the above. At this point all I can say is AAARRRRGG!

I will have to get a replacement for the power-supply. I just have to decide if I want to assume the CPU is dead, and take advantage of the DOA guarantee, or look for another motherboard (used of course since finding a new Socket A motherboard would be very unlikely.)

Suggestions?

Lord's Supper

It seems that this has been the theme for the day. We celebrated it this Lord's Day, one of the 5 times per year that we do so. I personally would love to celebrate it more often, at least once a month, but so far this is as often as well celebrate it.
I say it is the theme for the day because two other blogs I read had posts about it.

First, over at Voice of Vison, Even So posted on it in terms of the necessity of it being celebrated in the context of the gathering of believers. I agree whole heartedly with him, and still remember my shock and dismay when Discipleship Journal had an article on celebrating Communion by oneself.

Second, at Biblical Christianity Dan posted a tip on how he explained to unbelievers why they should not partake in the Lord's Supper. I liked his illustration.

What we do to fence the table, that is to keep the unrepentant and the unbelievers from eating and drinking judgment against themselves, is first to put an insert in the bulletin. Being a small congregation our intention is to have one of the Elders approach those who are visting, and go over it with them to make sure they understand. It is as follows:

“Should I take Communion here?”

If you are visiting us you may wonder whether or not you should receive the sacrament of Holy Communion (the Lord's Supper). We don't want anyone who should partake to feel uncomfortable in doing so. However, we also don't want anyone to partake merely as a form or ritual or just to be sociable! In fact, the Bible says that it is dangerous to do so. This isn't our table. It isn't the table of the Reformed Church. This is the Lord's Table. Therefore, we try to follow His instructions as nearly as we can.
In light of His instructions, we invite you to commune if each of the following is true:

1. You have been born again by the power of the Holy Spirit, have repented of your sin, and trust Jesus Christ - plus nothing - for right standing with God.
2. You have been baptized (either as an infant or as an adult). Baptism (the sign of union) must always come before the Lord's Supper (the sign of communion). If you wish you may speak to one of our elders about making arrangements for baptism.
3. You are not living secretly and unrepentantly in sin but are striving by the help of the Holy Spirit to glorify God with your entire life.
4. You have joined or been confirmed as a communing member of a church that proclaims the gospel. If you have not, then we invite you to consider becoming a member here. If you would like more information about this please speak with one of our elders.
5. You have not been excommunicated or asked by your church to refrain from taking communion. We respect the discipline of other churches, and we do not want to encourage the practice of lowering the standards of Christian living or evading accountability by allowing unrepentant people to do what their own congregation will not allow them to do.
If you can sincerely say "Yes" to each of these things, we invite you to inform one of our elders, so that we can welcome you to the Table in the Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We believe that He wants both you and this church to recognize the obligations of His covenant in this way.
If you cannot say "Yes" to each of these things - or if you are not sure - then we ask you to refrain from partaking at this time. We invite and encourage you to talk to our elders about the steps you need to take to enable you to openly enjoy communion with Christ and His people.

Second, we have what is called a preparatory exhortation. It is part of our liturgy, and it meant to explain to people how they are to come to the table of the Lord. This is not the one we use, but a newer one. Frankly, while I don't mind this one, I prefer the older one once some of the language is updated.

Of First Importance -- Part II

In this second sermon in this series, we continue to look at 1 Corinthians 15:1-11. In this message we look at what it was that Paul presented as of first importance when he came to Corinth, and we find that at the centre of the gospel is Jesus Christ.

Of First Importance -- Part II 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

If you try this link and are denied access, please tell me in the comments section.

No Worship This Evening

It has been decided. We will not have worship this evening. Not because of the Super Bowl; Not because we a spiritual carnal; but because of the weather. It was quite blowy and snowy this morning, and we had quite a few families that could not get to worship because of the snow. By the late afternoon, the weather had gotten worse, with the forecast of stronger winds and more snow. Our organist, who lives a fair distance away decided that rather than staying and possibly getting storm stayed, that he would head home. And, after some discussion with one of the elders, we decided that we should cancel the evening service.

Church Growth . . . Or Not

I'm part of the 2%

I was sent the following quiz. Follow it through and see if you are in the 98% or the 2%. I am in the 2%.

This won't take long and it is kinda spooky: (I thought it was odd but not spooky)



At the end of this message, you are asked a question.

Answer it immediately. Don't stop and think about it.

Just say the first thing that pops into your mind.


This is a fun "test". Give it a try, then e-mail it around (including back to me) and you'll see how many people you know fall into the same percentage as you. Be sure to put in the subject line if you are among the 98% or the 2%. You'll understand what that means after you finish taking the "test."

Now - just follow the instructions as quickly as possible.



Do not go to the next calculation before you have finished the previous
one..


You do not ever need to write or remember the answers, just do it
using your mind.


You'll be surprised.



Start:


How much is:
15 + 6

























3 + 56



























89 + 2

























12 + 53





































75 + 26



































25 + 52





























63 + 32
































I know! Calculations are hard work, but it's nearly over..


Come on, one more!


























123 + 5























































QUICK! THINK ABOUT A COLOR AND A TOOL!










































Scroll further to the bottom....












































A bit more...


















You just thought about a red hammer , didn't you?



If this is not your answer, you are among 2% of people who have a
different, if not abnormal, mind.

98% of the folks would answer a red hammer while doing this exercise.

If you do not believe this, pass it around and you'll see.

Be sure to put in the subject line if you are among the 98% or the
2% and send to everyone.

This Was Fun

Over at Doulogos, Daniel posts about one of those things going around where a person is tagged by someone else. In this case they are to take the closest book to them, turn to page 123, go to the fourth sentence and post the fourth, fifth and sixth sentence.

He didn't tag me, but I thought I would do it none the less. The closest two books to me were the phonebook and a dictionary, neither of which I though really qualified, but the next closest was The Doctrine of The Knowledge of God by John Frame.

Page 123, sentences 4-6 are:

Rationalism recognizes a need for criteria, or standards; empiricism a need for objective, publicly knowable facts; and subjectivism a need for our beliefs to meet our own internal criteria. A Christian epistemology will recognize all of those concerns but will differ from the rationalist, empiricist, and subjectivist schools of thought in important ways. Most importantly, the Christian will recognize the lordship of God in the field of knowledge.

Now that is an interesting three sentences.

If you read here, consider yourself tagged. Please post in the comment section your answer to this.

Thursday Thoughts

I found this rather humorous picture over at By His Grace Alone. I have to agree, only in America, or Canada if our weather was different would this sort of thing be found. Although I have to say that when I was really into lifting weights I would have appreciated it after my 'leg' days. I could barely walk up the flight of stairs where I used to work out on those days.

An interesting article in The Australian talks about a windmill that produces water out of air.  How this works in detail is not explained because of a patent not yet being received on the technology, but it sound very interesting.  If it works it could provide water for many people in arid and not so arid climates.

R. Scott Clark has a brief post on the truth that the gospel really does produce fruit.  All to often we forget this and start to move to some sort of new legalism. He also has an excellent interaction with Doug Wilson's Federal Vision views on justification entitled, oddly enough, Doug Wilson is Right.

Rick Phillips over at Reformation 21 has a series of posts on Biblical Masculinity:  Biblical Masculinity #1:  Fear of the Lord;  Biblical Masculinity #2:  A Definition; and Biblical Masculinity #3:  Industry.  In our world with such mixed up ideas of masculinity and femininity, these posts are very welcome.

Finally over at the New Attitude Blog you can find a link to a message dealing with Conversational Apologetics.  That is, it will help you to understand how to give a response for the hope that is in you.  If you want help in how to talk with others about Christ, this may help.